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1917. NEW ZEALAND.

STATE COAL-MINES (REPORTS ON THE WORKING OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1917.

Prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 118 of the Goal-mines Act, 1908.

The Manager, State Coal-mines, Greymouth, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir, — State Coal-mines, Greymouth, 6-th June, 1917. I have the honour to submit my annual report on the work done at the State collieries for the year ended 31st March, 191.7. Point Elizabeth Colliery. Coal-winning. The gross total output for the year was 132,769 tons 1.0wt., a decrease of over 1,000-tons when compared with the previous year's figures, and after deducting mine consumption there remained for disposal 125,030 tons. The gross total output won from this mine since its inception in June, 1904, amounts to 2,213,456 tons. The colliery worked on 256 days for the year, making an average of 4/92 per week. The difference between time worked and the possible working-time is accounted for as follows : raySaturdays, 27; union holidays, 15; want of .shipping, 5; bar unworkable, 3; flood in river, I; slip on Greymouth—Runanga Railway, 2; fire in No. 2 Section, 2; and cavil, 2. The average numbers of men and boys employed in and about the mine were as follow : Underground—Coal-hewers, 76; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 75; boys, 2. Surface, 44 men and 14 boys : making a total of 195 men and 16 boys. The total payments made on wages account, exclusive of stores, compensation, and minetimber, amounted to .£38,551 13s. 2d. The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) was 20s. 3'03d., and the net average daily return to each man 19s. 6'2Bd. Underground Development. No new developments have taken place in connection with this colliery. The whole of the output was obtained from coal won from pillar-extr action. On the west side of the main dip haulage-road of the No. 2 section, where a series of pillars underlies, the main entrance tunnel, these pillars could not be taken out entirely, but merely split, and small stumps or pillars left to protect the haulage-road above. The same method had to be adopted in the rise workings of the same section to prevent two small creeks from breaking through into the mine. During the year several attempts were made to reopen the fire area in the No. 2 section with the object of extracting some of the pillars which yvcre sealed off. It was thought that after the water had been allowed to rise up to the main dip "haulage-road several chains above the level where the fire originally occurred the fire would be extinguished, but it was found in a short time after holing was effected that the fire had spread practically over the whole of the area, thus rendering it impossible to win any of the coal. The whole of the fire area is now under water, and as all the adjoining pillars have been extracted, the coal lost through this cause will not warrant the cost of unwatering. Surface Works. The whole of the surface plant, machinery, and buildings have been maintained in good order and condition. Liverpool Colliery. Goal-winning. The gross total output for the year was 133,012 tons 18 cw-t., which, after allowing for mine consumption, left 127,780 tons I'm- disposal, and when compared with the figures of last year shows an increase of 19,526 lons. The gross total output, won from this colliery since April, 1913, amounts to 357,441 tons 14 cwt.

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