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Session 11. 1918. NEW ZEALAND.

STATE COAL-MINES (REPORTS ON THE WORKING OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1918.

Prepared in accordance with the Requirements of Section 118 of the Coal-mines Act, 190H.

MINE-MANAGER'S REPORT. The Manager, State Coal-mines, Greymouth, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir, — Point Elizabeth State Coal-mines, Greymouth, 11th April, 1918. 1 have the honour to submit my annual report on the State collieries for the year ended 31st March, 1918. Point Elizabeth Colliery. Coal-winning. The gross total output for the year was 118,076 tons lOcwt., a decrease of nearly 15,000 tons when compared with the figures for the previous year; and after deducting mine consumption and waste, and allowing for the stock in hand at the beginning of the year, there remained for disposal 111,551 tons Bcwt., which was disposed of as follows : — Export— Tons ewt. Screened coal ... ... ... ... ... 41,552 14 Unscreened coal ... ... ... ... ... 21,447 18 Bunker coal ... ... ... ... ... ... 13,616 2 Small coal ... ... ... ... 24,896 14 Total ... ... ... ... ... 101,513 8 Local sales — Screened coal ... ... ... ... ... 4,807 4 Unscreened coal ... ... ... ... ... 1,262 0 Bunker coal ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 12 Small coal ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,397 14 Total ... ... ... ... ... 7,479 10 Mine sales (unscreened) ... ... ... ... ... 119 18 Sold to employees (unscreened) ... ... ... ... 2,558 17 Used on works (small) ... ... ... ... ... 5,678 0 Waste ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 847 2 The gross total output won from this colliery since its inception amounts to 2,331,532 tons. The colliery worked on 220 days, and the average daily output was 536 tons 14 cwt. The possible number of working-days for the year (exclusive of union holidays and pay Saturdays, which number 45) was 268, and the difference between the time worked and the possible workingtime is accounted for as follow: Conscription strike, 14 days; railway ticket strike, 2 days; sharing of work strike, 2 days; levy strike, 16 days; quarterly cavil, \\ days; search for highway robber, 2£ days; want of shipping, 8 days; bar unworkable, 2 days: total, 48 days. The loss of

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