C.—2

A comparative statement for the last two financial years is shown hereunder : —

The following table shows the total sale of State coal from the State mines as compared with the previous year, and the average f.o.r. price realized by each mine exclusive of subsidy : —

CO-OPERATIVE MINING, STATE COAL RESERVE Eighteen co-operative parties working portions of the State Coal Reserve near Greymouth produced during the year 1944 95,946 tons, the number of men employed being 137. During the previous year the same number of parties produced 97,995 tons. Up to the end of 1944 co-operative parties have produced a grand total of 1,907,135 tons of coal and have in the same period paid royalties to the State amounting to £91,373. RESCUE STATIONS The three mines rescue stations at Dobson, Rotowaro, and Ohai continue to function satisfactorily, and full advantage is being taken of them by the management of coal-mines where heating or underground fires occur. A contract has been let for another mines rescue station which is to be built at Granity. This building will bo almost identical in design to those at Rotowaro and Ohai, and will serve the mines from Seddonville to Denniston. Since inception, 196 certificates of proficiency have been issued to trainees of stations.

6

Output 1944-45. Output 1943-44. a So^ Mine. -—— —— ggO | g£ Gross. Net. Gross. Net. S § g S3 § "S fc M^5 Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Liverpool .. .. .. 121.728 116,670 135,260 131,010 -10-0 -10-94 Strongman .. .. 107,114 105,589 105,701 104,270 + 1-34 + 1-26 James* .. .. .. 7,057 7,057 12,003 11,813 -44-72 -43-83 Blackball .. .. .. 57,836 56,815 45,029 44,315 +28-44 +28-2 Mangapehi.. .. .. 60,930 59,040 70,929 69,442 -14-1 -14-98 Tatu .. .. .. 31,409 27,426 28,949 22,852 + 8-5 +20-01 Wallsend .. .. .. 57,505 54,688 58,742 55,284 - 2-1 - 1-08 Dobson .. .. .. 61,461 60,373 61.876 60,656 -0-67 -0-46 Stockton .. .. .. 108,953 103,591 Mossbank .. .. .. 11,819 9,664 Wilton .. .. .. 33,634 32,014 Wairaki .. .. .. 12,836 11,385 Glen Afton Opencast .. 12,029 12,029 6,176 6,175 +94-77 +94-8 Kimihia Opencast .. .. 47,871 47,871 Beehive Opencast .. .. 4,009 4,009 .. .. Kemps Opencast .. .. 6,874 6,874 Ohai Opencast .. .. 704 704 Waitewliena Opencast .. 18,884 18,884 Totals .. .. 762,231 734,261 524,665 505,817 Note.—The difference between the gross and net output is accounted for by waste and mine consumption. * Slack raised from dump. Colliery ceased operations on 23rd July, 1943.

M - Total Sales, Total Sales, Percentage Average Price f.o.r. 1944-45. 1943-44. Variation. realized. Tons. Tons. s. d. Liverpool .. .. 114,675 131,015 -12-47 19 3-77 Strongman .. .. 106,071 102,798 -f 3-18 24 8-40 James .. .. .. 7,057 12,519 -43-63 6 0-12 Blackball .. .. 55,850 44,559 +25-34 17 3-21 Mangapehi .. .. 59,068 69,391 —14-87 20 6-84 Tatu .. .. .. 27,301 22,893 +19-25 21 9-43 Wallsend .. .. 52,879 56,375 — 6-2 21 7-30 Dobson .. .. .. 59,343 60,720 - 2-26 23 3-53 Stockton .. .. .. 98,567 .. .. 20 7-81 Mossbank .. .. 9,655 .. .. 19 7-68 Wilton .. .. .. 32,011 .. .. 19 11-81 Wairaki v . .. .. 11,385 .. .. 18 3-76 Glen Afton Opencast .. 12,029 6,175 +94-8 24 4-94 Kimihia Opencast .. .. 47,871 .. .. 25 11-86 Beehive Opencast .. .. 4,009 .. .. 24 8 • 33 Kemps Opencast .. .. 6,874 .. .. 19 4-61 Ohai Opencast .. .. 704 .. .. 22 4-80 Waitewhena Opencast .. 18,884 .. .. 29 3-00 Totals .. .. 724,233 506,445 +43-01