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WAIKATO COAL-MINES CONTROL The Waikato Coal-mines Control Board, established under the provisions of the Waikato Coal-mines Control Emergency Regulations 1942, and charged with the control of the mines owned by Glen Afton Collieries, Ltd., Pukemiro Collieries, Ltd., Renown Collieries, Ltd., and Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd., met at regular intervals during the year and continued to exercise a superintendence over various matters affecting these mines. The existence of a Board representative of both owners and miners to which an appeal could be made on any matter affecting the mines appears to have created a great measure of industrial security since, apart from the railway strike in January, 1945, there have been no prolonged stoppages of the mines in question. The following table shows the production from the Waikato controlled collieries over a period of ten years :

The peak year of 741,856 tons occurred in the first complete year of control, but production has since receded, though it remains above the 1939 level. The regulations provide for the guaranteeing by the State of the profits of the companies based on the average figure of three years prior to control. Some difficulties were experienced in settling the amounts that were to be paid, since the companies' claims were not entirely acceptable to the Government, but negotiations have been completed and full settlement made of all claims lodged to date. . Since the profits of the companies are guaranteed, the full district rate of subsidy has not been paid, for such a procedure would simply have involved reduced payments under one item in War Expenses Account and increased payments under another. The total amount paid in respect of claims under the Control Regulations to the end of the respective financial year ending in 1945 of each company has been £241,895. CARBONIZING AND BRIQUETTING The production of the low-temperature coal carbonizing and briquetting plant at Waikato Carbonization, Ltd., at Rotowaro, during the year 1945 was : Raw coal carbonized .. .. .. .. 24,548 Carbonized coal produced .. .. .. 12,029 tons. Average percentage of carbonized coal to raw coal .. 49 per cent. Carbonettes manufactured .. .. .. 9,784 tons. Tar and oil treated .. .. .. .. 219,677 gallons. Pitch produced .. .. .. .. 180 tons. Creosote produced .. .. .. .. 160,998 gallons. Char sold for producer-gas plants .. .. 3,449 tons. Char sold for other purposes .. .. .. 38 tons. During the year Smokeless Fuel and Briquettes (Canterbury), Ltd., produced 34,000 gallons of tar. No briquettes were made. No decision has yet been taken on the proposal to establish a plant to briquette Strongman and Blackball slack.

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Year ended 31st December. Glen Afton. Pukemiro. Taupiri. Renown. Total. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. 1938 • . 235,782 117,940 155,785 106,466 615,973 1937 223,301 112,036 158,288 114,893 608,519 1938 218,951 102,751 160,463 107,202 589,367 1939 211,768 110,987 176,020 121,164 619,939 1940 208,684 127,849 184,995 144,646 666,174 1941 222,333 134,242 203,298 128,297 688,172 1942 224,489 125,989 207,738 131,637 689,853 1943 ! 138,530 219,643 141,974 741,856 1944 204,387 128,970 212,370 147,619 693,346 1945 189,707 116,696 195,205 130.037 631,645