diff --git a/java/runtime/MercuryThreadPool.java b/java/runtime/MercuryThreadPool.java
index a08864b4c..142b2e604 100644
--- a/java/runtime/MercuryThreadPool.java
+++ b/java/runtime/MercuryThreadPool.java
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ public class MercuryThreadPool
 {
     public static final boolean         debug = false;
 
-    private static MercuryThreadPool    instance;
-
     private MercuryThreadFactory        thread_factory;
 
     /*
@@ -440,29 +438,6 @@ public class MercuryThreadPool
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get the number of currently queued tasks.
-     * @return true if all tasks have been completed.
-     */
-    protected boolean checkTasks()
-    {
-        long    num_tasks_submitted;
-        long    num_tasks_completed;
-        boolean done;
-
-        tasks_lock.lock();
-        try {
-            num_tasks_submitted = this.num_tasks_submitted;
-            num_tasks_completed = this.num_tasks_completed;
-
-            done = (num_tasks_submitted == num_tasks_completed);
-        } finally {
-            tasks_lock.unlock();
-        }
-
-        return done;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Run the thread pool.  This is usually called by runMain()
      */