STATE MINES

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1928, Page 5

STATE MINES

ANNUAL REPORT.

The Superintendent Of State coal mines (Mr I. A. James) in his annual report for the year ended March, 31, IQ9Q off) •f'pq * Liverpool Colliery—The gross total output of coal for the year was 143,889 tons 14 cwt., a reduction of 7,290 tons 3 cwt., when compared with the figures of last year. After making allowance for stocks on hand at the beginning of the year, and deducting mine consumption and waste, there remained fdr disposal 142,985 tons 19 cwt., which is accounted for as follows: — •Tons. Export • • 76,852 Rail to Canterbury .. 45,907 Local sales 11,738 Mine sales 159 Sold to workmen .. .. 1,916 Stock in bin 5,685 Stock bn wharf .. .. 729 142,986 Used on works .. .. 5,433 Waste 1,277 Totals 149,696 / in connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 373, made up as follows: Underground—Coalhewers, 134; deputies, shiftmen and truckers, 134. On the surface —74 men and 31 boys. In addition to those employed Under the head of “Coal winning” there were on ah average 4 men employed on development work, making a total number for the cdlliery , of 346 men and 31 boys. The total paments made in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and-’ compensation amounted to £98,974 18/-, an increase of £5,194 9/2 as compared with the previous year. In addition to the • amount expended on coal-winning, £994 1/- was expended on development work. The coal-hewers’ average daily earnings (gross) were £1 9/-, and after making deduction for stores (explosives) the net return was £1 6/2, an increase of 1/5 per day compared with the previous year. The average daily mine output was 708 tons, as i compared with 703 tons for the previous year. > The coal-hewers’ average daily output was 5 tons 12cwt., a decrease of 4cwt. compared with the previous year. The total number of days that could have been worked by coal-hewers was 31,668, the number worked was 25,617, and the number lost, including those lost through sickness, was 6,051. In the latter are included 3,352 days that were lost owing to the miners refusing to work on back Saturdays. The total amount paid under the minimumwage clause during„the'year was £772 18/6. This works out to a cost of 1.30 d per ton.

At this colliery two mines, known as Nos. 1 and 2, are being worked, the bulk of the output during the year being obtained from the latter. In the former mine no new development has beoh. carried biit, operations being confined to the extraction of pillars, also the splitting of very large ones near the mine-entrance preparatory to extracting. . Formerly, two seam's, kndwn as the top and Morgan seams, were worked at this colliery, but at the present time only the top one is being worked. The Morgan seam from the present mine-entrance was worked out by September last. At No: 2 mine, three seams, known as the Anderson, Kimbell, .and Morgan are being worked. In the Anderson seam all Work in the solid is practically completed, and preparations have been, made for the extractions of pillars. In. the Kimbell seam development work is confined to the east level section, also a small section to the rise off the west level. The east leva! is now in a distance of 26 chains from the main haulage-road, and from which rise headings are driven. As these headings reach a point about 8 chains from the level, the seam becomes so intersected with stone bands as to render it unworkable. The west level, which is' in a distance' of 20 chains from the main haulage-road, is stopped at Tararu Creek fault. This fault has a deplacement of several hundred feet, therefore there are no prospects of further development in this direction. From this level rise headings are being driven, but the time is not ,far distant when they will reach the line where the seam becomes unowrkable through the same cause as on the east side.

Morgan Seam: At 19 chains from •the main hattlage-road the west level is stopped at the Tararu Creek fault. This fault is the same one as that encountered in the Kimbell west level, therefore there are no prospects of further development in that direction. The east, level is how in a distance of 24 chains from the main haulage-road, and is still being developed. From these levels rise headings are in the course of being driven, and eventually will connect with the Morgan seam workings at the No. 1 mine. To comply with the regulations under the Coal Mines Act, 1925, it is now necessary that the roof, floor, and sides of every roadway or part of a road which is accessible shall be treated either with incombustible dust or -vVater in order to fender the dust adherifig thereto non-inflammable. At these mines incombustible dust is used consisting of finely ground agricultural lime, 78 tons of which have been used during the year. The various roadways, &C., are marked off in zones and from the various zones 371 samples have been taken and analysed. Any zone not complying with the regulations is re-dusted. In addition to the analysing of samples from these mines, forty-one samples from co-ope-rative mines were also tested. The plant and machinery in and about the thine has been maintained in efficient working-order, and during the year the following new plant and buildings have been erected: (a) The installing, and housing of an additional Babcock and Wilcox boiler at the middle brake power-house, also the fitting of same with a Wilton patent furnace; (b) the removal of all plant and machinery from the old workshop at Dunollie, and the re-erecting of it in what was formerly the No. 3 mine change and bath house, situated near 1 the storage bin: (c) the erecting of a separate power-line between the middle brake power-house and the No. 2 ni’ne fay, also the installing of larger pnjioys on the fan shaft and motor. Thls' fan is now capable of producing over 100,000 cubic feet of air per minute - (d) the installation of a plant for carrying out coal-analysis, also determining moisture and combustibility in mine dust; and (e) the erecting of an adjustable loading-jib for the prevention of breakage of coal when being loaded into wagons. Several minor accidents occurred during the year. There were no accidents of a serious nature. The weeklv payments made under the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act, be-

ing at the rate of 66 2-3 per cent, of the wages earned jiiribr to the accident, amounted to £3,143 6/4. On the out<put produced for the year this works out to a cost of 5.24 d per ton. Hi the last annual report reference was made to the housing scheme introduced by the Department, whereby miners could borrow up to £3OO to enable them to build their own hpuses. ,Up to the 31st. March last seventeen houses have been biult at Runanga, and three others are in the course of ierectidil. The scheme under which these houses have been built has been most satisfactory to all concerned. JAMES COLLIERY. The gross total output for the year was 41,344 tons 19cwt„ an increase of 6,839 tons 18cwt. compared with the previous year. After making allowdiice for stocks on hand at the Of the yeaf’, and deducting mine consumption and waste, there rCihained fdr disposal 40,048 tons 19 cwt.; which is accounted for as follows: —•

Tons. Export 23,360 Rail, Canterbury .. .. 12,932 Local sales 1,667 Sold to workmen .. .. 484 Stock in bin 506 Stock on wharf .. .. 250 Stock in dump 850 40,049 Used on works .. .. 3,350 Waste 852 Totals 44,251 The mine during the year worked on 225 days, being 10S days less than the previous year. In connection with coal-winning the average number of persons employed was 77, made up as follows: Underground—Coal-hewers 37; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 25. On the surface —13 men and 2 boys. In addition to those employed under the head of “Coal-wirining” these were on an average 5 men employed on development work, making a total for the colliery of 80 men and 2 boys.

The total payments, made in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber and compensation amounted to £24,454 18/6, an increase of £2,502 6/10, as compared with the previous year. In addition to the amuont expended on coal-winning, £l,448 2/7 was expended on development work. The coal-heWers’ average daily earnings (gross) were £1 9/0.72, and aft.er deducting stores (explosives) the net return was £1 3/5.11 an increase of ‘l/3 per day compared With the previous year. The total number of days that could have been worked by coal-hewers was 9,471, the days worked were 7,9322, and the number lost, including those lost through sickness and not working on back was T,538J; The average daily mine output was 183 tons 15 cwt., an increase of 37 tons 5 swt. per day as compared with the previous year. The daily average output per cbal-hewer was 5. tons 4cwt., an increase of 9 over last year. The total amount paid under the minimum wage clause during the year was £507 3/2. This works out to a cost of 2.94 d per ton. During the past year the principal work in connection with coal-winning hits been carried but in. tiie extension of the main-heading section. The main headings weie extended a distance of approximately 10 chains. From these* headings other places are being driven in an easterly direction, add from which coal of excellent quality has heed produced. In the extension of the main and companion headings the Seam has beCh fairly uniform in quality and thickness, but somewhat variable in gradient. . In the course of driving the first 6 chains the headings were practically oh the strike of the seam, but contained a steep dip from right to left across the faces. In driving the last 4 chains the seam commenced to rise in the direction the headings are being driven. This gradient gradually increased, and at the present time it is lying at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. These headings are now within 4 chains of connecting with the outcrops on the banks of' Cannel Creek. Between these two points there is a difference in level of 90ft., the outcrops at Cannel Creek being so much higher. The present indications are that there is either a displacement between these two points or the seam from the present face of the headings will require to rise at a gradient of 1 in 3 to connect with the outcrops. In conjunction with the development of the mainheading section three other , small-sec-tions are worked, and from which pillars are being extracted. At the present time the power plant at this colliery consists of two very old Colonial under-fired boilers, one straight-line self-contained air-com-pressor, and one 15-horse-power dirOctcurrent generating set. This plant is being run to its full capacity, and as the various works extend will soon be inadequate to meet the mine requirements. The question of purchasing new plant has been carefull considered, and in view of the scattered nature of the field it has been decided to adopt electricity instead of steam and compressed air. Another matter carefully considered was whether power should be generated at the mine or obtained from the Grey Electric Power Board. To purchase and install a modern generating set the capital outlay would be rather high, therefore in order to avoid this expenditure it was deemed advisable to take power from the Grey Electric Power Board. Work in connection with the electrification is now well in hand and some of the necessary equipment has already arrived at the mine. During the year there were a few minor accidents, but not any of a serious nature. The payment made at this colliery under the provisions of bhte Workers’ Compensation Act amounted to £262 11/7. On the output produced this works out to a cost of 1.55'd per ton. The main heading is now within 4 chairis of connecting with the coal outcrops on the banks of Cannel Creek. These outcrops vary from 7ft. to 9ft. in thickness. The development of the field will in the future be confined to this locality, where exploration work 1 is now being carried on. At the present time it is doubtful whether the mine workings from the main-heading section will connect with the outcrops on the east bank of Cannel Creek. The old dip and east level sections encountered a fault which ran approximately parallel with the main heading. If this fault continues through into Canriel Creek it will be necessary either to connect the outcrops referred to by means of an outside tram from where the main heading connects with Cannel Creek or construct a stone drive from the present workings in the main-heading section. The work so • far done in connection with the win- • riing of coal from the districts already opened, also from exploration work .carried out, shows that, the field is

broken up into a series of small basins. In the centre of the basins the coal is generally of good quality, but towards the edges it becomes thin and intersected with stone and pyrites The undesirable features here referred to render the continuation of exploratory and development work imperative. GENERAL. The output from the Liverpool Colliery is 7,290 tons 3 cwt. less than the previous year, but the James Mine output shows an increase of 6,839 tons 18cwt. The loss in output at the Liverpool Colliery is due to the number- of woi-king-days being less than those of the previous year. Although the output from the Liverpool Colliery and the number of working-days are less than those of the previous year, the payments made for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation are higher by £5,194 9/2. This increase is due to the bulk of the output now being obtained from the No. 2 mine where solid tonnage rates and yardage rates have to be paid. The reduction of working-time has always had a serious effect not only on the output, but on the general average cost of production, for it must be noted that the maintenance of the mines has to be attended to whether full time or otherwise is worked.

DAYLIGHT SAVING.

Remember! Advance the clock half-an-hour to-night. Daylight saving commences to-morrow.