C.—2a.

2

Days worked. —During the year the No. 1 mine worked 201 days 5 hours, and the No. 2 mine 205 days 5 hours. The difference between the days worked and the possible working-days, exclusive of 51 pay and back Saturdays, is accounted for as follows : —

The days worked at the No. I mine are 13f less than the previous year, and the No. 2 Mine 9§ less. Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 373, made up as follows : Underground—Coal-hewers, 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 an average 4 men employed on development work, making a total number for the colliery of 346 men and 31 boys. Payments.—The total payments made in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation amounted to £98,974 18s., an increase of £5,194 9s. 2d. compared with the previous year. In addition to the amount expended on coal-winning, £994 Is. was expended on development work. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £1 95., and after making deduction for stores (explosives) the net return was £1 6s. 2d., an increase of Is. sd. per day compared with the previous year. Daily Output.—The average daily mine output was 708 tons, as compared with 703 tons for the previous year. The coal-hewers' average daily output was 5 tons 12 cwt., a decrease of 4 cwt. compared with the previous year. Days worked by Coal-hewers.—The total number of days that could have been worked by coalhewers 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. Deficiencies. — The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause during the year was £772 18s. 6d. This works out to a cost, of l-30d. per ton. Underground Workings.—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 been carried out, operations being confined to the extraction of pillars, also the splitting of very large ones near the mine-entrance preparatory to extracting. Formerly, two seams, known 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. No. 2 Mine. —At this 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 extraction 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 level is now in a distance of 26 chains from the main haulageroad, 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 also rise headings are being driven, but the time is not far distant when they will reach the line where the seam becomes unworkable through the same cause as on the east side. Morgan Seam : At 19' chains from the main haulage-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 now 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.

No. 1 Mine. No. 2 Mine. Dys. Hrs. Dy s * Hrs. Union holidays .. .. .. .. .. 17 0 17 0 Delays to shipping due to bad weather and bar conditions .. 30 0 30 0 Breakdown to bin machinery .. .. .. . . 0 3 0 3 Slip on railway-line .. .. .. .. . . 10 10 Strike re lamps being stopped .. .. .. . . 10 10 No steam in change and bath house at No. 1 mine . . . . 2 0 Too wet for men to walk from change and bath house to the mine .. 10 Funeral of last Dobson victim .. .. .. .. 10 10 Slip on electric-power line at the mine .. .. .. 10 10 Stop-work meeting .. . . .. .. .. 10 10 Fall of roof on haulage-road .. .. .. . . 3 0 Extra holidays taken during Christmas period .. . . 2 0 2 0 59 3 55 3