C.—2a,

Serious Accidents. —One serious accident was recorded during the year. On the 22nd of April a collier was struck by a piece of stone, and received a fracture of the right tibia and injuries to the bead. Stone-dusting.—Work under this heading has been continued. The total number of samples taken from this colliery and analysed was 12. Stkongman Colliery. Coal-winning. —The gross output for the year was 87,402 tons 10 cwt., as compared with 77,862 tons 7 cwt. for the previous year, an increase of 9,540 tons 3 cwt. After deducting mine consumption and waste, and making allowances for stocks on hand and slack dumped, there remained for disposal 86,399 tons 5 cwt. 3 qr., which is accounted for as follows : — Tons cwt. qr. Shipped .. .. .. .. .. .. 45,068 11 3 Bailed Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 27,400 5 2 Local sales .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,661 14 3 Mine sales . . .. . . .. .. .. 119 0 0 Sales to workmen, and free issues . . . . . . 2,097 1 0 Stocks in bin and yard .. .. .. .. 695 0 0 Stock on wharf . . . . .. . . . . 702 8 3 Stock on dump .. .. .. .. .. 3,655 4 0 86,399 5 3 Used on works .. .. .. .. .. 427 0 0 Waste '.. .. .. .. .. .. 1,594 10 0 88,420 15 3 The gross output from the colliery since its inception amounts to 210,598 tons 16 cwt. During the year the colliery worked on 241 days 7 hours, a decrease of 5 days 7 hours when compared with the previous year, when 5 back Saturdays were worked. The possible working-days, excluding Saturdays, were 261. The difference between the days worked and the possible working-days is accounted for as follows : 1 day, Good Friday ; 1 day, Easter Monday; 1 day, Anzac Day; 1 day, May Day ; 1 day, dispute re wet-time train ; 1 day, dispute re lamps ; 1 day, dismissal of trucker ; 1 day, Labour Day ; 7 days, Christmas holidays ; 4 hours, electrical fault; 5 hours, breakdown fan ; 1 day, nonissue of truckers' pay-slips ; 1 day, James Bathhouse cold ; 1 day, no trucks. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 167 men and 16 boys, made up as follows—Underground : Hewers, 50 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 80 ; boys, 5. On the surface : 37 men and 11 boys. Expenditure. —The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation, together with subsidies on bus fares and cost of fuel used on works, amounted to £81,767, as compared with £72,754 for the previous year. Capital expenditure was £4,898, as compared with £13,337 for the previous year. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £2 ss. sd. per day, and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 os. 2d., an increase of 2s. Id. per day when compared with the figures for the previous year. Daily Output. —The average daily output was 361 tons 7 cwt. and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 7 tons 10 cwt., as compared with 314 tons 5 cwt. and 6 tons 14 cwt. respectively for the previous period. Deficiencies.' —The amount paid under the minimum-wage clause was £18 Is. Bd. Underground Workings.■— Development work continued throughout the year. No. 1 North Heading Bottom Seam has now been driven a total distance of 21 chains. Stone intrusions were met with, and the seam split to such an extent that only the top portion of the seam 4 ft. 6 in. thick proved workable. This prevented the formation of panels to the east. The extent of the stony area is unknown, but boreholes 18 chains ahead of the working-face prove the coal to be 15 ft. in thickness. From the No. I heading work has been continued to the west and north in the top seam in coal 16 ft. in thickness. No. 2 North Heading Top Seam. —From this heading, which lies to the east of the 90 ft. fault, driving to the north has been continued for a distance of 20 chains from the main level. A through fault to the west of the heading has divided the workings into separate panels. To the east the workings have encountered the " Bob " fault. The coal is of good quality, averaging 16 ft. in height, and the distance between the 90 ft. and " Bob " fault varies from 12 chains to 16 chains in width. East Heading.—Prospecting operations between the " Docherty " and " Bob " faults proved an area of high-grade coal 6 chains in width and 16 ft. to 18 ft. in thickness. Development in this section has been discontinued pending the putting through of stone drives over both faults. South Level. —A stone drive 5 chains in length is in the process of being driven on a grade of 1 in 5 across the " Docherty " fault; it is expected that the coal will be struck early in June. South Dip.—Coal produced from this section was won from a small panel to the south and east of the main dip. A shortage of shiftmen during the year has seriously retarded development work to the south and east. Only one of the three stone drives (south level) necessary to cross the " Docherty " and " Bob " faults has been proceeded with. Serious Accidents.—No serious accident was recorded at the Strongman Mine for the year. Stone-dusting.—Work under this heading has been continued during the year. The total number of samples taken from this colliery and analysed was 72.

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