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Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £3 25., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 19s. 6d., an increase of Is. 6d. per day when compared with the previous period. Daily Output.—The average daily output was 420 tons 10 cwt. and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 6 tons 2 cwt., as compared with 555 tons 1 cwt. and 7 tons 4 cwt. respectively for the previous year. The total number of hewer shifts for the year was 16,600. Deficiencies.- —There were no payments made under the minimum-wage clause •during the year. Accidents.—ln addition to numerous accidents of a minor nature, 1 fatal accident occurred in the Liverpool Colliery. On 10th March, 1947, a shiftman was buried by a, fall of coal in the Anderson East, sustaining injuries from which he died. Stone-dusting.—Work under this heading was continued during the year. The number of samples taken from the Liverpool Colliery and analysed was 534. In addition, 110 samples from co-operative mines and 214 samples of coal from other State coalmines were also analysed. Underground Workings.—The greater portion of the output from this colliery has been won from pillar-extraction in the Morgan Rise sections and Kimbell West Section. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in this pillar work owing to the slow rate of extraction and the necessity of having to drive through old places which have fallen since the first workings. A large amount of development has been carried out in the Morgan Seam to the dip of the original Morgan East and West levels. The Morgan East Dip was driven a distance of approximately 30 chains. A panel was opened out 16 chains to the dip in a northerly direction, which is standing in good •clean coal 20 ft. to 25 ft. in thickness. A panel at the same level was. developed in a westerly direction which proved the coal-seam to be split into three seams of varying thicknesses. The lower part of the Morgan East Dip workings was connected from the main drive by Hadcroft's stone drive to be used as a haulage road for the coal. Further development has been carried to the dip to a distance of a further 11 chains. A dip and return dip have been driven from the Morgan West level a distance of 14 chains. The coal-seam at the face is 20 ft. to 25 ft. thick. The upper 6 ft. to 7 ft. carries stone bands, but the lower 16 ft. to 18 ft. is clean coal. An examination has recently been made of the sealed fire area in the Kimbell West level. It appears that the old fire is dead, and arrangements are being made to extract the pillars left in this section. Strongman Colliery Goal-winning.—The gross output for the year was 99,329 tons 9 cwt., a decrease of 945 tons 15 cwt. when compared with the figures for the previous year. After allowing for waste (2,142 tons 9 cwt.) and the quantity used on works (507 tons), there remained for disposal a net output of 96,680 tons.

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