C-—2A

Main Haulage Extension to the Surface : This heading has been driven on a rising grade a distance of 270 ft. The seam maintained a height of 8 ft. for a distance of 200 ft. and,then gradually thinned down to 1 ft. of coal and 2 ft. of shale. It was necessary to rip 3 ft. 6. in. of mudstone to maintain height. The distance to drive to the surface is 200 ft., and the intervening country consists of mudstone and surface gravels. Main Sump : Included in the Dip Extension is a distance of 90 ft. From this dip levels will be broken away for the purpose of forming a main sump. Reconditioning : Reconditioning of the main haulage roads has been carried. out practically for their total length except for the stone drive which crosscuts the spam. Winches : A 35 h.p. winch has been installed on the surface and a 10 h.p. winch underground. Electric Cables : The main feeder underground has been replaced with a cable of higher carrying-capacity and a heavier cable run to the Bottom Dip Section. Telephones : Three telephones have been installed in the underground workings connecting with one on the surface. Surface Buildings. —A bicycle-shed has been erected to hold fifteen cycles. A building, 14 ft. by 12 ft., of rough timber has been erected to serve as a store. Screening Plant. —An 18 in. belt conveyor has been installed to transport the small coal to the bin from the screen. Btjknwell Colliery Coal-winning. —The gross output from Ist May, 1949, when the colliery was purchased by the State, to 31st March, 1950, was 3,386 tons 10 cwt. After allowing for the quantity used on works (10 tons), there remained for disposal a net output of 3,376 tons 10 cwt. Taking into account the stock at the end of the period, the following statement shows details of the coal disposed of during the period : Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Net output for period 31 st March, 1950 . . .. 3,376 10 0 Less stock on hand .. .. 20 10 1 Less stock on dump .. ~ 145 0 0 165 10 1 Total disposed of .. ~ .. 3,210 19 3. Disposals Tons cwt, qr. Shipped .. ..■■ ■.. .. 482 18 0 Railed to Canterbury, &c. .. .. 2,681 14 3 Local sales .. .. .. 46 7 0 3,210 19 3 . The gross output from the collier v since its purchase by the State on the Ist May, 1949, totals 3,386 tons 10 cwt. Days Worked. —The colliery worked 221 days out of a possible 222 ordinary workingdays. The difference is accounted for as follows : 1 day, tribute to late P. C. Webb. Employees. —ln connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 16 men, made up as follows—Underground : Coalhewers, 5 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 11. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —The coal-hewers ; average daily earnings (gross) were £3 2s. 3d. per day, and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 17s. 6d. Daily Output. —The average daily output was 15 tons 6 cwt. 1 qr. and the coalhewers' average daily output was 7 tons 19 cwt. 3 qr. The total number of hewer shifts for the period was 318.

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