C—2a

The gross output from the colliery since it was taken over by State Coal-mines on sth July, 1941, totals 482,988 tons 17 cwt. Days Worked. —The colliery worked 235 f days out of a possible 240 ordinary workingdays. The difference between the ordinary days worked, 235 f and the possible number of working-days is accounted for as follows : f day, union meetings ; 1 day, protracted union meeting ; } day, referendum on military training ; I day, international football match; f day, general election day; li days, funerals of former workmen; 1 day, bins full. Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 184 men and 3 boys, made up as follows—Underground : Coat-hewers, 52 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 106 men and 1 boy. Surface: ~26 men and 2 boys. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings.—The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £3 Bs. Id., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £3 45., an increase of Is. 6d. per day when compared with the previous year. Daily Output.— The average daily output was 296 tons 18 cwt., 1 qr. and the coalhewers' average daily output was 6 tons 3 cwt. 3 qr., as compared with 291 tons 19 cwt. 3 qr. and 6 tons 10 cwt. 3 qr. respectively for the previous year. The total number of hewer shifts for the year was 11,285. Deficiencies.—The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause was £4 Bs. Accidents.— On 4th July, 1949, a miner was caught by a fall of coal and suffered a fractured right leg and back injuries. Underground Workings. —During the year twenty-six pairs of miners were employed giving an average daily output of approximately 300 tons. Six pairs of miners were employed on single shift, the others on double shift, giving ten pairs on backshift, the least miners required to keep the backshift running efficiently. The screened-coal average has been approximately 37 per cent., and the seam generally is not conducive towards a high percentage of screenings due to the changeable nature of the seam, which may be hard and bright one day and soft and friable the nextTwo local heatings were sealed off during the year. One in the 4 Box Pillar Section and the other in the Sump Section. Neither of these heatings occurred through the extraction of pillars, but were the result of heavy falls in old roadways which were inaccessible and which could not be cleared in time to prevent combustion taking place. Crow's Nest and Slant Dip : Good outputs have been maintained from these sections during the year. The coal, although friable, is of good quality. A 2-acre panel was formed at the bottom of the Slant Dip and the pillars are now being extracted. A connection was also made with the old south drive to ease the air restrictions on the main drive. This roadway will serve as a new return airway at some future date. No. 2 South and Dunn's Dip : Considerable development work has been carried out in these areas during the year. Dunn's Dip, which was standing on thin coal, was driven on a dip of lin 4 for 4 chains when the coal thickened to 15 ft. The seam is soft and friable and the conditions wet, but the prospects are bright as the seam has been definitely proved between Dunn's Dip and the Slant Dip. The No. 2 South Heading was standing for a considerable period on thin coal and the roadways to this place had all caved in, but the falls were cleared and the face extended for 5 chains when the seam started to dip and the coal-seam thickened to 14 ft. The seam in this area is also soft and friable, but the thickness of the seam suggests that it is worth while developing this area which will be easy to ventilate and provide transport for the coal.

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