C— 2a

2

Days worked. —During the year the No. 1 Mine worked 180 days and the No. 2 Mine 177 days. The difference between the days worked and possible working-days (exclusive of fifty pay and back Saturdays) is accounted for as follows : —

The days worked at the Nos. 1 and 2 Mines are 21J and 28J respectively less than those of the previous year. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 356, made up as follows : Underground —Coal-hewers, 125 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 132. On the surface —69 men and 30 boys. In addition to those employed under the head of " coal-winning," there were on an average 2 men employed on development work, making a total number for the colliery of 328 men and 30 boys. Payments. —The total payments made in connection with coal-winning, for wages, stores, minetimber, and compensation, amounted to £90,520, a decrease of £8,454 18s. compared with the previous year. In addition to the amount expended on coal-winning, £443 18s. was expended on development work. Coal-hewers'' Average Earnings Daily. —The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £1 lis. 5d., and after making deductions for stores (explosives) the net return was £1 Bs. 4d., an increase of 2s. 2d. compared with the previous year. Daily Output. —The average daily mine output was 730 tons, as compared with 708 tons for the previous year. The coal-hewers' average daily output was 6 tons 2 cwt., an increase of 10 cwt. when compared with the previous year. Days worked by Goal-hewers. —The total number of days that could have been worked by coalhewers was 26,177 ; the number worked was 21,242 ; and the number lost, including those lost through sickness, was 4,935. In the latter are included 3,010 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 £264 13s. lOd. This works out to a cost of |d. per ton. Underground Workings.—Operations underground have been carried out much on similar lines to those of the previous year —namely, the extraction of pillars from the No. I Mine and the developing of the No. 2 Mine. In the former mine the area standing on pillars is approximately 5 acres. It is doubtful whether more than two-thirds of the coal from this area will be won, as pillars will require to be left to protect the high cliffs near the entrances to the various sections. No. 2 Mine. —With the exception of the Kimbell east level, where trouble has been encountered through the seam being badly split up with thick stone bands, all other development work at this mine has been of a satisfactory nature. In connection with the Kimbell east level, a considerable amount of prospecting-work has been carried out by driving underground, also by examination of the surface in that locality. The results of prospecting operations underground are not very encouraging, and from surface examination it was found there is a large fault within 10 chains of where the east level met the trouble. The Morgan seam in a northerly and easterly direction continues to open up well, but it is a great pity the coal from this seam is of such a friable nature. In the Anderson seam a small area to the dip is being developed, also pillars extracted from the south-east level section. In connection with the latter it is pleasing to report that as the pillars are extracted the roof in the goaf falls fairly close, thus leaving little or no space for gas to accumulate in the goaf. The pillar section is ventilated separately from the dip workings, and the return air is conducted direct into the main return airway. Surface Work. —The plant and machinery in and about the mine has been maintained in efficient working-order. During the year 200 new mine-tubs were made at the colliery workshops, and these have been put into commission to meet the requirements of the No. 2 Mine as the workings advanced. An additional bin adjoining the present slack was erected for the storage of peas and nuts, also a large concrete tank for hot water at the No, 2 Mine bathhouse,

No. 1 Mine. No. 2 Mine. Days hrs. Days hrs. Union holidays .. .. .. • ■ • • 20 0 20 0 Delays to shipping and want of trade .. .. .. 53 0 53 0 Bad weather .. .. .. .. • ■ • • • ■ 1 " Stop-work meeting .. .. .. .. • • 10 10 Fall on main haulage-road .. . .. .. 10 10 Breakdown of fan . . .. ■ • • • • • 10 Prosecution of Millerton miners .. . . .. 10 10 Election day .. . . . . • • 10 10 Boiler-explosion .. .. .. ■ . 3 0 3 0 Strike owing to men's lamps being stopped .. .. j 2 0 2 0 Lightning .. .. .. .. •. • • j • • 10 82 0 85 0