C.—2A

3

Electric Safety-lamps. —At the present time the hand and cap electric safety-lamps used at the No. 2 Mine are known as the Pearson N.I.F.E. Alkaline lamps. Although these lamps give good service, a trial is being made with the Edison approved type of cap-lamp. This lamp is slightly heavier than the Pearson, but it has an advantage from a lighting point of view. Fitted to these lamps is a double-filament bulb with a two-way switch, the candle-power of the filaments being 5 and 15 respectively. Should one filament fail, the other can be switched on, and thus enable the workman to complete his shift without changing his lamp. From the lighting point of view these lamps are very satisfactory, but the head-piece is not nearly so strong as the Pearson N.I.F.E, and they are therefore much more easily damaged. Stone-dusting.—Work under this head is regularly carried out, and during the year 55 tons of stone-dust was used. The number of samples analysed from the various zones in the mines was 254. In addition to the latter, 63 samples were tested from co-operative parties and other mines. Accidents. —During the year there were several minor accidents, and it is regrettable to report there was one fatal accident, in connection with which a special report was forwarded. The weekly payments made binder the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act, being at the rate of 66§ per cent, of the wages earned prior to the accident, amounted to £1,945 10s. lOd. This on the output produced for the year works out to a cost of 3-62 d. per ton, compared with 5-24 d. per ton for the previous year. James Colliery. Coal-winning. — The gross total output for the year was 39,104 tons 10 cwt., a decrease of 2,240 tons 9 cwt. compared with the previous year. After making allowance for stocks on hand at the beginning of the year and deducting mine consumption and waste, there remained for disposal 38,219 tons 2 cwt. 2 qr., which is accounted for as follows : —

The gross output from this colliery since its inception amounts to 199,483 tons 16 cwt. Days worked. —The mine during the year worked on 215 days, being 10 less than the previous year. The difference between the days worked and possible working-days, exclusive of 50 pay and back Saturdays, is accounted for as follows : Union holidays, 20 ; want of wagons, 14 ; installing new machinery, 1 ; breakdown to machinery, \; stop-work meeting, 1; death of G. Gardener, 2; prosecution of Millerton miners, 1 ; strike over removal of a miner, 1-J ; bathhouse dispute, 1; dismissal of trucker, 2 ; stoppage over filling dirty coal, 1 ; trucking dispute, 1 ; election day, 1 : total, 47. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed was 77, made up as follows : Underground —Coal-hewers, 37 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 25 : on the surface, 13 men and 2 boys. In addition to those employed under the head of " coal-winning," there were on an average 5 men employed on development work, making a total for the collierv of 80 men and 2 boys. Payments. —The total payments made in connection with coal-winning, for wages, stores, minetimber, and compensation, amounted to £24,931 Bs. lid., an increase of £476 10s. sd. as compared with the previous year. In addition to the amount expended on coal-winning, £2,268 lis. lOd. was expended on development work. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £1 9s. 7d., and after deducting stores (explosives) the net return was £1 3s. 7d., an increase of practically 2d. per day compared with the previous year. Days worked by Coal-hewers. —The total number of days that could have been worked by coalhewers was 9,324 ; the days worked were 7,527 ; and the number lost, including those lost through sickness and through not working on back Saturdays, was 1,797. Daily Output.—The average daily mine output was 182 tons, a decrease of 1 ton 15 cwt. per day compared with last year. The daily average output per coal-hewer was 5 tons 4 cwt., the same as the previous year. Deficiencies. —The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause during the year was £458 15s. 7d. This works out to a cost of 2-82 d. per ton. Accidents. —During the year there were a few minor accidents, but not any of a serious nature. The payments made at this colliery under the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act amounted to £826 4s. On the output produced this works out to a cost of 5-42 d. per ton, as compared with l-55d. per ton for the previous year.

—— Screened. Small. ; Slack. Total. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Export .. .. 13,816 14 0 50 9 0 232 7 0 6,648 0 0 20,747 10 0 Rail, Canterbury .. 11,504 13 1 25 16 1 872 2 3 136 13 1 12,539 5 2 Local sales .. .. 741 15 2 51 3 1 2 0 0 2,326 16 2 3,121 15 1 Sold to workmen .. .. 521 10 0 .. .. 521 10 0 Stock in bin and siding 100 0 0 .. 150 0 0 159 19 3 409 19 3 Stock on wharf . . 229 2 0 .. . . .. 229 2 0 Stock in dump .. .. .. .. 650 0 0 650 0 0 26,392 4 3 648 18 2 1,256 9 3 9,921 9 2 38,219 2 2 Used on works . . .. .. 1,678 0 0 .. 1,678 0 0 Waste .. .. .. 812 10 0 .. .. 812.10 0 Totals .. 26,392 4 3 1,461 8 2 2,934 9 3 9,921 9 2 40,709 12 2