C.—2a,

Expenditure.-—The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation, together with subsidies 011 railway tickets and cost of fuel used on works, amounted to £108,208 2s. 2d., as compared with £94,950 7s. 7d. for the previous year. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. -— The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £1 19s. 2d., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £1 16s. 3d., an increase of 2s. sd. per day when compared with the figures of last year. Daily Output.—The average daily mine output was 687 tons 15 cwt., and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 7 tons 17 cwt., as compared with 685 tons 8 cwt. and 8 tons 2 cwt. respectively for the previous year. Deficiencies. —The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause was £122 7s. 2d. Accidents.—ln addition to numerous accidents of a minor nature, the following serious accidents occurred : On 29th April, 1937, a miner whilst engaged at the working-face received a fractured skull. A good recovery was made. In addition, two others received fractures to their legs caused by runaway trucks. The total payment made under the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act amounted to £5,003 17s. 7d. On the output produced, this works out to a cost of 8-71 d. per ton. Underground Workings.—The bulk of the output during the year was obtained from pillar extraction. Development-work was carried out as follows : — The Kimbell West Dip was driven approximately 8 chains to where it showed signs of approaching the main fault-line. The seam flattened for a distance of I chain, and then rose sharply. Gas was met with near the fault, and it was decided to complete a return airway before proceeding farther to the rise. The coal in this dip is of good quality, and is approximately 16 ft. in thickness. A small 2 in. pump deals with the water. Three pairs of miners are employed. No. 2 Anderson Dip was extended a distance of 7 chains in coal of good quality, 12 ft. in thickness. The general direction of the dip is now towards a fault estimated to be 10 chains in advance of the present workings. The seam is of a gaseous nature, and roof conditions are adverse. In place of the ordinary wooden bars, steel rails were successfully used to maintain the roadways. Alterations to ventilation in this section were carried out during the year. No. 3 Bank Morgan Seam : Development to the rise is almost completed, and preparations have been made for pillar-extraction. A roadway was driven from the top of the No. 3 Bank Morgan West to develop an area of coal which had been left behind previously. The inclination of the seam is approximately 45°. Anderson Dip, East and West Levels : The Bast Level, after being driven a distance of 14 chains, encountered a fault. The coal appears to be upthrown, and prospecting operations are being carried on. In the West Level the coal seam has split a distance of 12 ft. from the Main Dip. Development-work was thereupon stopped as the coal was too dirty for marketing. On 3rd September, 1937, a fire occurred in the No. 2 Bank Kimbell West. The whole of the section was sealed down, but will be reopened later. Four concrete stoppings were necessary to completely seal off the area. No trouble was experienced with the work of erecting the stoppings. Kimbell East Fire Area : The wooden stoppings surrounding this section are being replaced with permanent concrete stoppings. Nine stoppings have been completed, leaving four to be completed when the roadways are driven to enable the material to be taken to the locality. Sealing off Old Workings. —In the Anderson Dip an area of pillars had been sealed off with wooden stoppings. These have been replaced with seven concrete stoppings. Morgan Seam. —Fourteen wooden stoppings have been erected as a fire precaution between the East and West Banks. A similar number are to be built to the east of No. 1 Bank Morgan East. The Morgan Seam will then be divided into three distinct districts. Morgan East, Nos. 5 and 6 Banks.—Five concrete stoppings have been erected in this area to seal off old workings which had been giving off C0 2 . Summary of concrete stoppings built during the year is as follows : Nos. 5 and 6 Morgan East, 5 ; Anderson Dip, 7 ; No. 2 Kimbell West, 4 ; No. 3 Kimbell East, 10; Main Return Kimbell East, 2 : a total of 28 stoppings. Wooden Stoppings, Renewals, &c. —Anderson Dip, 22 ; Morgan Seam, 16 : a total of 38 stoppings. Repairs.—Steel girders are being used in place of timber in the main tunnels, with satisfactory results. Future Developments.—lt is proposed to extend the dip workings in the Kimbell East Seam. Preparations are being made to extend development-work to the dip in the Morgan Seam. The necessary plant, &c., for this work has been placed on order. Stone-dusting.—Work under this heading has been continued, and the total number of samples analysed from the various zones was 485. In addition, 68 samples from co-operative mines were analysed. Plant and Machinery.—The whole of the plant, machinery, and buildings has been maintained in good order. Slight alterations were made to the coal-bins to enable a greater amount of slack to be stored.

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