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No. 2 South: This section advanced 20 chains from the rope-road, and an endless-rope haulage was installed. Development is being carried out in the No. 1 South dip. East Heading: This section was stopped for the greater part of the year on the Docherty fault. During the latter portion of the year, regrading of the main heading has been carried out with the object of working the area between the Docherty and Bob faults. North No. 2: This section advanced a total of 22 chains from the rope-road. Development is still being carried on. Plant. —During the year the plant has been maintained in good order, and a new 765 cubic feet Fullerton, Hodgart, and Barclay compressor installed, also a 110,000-cubic-feet-capacity " Aerex " torpedo-type fan. Blackball Colliery Coal-winning.—The gross output for the year was 34,527 tons 2 cwt. After making allowances for stocks on hand, deducting mine consumption, and allowing for 1,700 tons written off, there remained for disposal 35,821 tons 16 cwt., which is accounted .for as follows: — Tons cwt. qr. Shipped .. . . •. • • • • 16,400 17 0 Railed Canterbury .. .. .. . • 5,147 14 0 Local Sales . . . . .. ■ ■ • • • 8,212 11 0 Mine sales .. . . .. • • • • 384 10 0 Sales to workmen, and free issues . . .. 657 0 0 Stock in bin and yard .. .. .. 4,823 12 0 Stock on wharf . . .. . • • • 195 12 0 35,821 16 0 Used on works .. .. .. .. 227 2 0 36,048 18 0 The gross output from this colliery since it was taken over by the State Coal-mines amounts to 60,477 tons 5 cwt, Days Worked. —During the year the colliery worked on 212 days. The possible working-days, including 4 back Saturdays, were 265. The difference between the days worked and the possible working-days is accounted for as follows: 1 day, Good Friday; 1 day, Easter Monday; 1 day, Labour Day; 3 days, flooding in mine; 3 days, retimbering of roadways; 36 days, bins full due lack of transport; 8 days, Christmas holidays. Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 83 men and 4 boys, made up as follows —Underground: Coalhewers, 27; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 33. Surface : 23 men and 4 boys. Expenditure.—The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation, together with cost of fuel used on works, amounted to £48,250. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings.—The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £2 Bs. 7d., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 4s. 7d., an increase of ss. 4d. per day when compared with the previous period (7th July, 1941, to 31st March, 1942). Daily Output.—The average daily output was 162 tons 17 cwt., and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 7 tons 11 cwt., as compared with 175 tons 7 cwt, and 5 tons 19 cwt, respectively for-the previous period (from 7th July, 1941, to 31st March, 1942). Deficiencies. —During the year no payments were made under the minimum-wage clause. Accidents.—There were no accidents of a serious nature at the Blackball Colliery during the year. Underground Workings.—All the coal has been won from development work. Main Dip Section.—The main dip has been continued to a distance of 38 chains from the mine entrance. The latter portion of this has been in very troubled country, in one place the coal " pinching " to 3 ft. in thickness. The dip is being continued. No. 2 North: This section was developed to a distance of 6 chains from the main dip, and stopped temporarily. No. 2 South: This section was developed to a distance of 7 chains from the main dip. Borehole dip: This dip section is being developed in the direction of No. 4 borehole. During the year a borehole 12 in. in diameter was commenced from the surface for the purpose of pumping, and it is proposed to connect this to the seam on the rise side of No. 2 South level. Flooding.—On 14th July, 1942, water broke in in large quantities in No. 1 North resulting in the mine being idle for several days. Fortunately the water was soon under control. Wallsend Colliery Coal-winning.—This colliery was taken over by the State Coal-mines on 22nd February, 1943, and the gross output from that date to 31st March, 1943, was 6,883 tons 9 cwt. 2 qr. After making allowances for stocks on hand at the date of taking over and deducting

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