C—2a

The gross output from the colliery since taken over by the State on 27th January, 1945, totals 213,878 tons 6 cwt. 2 qr. Bays worked. —The Wairaki Colliery worked 232 days out of a possible 241 ordinary working-days. In addition, the colliery worked 3 statutory holidays, making the total days worked 235. The difference between the days worked and the possible number of ordinary working-days is accounted for as follows : 2 days, Easter Tuesday, 1947-48 ; 4 days, funerals of ex-members of the Miners' Union ; 2 days, disputes re trucking; 1 day, long stopwork meeting to discuss union matters. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 94 men and 5 boys, made up as follows —Underground : Coal-hewers, 36 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 33. Surface : 25 men and 5 boys. Daily Output. —The average daily output was 271 tons 11 cwt. and the coal-hewers average daily output was 8 tons 6 cwt., as compared with 268 tons 15 cwt. and 8 tons 5 cwt. respectively for the previous year. Deficiencies. —Six payments aggregating £l2 17s. 4d. were made to coal-hewers under the minimum-wage clause. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings—The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £3 4s. 10d., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 18s. lid., a similar return per day when compared with the previous year. Accidents. —One serious accident and several minor accidents occurred during the year under review. Serious Accidents. —On 16th May, 1947, a trucker received lacerations to the thumb and index finger, left hand, requiring partial amputation. The injury was sustained when assisting to right a derailed box. Stone-dusting.—This work was done regularly throughout the year. Underground Workings. —No. 1 Mine : Pillar-extraction was carried out from No. 1 Section and from the eastern boundary of the workings towards the Main Dip. In No. 1 Section the average thickness of the coal was 10 ft. and in the upper workings 8 ft. Extraction has been completed in the Dip and Crosscut Sections. No. 3 Mine : Development and solid workings only were driven in this mine. No. 5 Section : This Section has been advanced 2 chains to a point almost beneath the Birchwood tramway. No. 6 Section: Three levels have been advanced 6 chains in an easterly direction. A downthrow fault limits the distance the places can go to the rise in this section. Average thickness of the seam is 28 ft. No. 8 Section: The coal from this Section is now brought out to No. 6 Lay-by and the coal from No. 10 Section is brought out to No. 8 Lay-by through a short stone drive through the fault. This haulage road has been extended a distance of 7 chains in an easterly direction, eliminating No. 10 Section. Average thickness of coal is 26 ft. No. 9 Section: Three places were driven 2| chains in a westerly direction on top of the dirty bottom coal. The coal above the dirt bands is of excellent quality. The three rise headings were driven 6 chains, where they encountered the fault on the low side of No. 10 Section. A dip was started from a point 1 chain to the east of the bottom of No. 9 Dip and has been driven 1| chains on a bearing parallel to the main dip. A slight flattening of the measures is apparent here. Development work is being continued.

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