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Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mines was 318 men and 17 boys, made up as follows : Underground— Fly Creek— Coal-miners .. .. .. .. .. 22 Deputies, shiftmen, and truckers .. .. 33 Webb Mine — Coal-hewers .. .. .. .. .. 38 Deputies, shiftmen, and truckers .. .. 62 Surface—- " E " Hill Opencast — Machine operators and truck-drivers .. .. 34 Haulage, banking, screening, and loading, &c. — Men .. .. .. .. .. .. ..129 Boys .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Goal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings.—Fly Creek Colliery : The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £3 7s. 2d.; and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £3 45., an increase of 2s. per day when compared with the previous period. Webb Colliery : The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £3 18s. 9d., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £3 13s. 2d., an increase of Bs. 7d. per day when compared with the previous period. Daily Outputs.—Fly Creek Colliery : The average daily output was 122 tons 9 cwt. 1 qr. and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 6 tons 13 cwt. 2 qr., as compared with 164 tons 13 cwt. 2 qr. and 7 tons 7 cwt. 2 qr. respectively for the previous year. The total number of hewer shifts was 4,613. Webb Colliery : The average daily output was 292 tons 14 cwt. and the coal-hewers r average daily output was 9 tons 14 cwt. 1 qr., as compared with 245 tons 11 cwt. and 8 tons 9 cwt. 2 qr. respectively for the previous year. The total number of hewer shifts worked was 7,587. E Hill Opencast: The average daily output was 635 tons 14 cwt. 2 qr., as compared with 570 tons 5 cwt. 2 qr. for the previous year. Accidents.—There were 130 accidents during the year, none being of a serious nature. Development.—Fly Creek Mine : Operations were confined mainly to pillar-extraction in the South Section, where very wet conditions were met with. A road has been driven eastwards into McCabe's Jig pillar area from which it is hoped to recover a fairly large number of pillars of excellent coal under much drier conditions than exist generally throughout the south area. Preparations have been made to introduce a hydro scheme of coal recovery in the East area. Storage bins are being built inside the mine about 6 chains north of the old East lay-bys. The water adit has been driven. Work is about to commence to opencast about 12,000 tons of excellent coal from an adjacent escarpment. In the Old Mine, extraction continued in No. 4 and No. 5 sections. An excellent grade of coal is won under very wet conditions. Webb Mine. —This mine is now developing very satisfactorily. The main headings have advanced a total distance of 45 chains from the mine entrance. The shape of the area so far penetrated precluded a convenient arrangement of working-places ; for a distance of 18 chains no lateral development has been possible. However, a broad face 24 chains wide all to the rise in thick coal can now be opened up. Development has "been completed in No. 1 Panel and extraction commenced. Development is also completed in No. 2 and No. 3 panels ; very little extraction will be possible in No. 2 Panel and none at all in No. 3 Panel owing to heavy water-laden swamp overhead.

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