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48 days' work, basing the average output at 536 lons Hewt.. represents a loss in output from this colliery for the year of 25,761 tons. Employees, The average number of men and boys employed in and about the mine were as follow : Under-ground—Coal-hewers, 68; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 62; boys, 3. On the surface there were employed 40 men and 16 boys, making a total of 170 men and 19 boys. The total payments made on wages account, exclusive of stores, mine-timber, and compensation, amounted to £35,239 18s. sd. The ooal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) was 2:55. lO'.'Sd., and the net average return tp each man was 235. 2'02d., a net increase of 3s. 5'74d. over the previous year. Underground- development , The whole of the output for the year was obtained from coal won from pillar-extraction from both sections (Nos. I and 2) of this colliery, the latter producing approximately two-thirds of the output. In the No. 1 section work is now confined to bringing back dip pillars, of which very few remain to be won. At the present time eight pairs of miners are employed on (lie day shift, and four pairs on the afternoon shift, but owing to the limited area it will lie difficult to employ this number of miners much longer. In the course of the next few months this section will be completely exhausted, and in order to maintain a reasonable -output from this colliery it may be necessary to work the No. 2 section on two shifts, where at the present time twenty-one pairs of miners are employed, eighteen on the day shift and three on the afternoon shift. The probable life of this section under the present system .may be safely estimated at eighteen months, but if the double shift is adopted after the closing-down of the No. 1 section the output would be so small that the question of closing down this colliery altogether Would no doubt be considered within the next twelve months. During the early part of the year pumping operations were carried on in both sections. In the No. I section, where the Rees Roturbo electrically driven pump was installed, pumping was carried out on one shift only, but in the No. 2 section, where an air-driven pump was installed three shifts were employed. Since last September, however, there has been no pumping in the No. I section, as the water in the mine arrived at the same surface level as a borehole near Coal Creek; this borehole now acts as an outlet for the water from the dip workings of this mine. Immediately the electrically driven pump was dispensed with in the No. I section it was installed in the No. i section, replacing the air -driven pump, thus enabling pumping operations to be rallied out on one shift. Bxplo ra I or;/ Work. Work done under this head was confined lo putting down one borehole with the diamond drilling plant at Rocky Creek, The object of drilling in this locality was to ascertain whether the present seams now worked at the Point Elizabeth Colliery extend in that direction. In (his hole several small seams varying from,.'! in. to 6 in. were passed through, and at a depth of 625 ft. the hole was abandoned, the drilling plant being inadequate to drill any deeper, Stir fa ci- Works. The whole of (he surface plan!, machinery, and buildings were maintained in good order and condition throughout the year. Liverpool Colliery. Goal-winning. The gross total output for the year was 128,106 tons II cwt., a decrease of 4,817 tons when compared with the figures of the previous year; and after deducting for mine consumption and waste, and allowing for stock in hand at the beginning of the year, there remained for disposal 124,782 tons, which was disposed of and accounted for as follows : — Kxport— Tlms ewL Screened coal ... ... ... ... .... 32,159 17 Unscreened coal ... ... ... ... ... 29,419 19 Bunker coal ... ... ... ... ... ~, 7,316 16 Small coal ... ... ... ... ... ... 42,884 18 Total ... ... ... 111,781 10 Local sales — Screened coal ... ... ... ... ... 567 .6 Unscreened coal ... ... ... ... 6,765 4 Bunker coal ... ... ... ... ..." 253 14 Small coal ... ... ... ... ... ... 5,179 17 Total ... ... ... ... ]2,766 1 Mine sales (unscreened) ... ... ... ... ... 614 Sold to workmen (unscreened) ... ... ... ... 139 Q Used on works ... ... ... ... ... . 2,875 0 ■■• ... ... ... ... ... '739 11 Loss due to averaging weights through no weighbridge ... 250 0

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