3

a—2a

(5.) The working-costjof a colliery on this area should be comparatively low owing to the drainage and haulage expenses being inconsiderable. There is also a plentiful supply of mining-timber on the property, and the coal being situated on the State Coal Reserve no royalty or rental, will require to be paid. Plan of the area on which prospecting has been carried out will be Eound attached, showing positions of boreholes, outcrops, <fee. Liverpool Colliery. Coal-winning. The gross total output for the year was 128,384. tons 2 cwt., an increase of 187_. tons when compared with the figures of last year. After deducting mine consumption and waste, and allowing for stock in hand at the beginning of the year, there remained for disposal 129,475 tons, which was disposed of as follows : — Export— Tons. cwt. Screened coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,594 7 Unscreened coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 108,044 19 Bunker coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 156 3 Small coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,004 14 Total .. .. ~ .. .. 111,800 3 Local sales— Unscreened coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,464 0 Small coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,149 H Total .. .. .. .. .; 11,613 14 .Mine sales — Sold to workmen (unscreened) .. .. .. .. 225 15 Used on works (unscreened) .. .. .. .. 3,155 0 Stock in bin (unscreened) .. .. .. .. .. 537 1 Total .. .. .. .. .. 3,917 16 Stock on wharf — Screened coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 466 6 Unscreened coal .. .. .. .. . . .. 236 8 Small coal . . . . .. . . . . . . 151. 12 Total .. .. .. .. .. 854 6 Waste .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,289 II The gross total outpuOrom this colliery since its inception amounts to 61.4,022 tons 7 cwt. The colliery worked on 208J days, and the average daily output was 615 tons 15 cwt., a reduction of over 33 tons per day as compared with the figures for the previous year. The difference between the time worked and the possible working-time is accounted for as follows : (a) Pay Saturdays, 27 days ; (b) union holidays, 18 ; (c) levy strike, 5 ; (d) ropeboys' strike, 1 ; (c) stop-work meetings, 2 ; (/) influenza epidemic, 6 ; (g) stop work through no medical officer, 5 ; (h) want of shipping, 21 ; (.) bar unworkable, 12 ; (j) cavilling, 2-_ ; (k) river in flood, 2 ; (I) no work on wharf owing to heavy rain, 2 : total time lost, 103| days. There were employed in and about the mine in connection with coal-winning 242 men and 23 boys, made up of 107 coal-hewers ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 9L ; on the surface, 44 men and 23 boys, in addition to those employed in connection with coal-winning there were on an average 21 men and 1 boy employed on property and development work, making a total of 263 men and 24 boys. The total payments made on wages account in connection with coal-winning, including stores, mine-timber, and compensation, amounted to £56,229 Bs. lid. The, coal-hewers' average daily earning (gross) was 235. 3-86 d., and the net return to each man was 21s. 2-38 d., an increase of is. 4-84 d. per day over last year. Underground Development. The underground workings of this colliery are, divided into three sections, Nos. I, 3, and 3a, and the principal operations for the year have been confined, to sections J and 3. No. 1 section : Development work in the upper seam has again been confined to the headings in a northerly course, also to a small area in what is termed the Crosscut section. In each case the areas operated on are so small, and the seam pinching out as the headings advance, that it is only a matter of a few months when all development work in this section will be completed. The Morgan seam, which is connected with the upper seam by means of a cross-measure drift, has been worked continuously throughout the year, and operations were confined to the. extending of 'the levels in an easterly and westerly course. The, east level has been driven 141 chains, and th west level 10 chains from the cross-measure drift. The seam is well developed, and, although only