C.—2A

The gross total output from this colliery since its inception amounts to 448,880 tons 1 cwt. Days worked. —The mine during the year worked on 192 days, an increase of 51J days when compared with the previous year. The possible working-days exclusive of pay Saturdays and union holidays were 273. The difference between those worked and the possible working-days is accounted for as follows: Lack of trade, 54; back Saturdays, 20; May Day, 1; King's Jubilee, 1; General Election, 1; death of King George V, 1; St. Patrick's Day, 1; strike as protest against slack time, 2. Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 80, made up as follows: Underground—Coal-hewers, 27; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 30. On the surface —17 men and 6 boys. In addition to those employed under the head of coal-winning there were on an average during the last five months of the year 6 men employed in connection with drilling and transporting of the drilling plant, also 6 others on survey and prospecting work. Expenditure.—The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine-timber, and compensation, together with subsidy on bus fares, cost of electric power, and coal used on works, amounted to £21,657 2s. 10d., as compared with £16,648 3s. Bd. for the previous year. Goal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings.—The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £1 lis., and, after deducting stores (explosives), their net return was £1 4s. 6d., an increase of 2s. sd. per day when compared with the previous year. Daily Output.—The average daily output was 179 tons 14 cwt., and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 7 tons 2 cwt., as compared with 190 tons 15 cwt. and 6 tons 16 cwt. respectively for the previous year. Deficiencies. —The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause during the year was £108 18s. 6d. Accidents. —During the year there were a few minor accidents, but none of a serious nature. The total payments made under the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act amounted to £315 9s. 6d. On the output produced this works out to a cost of 2-19 d. per ton. Underground Workings. — Coal-winning operations during the year consisted of developing an area known as the new dip section, and pillar-extraction in the south level and cross-cut dip sections. In the new dip section where workings are being developed in the solid, the seam is in the form of a syncline with the axis rising in a northerly direction. Development work in this section has been, and still is, difficult owing to the gradient in some of the places being exceptionally steep, also the thinning of the seam in others to an unworkable thickness. Work in connection with the extraction of pillars in the south level and cross-cut dip sections has been carried out in a satisfactory manner, very little marketable coal being lost during extraction. In the two latter sections there are, unfortunately, many thousands of tons of soft coal, which under present-day market conditions cannot be worked, owing to it being unsaleable. During the latter portion of the year, prospecting-work consisting of driving on the seam, which outcrops on the north bank of Cannell Creek, was commenced. For a start the coal was soft and unsaleable, and in consequence had to be dumped into the creek. As the prospecting drive was extended the coal improved to such an extent as to warrant the laying of roadways to enable the coal to be marketed. Stone-dusting.—Work under this head has been regularly carried out, the number of samples analysed from the various zones at this mine was 155. Plant and Machinery.—The plant and machinery in and about the mine has been maintained in good order and condition, and during the year the following additions and alterations were made: The chute, which was formerly used for conveying the screened coal from the screens to the picking-conveyer, has been replaced by a shaking screen.

3

; Screened. I C ™f ' Small. Slack. Total. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Shipped .. .. 9,458 6 1 2,026 2 0 .. 8,480 1 0 19,964 9 1 Railed Canterbury .. 7,841 10 0 1.247 1 0 1,221 10 0 500 8 1 10,810 9 1 Local sales .. .. 200 5 0 .. .. 118 5 1 318 10 1 Mine sales .. .. 2 0 0 200 .. .. 400 Sold to workmen and .. 471 9 1 . . • • 471 9 1 free issues Stock in bin and yard.. 115 0 0 55 0 0 .. 181 0 0 351 0 0 Stock on wharf .. 408 7 0 29 15 0 132 4 2 570 6 2 Stock in dump .. .. .. ■ ■ 1,198 0 3 1,198 0 3 18,025 8 1 3,831 7 1 1,221 10 0 10,609 19 3 33,688 5 1 Used on works .. .. 300 0 0 .. • • 300 0 0 Waste .. .. .. 1,032 5 0 .. .. 1,032 5 0 Totals .. 18,025 8 1 5,163 12 1 1,221 10 0 10,609 19 3 35,020 10 1