C.—2A.

Stuongman Colliery. Coal-winning. —This colliery commenced production on the 31st January, 1939, and the gross total output from that date to 31st March, 1939, was 1,497 tons 10 cwt. After deducting mine consumption and waste there remained for disposal 1,467 tons 15 cwt. which is accounted for as follows :—

From its inception the colliery worked on 39 days. The possible working-days, excluding Saturdays and union holidays, were 4-4. The difference between the days worked and the possible working-days is accounted for as follows : Rope not run on account James Mine not working, 3; stoppage re tokens, 2 : a total of 5 days. Employees.—The average number of employees in connection witli coal-winning was —Underground, 24; on the surface, 3 men and 1 boy. Development Work.—The average number of employees on development work throughout the year was 67 men and 4 boys. All stone tunnels in connection with the Strongman Colliery have been completed, the lengths of which are as follows :— Chains. No. 1 tunnel over top of James Mine haulage road to Cannel Greek .. 29 No. 2 tunnel from Cannel Creek to Nine-mile Creek .. .. 35 No. 3 tunnel on rope-road Nine-mile Creek .. .. .. .. 2-8 No. 4 tunnel from Nine-mile Creek to Coal-face .. .. .. 29 No. 5 return airway .. .. .. .. .. 15 Upcast Shaft. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-5 Total driving in stone .. .. .. .. .. 111-3 Rope-road.—The spoil from the various tunnels was utilized for surface fillings on the rope-road, The work of grading the rope-road in the James Mine has been completed to a point where it will connect with the tunnel driven over the old rope-road. The road for the full tubs has been laid with 90 lb. to the yard tramway rails, and the road for the empty trucks has been laid with 30 lb. rails on the steep gradients, and with 90 lb. rails where the gradients are slight. The date for the completion of the change-over of the haulage system from the one now used through the James Mine to the permanent system depends upon the completion of pillar-extraction in the west sections of the James Colliery. The approximate date of change will be December, 1939. From the coal-face, Strongman Colliery, to cross-cut, James Colliery, a rope-road 113 chains long has been completed, 98 chains of which form part of the permanent road for the conveying of the coal from the new mine to the bin at Rapahoe. Coal-seam. —The top seam, 23 ft. thick, was struck on 31st January, 1939, a section of which, taken from the borehole close to the fault, is as follows: — On floor— Ft. in. Coal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..20 Stone .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..08 Coal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..16 Stone .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..10 Stone and coal .. .. .. .. .. .. ..20 Coal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 6 On roof: Shale .. . .. .. .. .. ..06 23 2

4

Screened. Unscreened. Small. Total. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Shipped .. .. .. 500 16 2 .. 500 16 2 Railed Canterbury .. 17 4 2 336 4-3 .. 353 9 1 Local sales .. .. .. 81 5 1 .. 81 5 1 Mine sales .. .. .. 300 .. 300 Sales to workmen and free .. 174 14 3 .. 174 14 3 Issues Stock in bin and yard .. .. 214 3 0 .. 214 3 0 Stock on wharf .. .. .. 140 6 1 .. 140 6 1 17 4 2 1,450 10 2 .. 1,467 15 0 Used on works .. .. .. 16 0 0 .. 16 0 0 Waste .. .. .. .. 13 15 0 .. 13 15 0 Totals .. .. 17 4 2 1,480 5 2 .. 1,497 10 0