C.—2A

bathhouse cold ; 2 days, funerals of employees ; 2 days, dispute re waiting-time ; 10 days, Christmas holidays ; 2 days, additional Christmas holidays taken by men ; 4 days, dispute re pay ; 2 days, fire in mine ; 1 day, dispute re transfer of a carpenter ; 1 day, Good Friday (1945). Employees— In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 241 men and 9 boys, made up as follows —Underground : Coal-hewers, 66 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 124. Surface : 51 men and 9 boys. Expenditure.—The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation, together with subsidies on bus fares and cost of fuel used on works, amounted to £140,931, as compared with £112,600 for the previous year. Capital expenditure was £3,623, as compared with £4,695 for the previous year. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —'The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £2 13s. lid. per day, and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 9s. 2d., an increase of 7s. per day when compared with the previous year. Daily Output. —The average daily output was 439 tons and the coal-hewers' daily output was 7 tons 14 cwt., as compared with 412 tons 18 cwt. and 6 tons 14 cwt. respectively for the previous year. The total number of hewer shifts for the year was 13,902. Deficiencies. —The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause was £16. Accidents.—No serious accidents were reported at the Strongman Colliery during the year. Stone-dusting Work under this heading was continued during the year. The total number of samples taken from the Strongman Colliery and analysed was 213. Underground Workings.—Practically all the coal has been won from places developing to the north, east, and south. A small amount of pillar coal has been won from the strip of coal in No. 1 North section, which had been developed between two faults. The pillar-extraction has been completed and the area sealed off. All the output is again being won from developing places. Development to the north and south in the No. 2 seam is turning out very satisfactory, the coal being of very good quality. The section being developed between the No. 2 South heading and the main East heading is very disappointing. In most of the places the coal-seam is carrying several bands of stone of varying thicknesses. The fault in the main East heading was crossed and the haulage road graded through. A small section was developed and a further fault struck. A start has been made to prove this second fault. Owing to the faulting in this mine, it is very difficult to maintain the present number of miners on the eoal. Dangerous Occurrences.—On Sunday, 25th February, a fire broke out in some fallen coal in the return of No. 2 dip section. The fire was put out by water and the fallen coal has since been filled out. Blackball Colliery Coal-ivinning.—The gross output for the year was 57,836 tons 9 cwt., an increase of 12,807 tons when compared with the figures for the previous year. After allowing for waste (713 tons 5 cwt. 2 qr.), there remained for disposal 57,123 tons 3 cwt. 2 qr. Taking into account the stocks on hand at the beginning and end of the year, the following statement shows details of the coal disposed of during the year : — Ist April, 1944 — Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Stock in bin and yard .. .. .. 1,111 13 2 Stock on wharf 1,111 13 2 Add net output for year .. .. .. 57,123 3 2 58,234 17 0 31st March, 1945— Less stock in bin and yard .. .. .. 726 19 0 Less stock on wharf .. .. .. 67 13 0 794 12 0 Total disposed of .. .. .. .. 57,440 5 0 Disposals Shipped .. 25,913 19 0 Railed to Canterbury, Otago, &c. .. . 16,072 4 0 Railway sales .. .. .. .. .. 9,624 15 0 Local and mine sales .. .. .. .. 4,398 7 0 Sales to workmen and free issues .. .. 1,123 0 0 Used on works .. .. .. .. 308 0 0 57,440 5 0 The gross output from the colliery since it was taken over by the State Coal-mines totals 163,343 tons 3 cwt. Days worked.—During the year the colliery worked on 265 days, an increase of 1 day when compared with the previous year. The possible working-days, including Good Friday and Easter Saturday (1944) and nineteen back Saturdays, were 280. The difference between the days worked and the possible working-days is accounted for as follows : 1 day, Easter Monday ; 1 day, Anzac Day ; 10 days, Christmas holidays ; 2 days, additional Christinas holidays taken by men ; 1 day, Good Friday (1945). Employees.—ln connection with coal-winning, the, average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 137 men and 3 boys, made up as follows —Underground : Coal-hewers, 42 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 66. Surface : 29 men and 3 boys. Expenditure.—The total expenditure in connection with coal-winning for wages, stores, mine timber, and compensation, together with cost of fuel used on works and subsidies on railway tickets, amounted to £82,968, as compared with £61,105 for the previous year.

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