C—2a

Stone-dusting. —Work under this heading was continued during the year. The total number of samples taken from the Strongman Colliery and analysed was 291. Underground Workings.—With the exception of a small amount of coal filled from head coal in old bords, all the coal has been won from developing places to the north, south, and east. Development to the north in the top seam is proving very satisfactory, the coal being of good quality approximately 20 ft. thick. The face of the leading heading is now five chains north of the main drive. Development to the east has been confined to the one prospecting place. This place has crossed the second break of the Bob fault and is in good-quality coal rising at a grade of 1 in 2. Development is being carried on in the bottom seam from No. 2 dip. The section has been very good up to the present. The workings to the north are proving the coalseam thinning and containing stone bands. Owing to the faulting in the mine, it is very difficult to maintain the output and the full number of miners cavilled. Boring. —Several holes have been drilled underground, and the results have been fairly satisfactory. James Colliery As reported previously, the only operation of this colliery, which closed down in 1943, was the lifting of slack from the old dump at Rapahoe : Tons cwt. qr. Slack raised and taken on charge ex-dump .. .. 38 12 0 Disposals Local and mine sales .. .. .. 38 12 0 Blackball Colliery Coal-ivinning. —The gross output for the year was 61,423 tons 14 cwt., an increase of 3,587 tons 5 cwt. when compared with the figures for the previous year. After allowing for waste (1,783 tons 9 cwt.) and the quantity used on works (354 tons), there remained for disposal a net output of 59,286 tons 5 cwt. Taking into account the stocks at the beginning and end of the year, the following statement shows details of the coal disposed of during the year Ist April, 1945 Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Stock in bin and yard .. .. 726 19 0 Stock on wharf . . . 67 13 0 794 12* 0 Add net output for year .. .. 59,286 5 0 60,080 17 0 31st March, 1946 Less stock in bin and yard .. 1,850 4 1 Less stock on wharf 1,850 4 1 Total disposed of .. .. 58,230 12 3 Disposals Shipped .. .. .. 23,308 5 1 Railed to Canterbury, &c. .. 20,949 2 0 Railway sales .. .. .. 8,650 19 0 Local and mine sales ... .. 4,062 6 2 Sales to workmen and free issues .. 1,260 0 0 58.230 12 3

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