C—2a

Days worked. —The colliery worked 224-625 days out of a possible 242 ordinary workingdays. In addition, the colliery worked 3 days which under the Annual Holidays Act might have been observed as holidays in lieu of Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day, which fell within the annual holiday period, making a total number of days worked 227-625. The difference between the ordinary days worked, 224-625, and the possible number of working-days is accounted for as follows : 2 days, YE celebrations; 2 days, YJ celebrations ; 4 days, dispute re use of jackhammers ; 2-375 days, fan stoppages resulting from power failures ; 5 days, dispute re minimum wage and tonnage rates; 1 day, strike in sympathy with Strongman and Liverpool miners on question of holiday pay ; 1 day, funeral of member of clerical staff. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 180 men and 6 boys, made up as follows —Underground : coal-hewers, 45; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 98. Surface: 37 men and 6 boys. Goal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings. —-The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £2 12s. Bd. per day, and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £2 10s. 4d., an increase of 4s. 9d. per day when compared with the previous year. Daily Output. —The average daily output was 239 tons 15 cwt. 2 qr. and the coalhewers' average daily output was 6 tons 8 cwt. 3 qr., as compared with 236 tons 17 cwt. and 5 tons 8 cwt. respectively for the previous year. The total number of hewer shifts for the year was 8,479. Deficiencies. —-The total amount paid under the minimum-wage clause was £641 12s. 7d. Accidents. —There were no serious accidents at the colliery during the year, apart from that suffered by a miner on the 20th February, 1946, who sustained a fracture of the right heel bone and a deep flesh wound in the left leg when caught by a fall of stone whilst lifting bottoms in the old slant dip off No. 4 level. Minor accidents were numerous, but were not more so than previously experienced. Underground Workings. —All coal from the colliery for the year was won from solid workings. 5 West Section : The main drives in this section were advanced a distance of 6 chains in coal 8 ft. in thickness. A severe roll in the floor rising at a grade of lin 1 has now been crossed, and a stone drive going west has been commenced for haulage purposes. The crossing of the roll has greatly improved the prospects of the mine from a production point of view, Main Dip Section : The dip and strike lines of the coal-seam have gradually altered. The floor in the main dip has commenced to rise and the dip heading has been turned slightly west on the strike of the seam. Coal in this section is 14 ft. in thickness. To the east of the main dip only one working-face is being developed, all the other places being stopped adjacent to a fault. In view of the field ahead as proved by the recent boring, operations to the dip have again commenced, and it is proposed to install an electric pump farther down the main dip. In common with other collieries, the output from the mine has been retarded by lack of experienced miners. I have, &c., C. J. Strongman, Superintendent.

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