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Underground Workings.—-No development work is being done, the workings now having been driven to faults in the dip and on both the east and west sides of the mine. Pillar-extraction is the only source of output, and is being carried out in Nos. ] East, 2 East, and 3 East levels, also in the Birchwood area being worked in the south east corner of the mine.. The pillars and head coal are yielding good results with a high-percentage extraction, excepting where, in parts, thick bottom coal has to be contended with. So far there has been no occurrence of spontaneous combustion usually experienced in other mines in this district. A slope dip has been driven in stone from a point on the Main Dip to No. 3 Level for the purpose of shortening the haulage. Buildings. —During the year additions and renovations of the bathhouse were commenced, and this work was proceeding satisfactorily at the end of the year. Plant. —All plant operated satisfactorily and repairs and maintenance were efficiently attended to by the engineering staff. Birchwood Colliery The Birchwood Colliery was purchased by the State from the Birchwood Coal Co., Ltd., the State entering into possession on 28th November, 1947. Coal-winning.—The gross output from 28th November, 1947, to the end of the year was 6,192 tons 1 cwt. 1 qr. After allowing for waste (185 tons 2 cwt. 1 qr.) and the quantity used on works (111 tons 17 cwt.), there remained for disposal 5,895 tons 2 cwt. The following statement shows details of coal disposed of during the year: — 28th November, 1947 Tons cwt. qr. Stocks in yard Add net output for year .. .. .. 5,895 2 0 31st March, 1948 Less stock in yard Total disposed of .. .. .. 5,895 2 0 Disposals Tons cwt. qr. Railed .. .. .. .. 5,820 2 0 Local and mine sales .. .. 6 0 0 Workmen and free issues .. .. 69 0 0 5,895 2 0 Days worked. —The Birchwood Colliery worked 70 days out of a possible 73 ordinary working-days. In addition, the colliery worked 3 statutory holidays, making the total days worked 73. The difference between the days worked and the possible number of ordinary working-days is accounted for as follows : 1 day, Easter Tuesday, 1948 ; 1 day, breakdown on rope-road ; 1 day, Christmas pay Friday. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons engaged in and about the mine was 54 men and 1 boy, made up as follows—-Under-ground : Coal-hewers, 19; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers, 20. Surface: 15 men and 1 boy. Daily Output. —The average daily output was 84 tons 16 cwt. and the coal-hewers' average daily output was 5 tons 4 cwt. (Note. —These figures are based on coalproduction only, and do not include stone dumped ex the mine, of which there was a total quantity of 894 tons 19 cwt., or 15 cwt. per hewer shift.)

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