C—2a

Underground Workings.—During the Christmas holiday period a 70 h.p. endless-rope haulage was installed in place of the existing main-and-tail. This is now working efficiently. Main Dip : Twin connections driven northerly were made from the Sump Section to the Main Dip through thin coal a distance of 4 chains. At this point the seam thickened and the Main Dip and parallel airway were extended a further 3|- chains in good coal. The seam is at present 12 ft. thick. Preparations are in hand to install an endless rope to the dip. Sump Section: The dip has been developed for a further 5 chains in good coal. Little development has been possible to the south side, due to the seam dipping sharply in that direction. The coal is 15 ft. to 18 ft. thick. From the Sump Dip another dip has been driven to the south in the direction of No. 2 Borehole. This has progressed a distance of 4 chains. The dip is now 20 ft. beyond the borehole and the coal is 10 ft. thick and of good quality. No. 2 South : Development was carried forward for a distance of 3J chains. For a distance of 1| chains the coal was 12 ft. to 14 ft. thick and of fair quality. At this point, however, the seam thinned out to 3 ft., when development was stopped. Connections were made by twin roads from Dunn's Dip to the No. 2 South a distance of 5| chains. The seam has thinned to 5 ft. 6 in. Dunn's Dip: The dip rose sharply for 1 chain and then the coal thinned to 6 ft. The seam then dipped over, and development has stopped until a pump becomes available. The coal is of fair quality. During the year, in the lower South Level, a heavy fall with an inrush of water occurred. This required the use of two pumps to cope with the inflow. A drain to the old sump was cut through stone for a distance of 1| chains. This eliminated the use of one pump. Wallsend Colliery Goal-winning.—The gross output for the year was 50,268 tons 18 cwt. 1 qr., an increase of 3,193 tons 14 cwt. when compared with the figures for the previous year. After allowing for waste (1,376 tons) and the quantity used on works (1,760 tons), there remained for disposal a net output of 47,132 tons 18 cwt. 1 qr. 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, 1947 Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Stock in bin and yard .. .. 376 4 1 Stock on wharf .. 376 4 1 Add net output for year .. 47,132 18 1 Add surplus stocks .. .. 314 14 2 47,447 12 3 31st March, 1948 47,823 17 0 Less stock in bin and yard .. 82 6 1 Less stock on wharf .. .. 207 4 0 289 10 1 Total disposed of .. .. .. 47,534 6 3 Disposals Tons cwt. qr. Shipped.. .. .. .. 22,218 13 0 Railed to Canterbury, &c. .. .. 10,064 0 0 Railway sales .. .. .. 12,269 8 0 Local and mine sales .. .. 2,752 15 3 Sales to workmen and free issues .. 229 10 0 47,534 6 3 The gross output from the colliery since it was taken over by State Coal-mines on 22nd February, 1943, totals 266,952 tons 17 cwt. 3 qr.

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