C—2a

Days worked.—During the period 25th April, 1947, to 31st March, 1948, the colliery worked 206J days out of a possible 225 ordinary working-days. In addition, the colliery worked 3 substituted statutory holidays, making the total days worked 209j. The difference between the ordinary" days worked, 206J, and the possible number of workingdays is accounted for as follows : If days, union meetings; 5 days, six-hour shifts on pay-days ; 3J days, fan stoppages ; 2 days, six-hour shifts on extra-wet days ; 2 days, disputes ; 1 d"ay, road conditions preventing bus transport; \ day, fall in mine ; 1J days, power failures ; 1 day, funeral of late Hon. J. O'Brien ; £ day, local-body elections ; I day, parliamentary by-election ; \ day, six-hour shift—mine wet. Employees. —In connection with coal-winning, the average number of persons employed in and about the mine was 77 men and 2 boys, made up as follows —Underground : Coal-hewers, 16 ; deputies, shiftmen, and truckers 46. Surface : 15 men and 2 boys. Coal-hewers' Average Daily Earnings.—The coal-hewers' average daily earnings (gross) were £3 2s. 9d., and after deducting stores (explosives) their net return was £3 Os. lid. Daily Output.—The average daily output was 118 tons 18 cwt. 2 qr. and the coalhewers' average daily output was 9 tons 9 cwt. 2 qr. The total number of hewer shifts for the period was 2,625|. Deficiencies. —There were no payments made under the minimum-wage clause during the period. Accidents. —There were no serious accidents reported during the period. Underground Workings.—West Mine, No. 2 Seam : Four pairs of miners are employed in this mine and the output was derived from splitting pillars and cleaning out an old roadway. This roadway will be used to recover pillars which had been left on the rise side of the old water level. A few stumps were extracted adjacent to the main fault. The only work done in the solid was 5 or 6 chains of driving to form part of a new airway. A new Diesel was installed at Soldiers to drive the fan for this mine. The old Diesel has been left as a standby. Aerial Mine, No. 1 Seam : There are four pairs of miners in this mine. The output has been won from pillar splitting and extraction. The Main Dip was dewatered after a two-stage rotary pump had been installed. This dip has been cleared and retimbered, and levels are being driven right and left by means of splitting pillars. The work here will be all recovery until further electrical equipment is installed. An effort is being made to get through a faulted area in the Rise Section. There is an area beyond this fault line of approximately 40 to 45 acres—overlying this area is the old West No. 2 Seam, which is standing on pillars of first-grade coal. A rise heading was driven to the surface near this area and a 5 ft. fan installed. This made a big improvement to the ventilation of this mine. Preparatory work is being carried out on a new winch house at the Aerial Head. Surface : The weigh-cabin and ambulance-room at Middle Flat have been rebuilt. The interior of the ambulance room has yet to be completed. Bedecking of both viaducts has almost been completed. Repairs have been carried out to the bins gantry and timber-yard gantry. I have, &c., C. J. Strongman, Superintendent.

23