VICTORIAN STATE COAL MINES. 381 



A surface haulage worked by endless rope is now being* 

 laid down to connect these shafts with No. 5 shaft, where all 

 the coal will be screened. 



The coal operated on so far averages about 6ft. thick, and 

 bord and pillar (modified) is the system of working adopted, 

 with the exception of one section, which is being prepared for 

 longwall machine-mining. 



Nos. 3 and 5 shafts are ventilated by means of a "Capel" 

 centrifugal fan (double inlet), 8ft. in diameter, capable of 

 passing 180,000 cubic feet of air per minute with a W.G. of 

 3in. 



The men and ponies travel in and out of the mines by 

 means of a crosscut drive, which has been cut through to the 

 surface. This is a decided advantage, as the ponies can all 

 be stabled on the surface. The stables are of most modern 

 design, and are capable of housing 150 ponies. The washing 

 and hosing down shed extends the whole length of the build- 

 ings. The cost of feeding, including draught horses and hacks, 

 runs out at 5s. 5d. per head per week. 



A complete fire service, with hose stations, has been laid 

 down over the whole of the timber yard, and surface works. 

 One of the fitters, with good brigade experience, spends part 

 of his time in schooling a mine brigade, and attending to the 

 various reels and hydrants. 



The temporary backsmith shop is furnished with six 

 forges, and turns, out all the work necessary for the efficient 

 working of the mine. 



Adjacent to the smithshop, there; is a temporary plumbers' 

 shop and saw bench, both of which have been useful factors 

 in the quick development of the mines. 



A brief description of the method of. time-keeping and allo- 

 cation of expenditure might be interesting. A numbered 

 token is handed to each workman 011 going to work, and re- 

 turned by him. when his shift is finished. Those men who 

 are not exclusively employed on one job, hand in a daily time- 

 card, showing the time employed on each branch of the work. 

 The accuracy of the records in the underground deputies and 

 surface foreman's books is checked by means of the time 

 tokens issued. From the deputies' time books, and the daily 

 time-cards, a dissection of wages expenditure is made daily, 

 and shown on a "Daily Labour Cost" return. This, in com- 

 mon with all the revenue returns, shows the cost, per ton, of 

 coal, under each sub-division of the expenditure. The totals 

 of the daily cost sheets give the fortnightly wages total. 



All stores purchased are debited to Stores Account, and 

 issued on requisitions signed by foremen and other authorised 

 persons. The mine's accountant is advised fortnightly by the 



