C—3a.

Paskell's Pit, Adam's Flat (J. Paskell, owner). —(21/12/1901): Opencast. Nothing doing at date. Seam, 7 ft. Stripping, 18 ft. to 20 ft. Stripping too heavy. Face perpendicular. Wallsend Pit, Lovell's Flat (E. Hewitson, owner). — (20/12/1901) : Stripping kept fairly well in advance of the working-face. The pit is kept in much better order than it used to be. Lovell's Flat Colliery, Lovell's Flat (James Carruthers, manager).—(7/1/1901) : Air at intake, 5,580 cubic feet per minute. The downcast and second-outlet shaft is 260 ft. deep, in good order, fitted with inclined ladders and landings 14 ft. apart. Travelling-way to shaft well kept. A new dip drive has been started to the east of the shaft in good coal, with promising indications. Coal thinning somewhat going north, and the roof of working-places in this district requires much timber owing to liability to "cut." The coal is "proud." and the roof very tender. I drew the manager's attention to one place where the roof-coal was shattered and the props badly set. Air rather warm in rise headings, where return not quite up to face. (12/7/1901) : The dip drive from the shaft-bottom is down 2 chains in good coal. An engine for haulage has been erected, and the dip is unwatered by a pulsometer pump discharging into the main lodgment. A heading (on the point of pricking through) in the south side, when completed, will provide a direct circuit of air in the new workings, and the airway through the old workings will be cut off. Air warm and rather dull in rise places. Eules posted, report-books and plan to date. (19/9/1901) : The dip-face is now down 200 ft. in good coal. Bords are broken away both sides and substantial pillars left. The old workings, which were heating, are now blocked off. Air plentiful, and travelling freely round the rise workings. The north-level coal is thinning gradually, and is now only 5 ft. in thickness. Owing to the tender nature of the roof in the north-side workings all the places are timbered, and every care is taken to provide for safe working. (20/12/1901) : The dip workings east side are turning out well. Coal superior, and thickness of seam is maintained. The north-level coal has thinned to 5 ft., but quality good. Being narrow, the level can be maintained, but the bords are hard to keep even when close-timbered. The coal in the south-west section continues to be soft and somewhat inferior in quality. Air good, but current sluggish; friction due to increased travel is rapidly overcoming the motive power in use —viz., exhaust steam from pump in upcast shaft. A fire which broke out in the heading was drenched out with water, and the area is now sealed off. Fan ventilation very desirable, Tuakitoto, Lovell's Flat (M. McDougall, owner). —(20/12/1901) : This mine has been idle during the whole of the year. Benhar Goal-mine, Benhar (James McLeod, permit). —(7/1/1901): The heading in upper seam is now discontinued, except that water is pumped out daily. A new road is being opened in the middle seam in good strong coal. The dip being in 230 ft. to face, a return for air is required, and is to be started at once. A small steam-boiler has been erected at the mine-mouth for pumping purposes. The rules were torn, and Mr. McLeod has ordered new copies. (12/7/1901) : The coal to the west and north is cut out by faults, which have not yet been proved. Air good. (20/12/1901) : The workings are in good order. Air fairly good. A new drive is being cut to win the lower seam. Mount Wallace Pit, Stirling (D. Shaw, lessee). —(12/7/1901): No one about at the new pit. Notice posted that the pit is closed. (20/12/1901) : The mine recently opened up is now abandoned, and Shaw has returned to Tweedie's old mine, the coal being of better quality and more accessible to settlers. The old mine-workings are all standing, although driven wide and high, the coal being of a strong nature. A new dip is being driven alongside the old workings. Kaitangata Colliery, Kaitangata (G. H. Broome, manager).—(2B/2/1901): Air at intake, 18,040 cubic feet per minute. McDougall's heading section, No. 5 fault, having cut off the workings, preparations are being made for robbing pillars and head-coal back towards the heading. Drum-heading section standing; no work being done at present. North-side section at present provides the bulk of coal-output from the mine. The headings (Nos. 1, 2, and 3) are up to No. 6 fault. Substantial ribs of solid coal are left on each side of the headings, so that stoppings may be put in should fire break out. Most of the pillars between the headings are taken clean out, the work having been laid out with a view to this being done immediately the bords were finished. The return airway from the north section is rather rough and requires to be cleaned up. Safety-lamps in good order. Report-books duly kept. (1/3/1901) : No. 3 dip section : Air good. Duncan's bord requires three or four sets of timber. I also asked the manager to set props closer in several other bords. No. 2 dip is well ventilated. The return therefrom now connects with the main return at a point below the tubing, about half a mile of airway having been cut off. There is now no return from the shaft-workings, which are stopped off, and in all probability filling with water and black damp, being to the dip of all the open mine-workings. (14-16/3/1901) : A small fall at the mouth of Duncan's level had knocked down the fence and danger-notice board. There was a little gas mixed with damp near the face of level, which is 660 ft. in. A little black damp was found in the bottom north level off No. 3 dip. Water being up had cut off the air-return in the level. No persons were working in or near these disused places, which had been discontinued for some considerable time. The brick stopping on the main stone drive was slightly warm at one place near the top, indicating heat in the vicinity; otherwise the mine was in good working-order. (19/4/1901) : A slight ignition of gas in No. 2 dip on the 15th instant having been reported, I visited the mine on this date, and saw Alfred Weston, who was slightly burnt on the hands, but not sufficiently so to cause him to leave work. Weston was working with two safety-lamps at the face, but used a naked light on his head while trucking up the cuddy, and he alleged that on going up with an empty box the gas ignited at the flat-sheet. An examination of the face showed that it was at a "roll," and no doubt a light blower of gas was tapped which, rising to the roof, came back to the flat-sheet at 40 ft. from the face. I reported the ignition to you, and it was subsequently arranged by the mine-manager and myself that mixed lights would be discarded

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