C—3a.

but had been abandoned. Firm measures require to be taken to have this pit maintained in safe workingorder. Rough Ridge Coal-pit, Idaburn (Mrs. M. Beck, lessee ; William Beck, manager) , . —(] /8/1905) : opencast pit; overburden 9 ft. ; coal-face 30 ft. The pit was in a dangerous state for working in, owing to the coal-face being undermined and to neglect of stripping. The lessee was notified, under date the 19th August, to have the pit put in safe working-order. (23/9/1905) : Stripping still unsatisfactory. The manager of this pit has failed to maintain the safe system of working which prevailed prior to his management. McLean's Coal-pit, Idaburn (Mrs. M. Beck, lessee).—(23/9/1905) : Still nothing doing in this area. Idaburn Coal-fit, Idaburn (J. White, lessee). —(1/8/1905) : The pit was in a dangerous state for working owing to neglect of stripping and the coal-face being undermined. The lessee was notified, under date the 19th August, to have the pit put in safe working-order. (23/9/1905) : Stripping only partially attended to. Two men were engaged undermining the coal-face, the attendant risks of which were admitted by Mr. White who pleaded that he was wo.t"king shorthanded, and labourers could not be got for stripping. Border Coal-pit, Rough Ridge (George Turnbull, lessee, deceased). —(23/9/1905) : No work has been done since Mr. TurnbulPs deach. The pit is idle and full of water. Gimmerburn Goal-pit, Gimmerburn (C. Dougherty, lessee).—Opencast. Coal mined for local requirements. McCready and Coomb's Coal-pit, Kyeburn Diggings (W. Coombs, lessee). —Coal now mined for private use only. Healey's Lignite License, Kyeburn (Thomas Healey, licensee). —Prospecting for suitable inlet to vertical seam, larger proportion of which now lies below level of Kyeburn River; and water drainage heavy. Stephen Beer's Lignite License, Kyeburn. —Lignite license expired and not renewed. Donaldson's Goal-pit, Horse Flat, Macrae's (W. and G. Donaldson, lessees). —The coal-seam proved difficult to work; also, owing to inferiority of quality, the lessees have abandoned the mine. Clyde Collieries Company, Clyde (George Smith, mine-manager; A. E. Ackroyd, secretary, Dunedin). —(11/5/1905) : Work is being conducted in the area known as " Dairy Creek Mine." The main fault east and west crosses the faces of all the north-going places, and is apparently the northern boundary of the coal-basin, and abutting unconformably on the schist formation or bed-rock of the district. (27/9/1905) : Good places are being driven 10 ft. wide but narrower in faulted ground. Workings, roadways, and air-courses all in good order, and ventilation good. Rules posted; plan kept; and re-port-book to date. Fraser River Coal-mine {late Holt's), Shepherd's Flat, Clyde (James Goodger, secretary, Cromwell; J. B. Cooper, permit). —(15/9/1905) : A new adit has been driven 200 ft. through the measures in order to win coal water-free. The coal-seam at face of drive is 6 ft. in thickness. Ventilation should be improved by stentons and use of brattice. Lowburn Flat. —Boring operations are being conducted with a view to striking the Cromwell coalseam.. It is now proposed to further prospect the ground by shaft-sinking. Cardrona Colliery, Cardrona (R. McDougall, lessee ; D. Scurr, manager).—(ls/5/1905) : Dip of seam, synclinal. Seam bottoming at 50 ft. from surface forming a syncline filled in with hard clays and cemented quartz gravels. Seam 20 ft. in thickness on eastern and 15 ft. on western side, semivertical on either side from surface downward, but is found burnt out on eastern side going northward. (2/12/1905) : The coal is improved in quality, and pit standing in better order than I had previously seen it. Present area should be worked out by winter, and in spring, when the. men return, output will be won from the new area. Gibbston Coal Company, Gibbston Saddle (John Duncan, manager; G. R. Cheeseman, general manager). —The rise section pillars are now being drawn. A supply of timber is kept at hand. The new low level tapped the coal-seam at 320 ft. in. Being driven through loose and broken strata, good timbering was a necessity. A fair amount of solid coal to the rise is again available. Report-book kept. Cromwell and Bannockburn Collieries Company, Bannockburn (A. S. Gillanders, mine-manager ; T. K. Harty, managing director). —Excelsior Mine (12/5/1905): Main levels being extended will shortly connect with Wilson's Mine. Other work consists of pillaring places to the rise. Mine in good order, and timber used as required. Although abundance of air at intake, ventilation of working-faces not so good as it might have been had the air been properly conducted and bratticing of stentons been well attended to. (29/12/1905) :At the end of the year the main levels holed through into Wilson's Mine, and both mines are now practically one. A strip of solid coal is available of about 3,000 ft. in length by 300 ft. in breadth. The coal contained in the pillars will now be worked back from the centre in each mine, and should yield many years' supply. Wilson's Mine (29/12/1905) : Very little work has been done at this mine during the year. The mine is in good working-order, and could, if necessary, supply the trade of the district in the event of any temporary stoppage at the Excelsior Mine. Kawarau Mine : Main dip now down 775 ft. to the face ; seam 14 ft. overlaid by 4 ft. of clay, then sand and water. Workings are now in area lying between Tom's and ParcelPs Gullies. A break in the roof caused the loss of 200 ft. of the dip owing to a run of sand and water; the sand is very fine and penetrating, and only concrete stoppings are found capable of keeping it back. Coal in the crosscut is of good quality, but the seam is found thinning to north and south when approaching the gullies. Gauzes are worn by the miners for protection to their eyes in proud coal. Towards the bottom

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