0.—2

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south side, a blower of gas was tapped. Work in the level was suspended, and the place fenced off. The blower is now diminishing. Improvement has been made to the travelling airway to second out-let shaft since the installation of a sirocco fan, which replaced the furnace. No lamps other than safety-lamps were allowed at Kaitangata collieries, also only permitted explosives used,-with electrical shot-firing by authorized shot-firers. Foundations had been prepared for a modern bathhouse for workmen for early erection. The condition of the ponies used in the mines, about thirty in number, had been favourably reported upon by the Inspector of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Benhar Coal-mine, Stirling.- —Mine in good order, and ventilation well conducted by brattice around the working-faces. Mount, Wallace Goal-mine, Stirling. —Lignite seam about 20 ft. in thickness, of wliich 10 ft. worked. Mine-mouth standing well. Tram laid to main roadside, a distance of about 500 yards. Pukerau Coal-mine, Pukerau.^-- -Worked for supply of local requirements. Whiterigg Goal-mine, East Gore. —Ventilation satisfactory, and workings in good order. Green's Goal-mine, Gore. —Roof ami sides strong. Ventilation good. The pillar which had been on lire was not properly cooled down, but the faces of the stoppings were cool, and there was evidence of the fire being well in hand. Water laid on as required. Bushy Park Coal-mine, Gore. —Opencast pit,; one place well stripped ahead of working-face. Burnwell Coal-mine, North Ghatton. —Seam large and strong, but excessive extraction to rise had been the cause of heavy fall to surface, so that, difficulty may be expected in future working to dip. Ramsay's Coal-mine, North Ghatton. —New dip drive opening out satisfactorily. New powder- magazine being constructed. Springfield, Coal-mine, Waikaka Valley. —Mine-mouth fallen; work practically suspended. Pyramid Coal-mine, Riversdale. —Reopening on the seam where formerly worked and exhausted as was thought at, that time. Rossvale Coal-mine, Waikaia.- -New air-shaft required, the old one having been affected by recent rains. Magazine approved for storage 3501b. of explosives. Waikaia Coal-mine, Waikaia. —Prospecting to dip; output, small and not likely to increase apparently, as the seam appeared to have run out. Muddy Terrace Shale-mine, Freshford. —Prospecting for oil-shale is being conducted by aid of a Government Keystone drill. Prinehester Greek Goal-mine, The Key. —Only a small annual output from this out-of-the-way place, for supply of local requirements. Seam irregular, coal occurring in pockets or bunches each of a few tons having 25 ft. to 30 ft. of stripping on top. Mataura Collieries, Mataura. —The new air-shaft and doors at mine-month have evidently improved ventilation. Powder-smoke not now hanging in workings, and workmen stated that ventilation had been satisfactory. Mataura Lignite-mine, Mataura. —Opencasting has been suspended, and underground mining is in progress. I pointed out to the manager that the pillars being left' near the entrance were too small, and that timbering is necessary. Nightcaps Collieries, Nightcaps. — No. 1 Mine, Nightcaps: No. 1 section: Pillar and headcoal extraction, continues. Where heating had occurred in the waste substantial ash stoppings have been put in. A drive had been commenced at near the mine-mouth with a view to winning the resin-seam lying to the dip. The old resin-seam workings contained an accumulation of water, and precautions were being taken. No. 2 section: A few men were employed getting coal from pillars near the outcrop at first working. No. 3 section, or Lloyd's dip : Dip workings are being developed toward the south, hard conglomerate forming excellent roof. Rise workings are being pillared backward, and falls of roof kept close up for safe working. No. 2 Mine, Morley: A new mine being opened on land leased from the Southland High Schools Commissioners. The seam, 25 ft., overlain by from 8 ft. to 10 ft, of clay and gravel, which is stripped and the coal worked opencast, Prospeoting-drives and boring from the surface indicate the existence of a fair-sized area of coal. The coal is conveyed by a light locomotive to the company's loading-bank at Nightcaps Railway-station, a distance of one mile and, a half. Black Diamond Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —Seam 25ft.; underground mining; bord and pillar; new air-shaft provided. Beatlie's Burndale Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —New mine opening. Seam 9 ft. Coaldale Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —A new opening. Tramway being laid to Nightcaps Railway terminus. New Brighton Coal-mine, Wairio. —Drawing pillars and head coal. Timber used. Ventilation good. Three several openings at outcrop; new low-level drive prepared for connection with dip workings. Thistle Goal-mine, Nightcaps. —Worked out and abandoned. Wairio Coal-mine, Wairio. —Drawing pillars and head coal. Ventilation good. Timber well used. Beaumont Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —The narrow bank left between Ohai Stream and the mine carried away, and the mine was inundated. Mossba.nk Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —Three several openings on seam at near outcrop. Newlow level prepared for connection with the proposed Wairio Railway extension, which was beingmade. Linton Goal-mine, Nightcaps. —Work suspended on account of the tramway embankmentbeing carried away by flood-water in Ohai Stream.