5

C.—2a

Crocks. If sufficient power is available a generating plant driven by water-power would be installed as near the railway-station as possible. This plant could be run continuously so long as water-power was available, and the steam-driven plant run only in cases of emergency. Reconstruction of Storage-bins. The storage-bins which were completely destroyed by a landslip in January, 1918, are, now rebuilt. In the original building there were two conveyors used for distributing coal in different parts of tho bin, and the screens were also erected on tho eastern end, which necessitated the working of one of these conveyors whether screened or unscreened coal was required. In reconstructing the bins this matter was carefully considered, and instead of erecting two conveyors only one is now installed, in the centre, this being deemed adequate for loading the bin. The screening plant is also erected at this western end ; this obviates the use of the conveyors when making screened coal. The erecting of one conveyor in the centre also enabled the height of the building over the, unscreened bin to be reduced by 12 ft., and, although the new building is not so massive in appearance as the original one through this cause, there is no doubt it is much stronger, as it is not so top-heavy. To prevent a landslip occurring in the same place again a protection wall has been built, and to give additional strength to the new structure several largo bolts from beams in tho interior of the bin aro fastened to a reinforcod-concroto wall on the hill. Explosives. During the year a great deal of trouble has been encountered with the permitted explosive "' viking," and the chief cause of the trouble appears to be due to moisture affecting the explosive, through faulty packing at the works where the same was manufactured. It has been the practice when a new shipment of this explosive arrives to open several of the cases, and it was invariably discovered that the ends of almost every plug showed signs of dampness, the dampness penetrating deeper in some plugs than othoTS. In one 50 lb. case in particular no less than 35 lb. had to be discarded as useless, and it is a common occurrence for the magazine attendant to discard sonic days from 101b. to 15 lb. of this explosive. Then, again, before it is used in the mine the shot-firers examine each plug before inserting it in the shot-hole, and any ends showing signs of dampness are cut off, otherwise the result would bo a defective shot. Although every care has been taken in tho use of this explosive the number of defective shots during the year was beyond all reason. For the ends of tho plugs cut off by tho shot-firers the miners were allowed explosives equivalent for the loss, on a written statement from the shot-filer. An allowance is also made to the miners for the defective shots, when tho detonator has exploded and the explosive failed. During the year a new permitted explosive, " ligdynito," was procured; but owing to an unexploded plug in a shot-hole burning with a moderate flame this explosive has boon prohibited from all safety-lamp sections of these collieries, but it is being used in the naked-light mines. Some time ago arrangements were made to try and procure the permitted explosive. Al inonobol through the, High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, but a, reply was received from Nobel's Explosives Company (Limited) that it was impossible at that time to obtain tho necessary quantity of potassium chloride for the manufacture of this explosive. However, as the war is now over there should be no difficulty in obtaining tho necessary raw material, and therefore, in order to obtain better results in tho future and also for the satisfaction of the men and the management, arrangements should bo made to procure the explosive Al monobcl. General Reviewing the work for the year it will be scon that the number of working-days at the Liverpool Colliery an; considerably loss than those worked at the Point Elizabeth Colliery. This is duo to the fact that during the greater part of the year there was only a temporary arrangement to deal with this output, and. unless wagons wore available daily the mine could not lie worked. With tins Point Elizabeth Colliery the position was entirely different, for if wagons wore not available through shipping being held up there was usually space in tho storage-bin to enable tho mine to work for sometimes two and throe days in succession. It will bo noticed that the output from the Point Elizabeth Colliery is considerably reduced. This is due to tho near exhaustion of that colliery, and in tho course of a few months if is questionable whether this colliery can be profitably worked. It is advisable to point out that since the signing of the Armistice no loss than eighty-seven men have loft the Liverpool Colliery, consequently the output is now reduced to about 500 tons per day. In conclusion 1 wish to say that all the officers have performed the, duties delegated to them in a most satisfactory manner, and the Consulting Engineer has rendered valuable assistance in the various developments connected with tho mine. I have, &c, 1. A. James, Manager. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.