C.—2

50

Morris and Learmont's Mine. —A certificated manager took charge in this mine on the 23rd July, and the output has been considerably increased. Stripping operations are in progress near the mineentrance. Near the face of the main level a fall occurred and, owing to the shallow cover, a creek broke into the workings. This, creek has since been flumed across the fall. Another area, of hard coal has been found near the Reefton Coal Company's lease, and a small bin has been put up. Birchwood Coal-mine. Near the end of the year this company decided to reopen the old coalmine within the Reefton Town Belt. The coal is thin (about 3| ft.) but. of fair quality. Victory Mine. The upper seam thins and is split up on the west, so development is only to the north. Four miners were constantly employed during the year in (his seam. No work was done on the lower seam. The coal from the Victory Mine is clean and hard, and is undoubtedly one of the best in the Reefton field. Phmnix and Venus Mine. —The usual small output from this mine has been maintained, but the long haulage by drays debars a larger output. Big River Mine. —Two men continue to produce coal for the boilers at the Big River Quartz-mine. Archer's Freehold Mine (Capleston). —All the past year's output was obtained from the 24ft. seam. A fault was met in the main east level. The output from the Capleston mines is carted along the traffic road to the Cronadun Railway-station, a distance of about four miles. Coghlan's Mine (Capleston). —No coal was mined from the freehold area ; 1,691 tons were obtained from the leasehold area. Golden Point Mine- -Numerous short stone drives have been put into the hill from near the traffic-road to intersect the seam and work the rise coal. A dip was put down about a chain, but the coal was nearly vertical, and the dip has since been abandoned. A fleet of motor-lorries conveys the coal to the Reefton Rail way-station, a distance of about three and a half miles. Merrijigs Coal-mine. —A wooden flume about 20 chains long has been constructed, and coal is conveyed by water flowing through boxes from the mine to the traffic-road. This (luming is now being extended to the foot of the Merrijigs Hill, about three to four miles, and will replace the haulage by means of horses and drays. Many coal leases and coal-prospecting licenses were granted during the year. A diamond-drill borehole was put down 500 ft. on the terrace behind the railway-station, but it did not reach coal. Another borehole by means of a Keystone percussive drill was bored between Capleston and Cronadun, but was abandoned at 300 ft. Westport District. Coal Creek Mine (Mokihinui). —Pillar work in the old section ceased on the 30th May, and all out.put from that date was obtained from an area farther up Coal Creek. The coal in the main heading is rather soft. A strong band came across from the west side, and work in the heading is temporarily stopped. Co-operative Mine (Dove and Party). —This party's work early in the year consisted of extracting the few remaining pillars in the No. 4 section of the old Cardiff Mine. In September they commenced to work some of the outcrop coal between the Cardiff main drive and Chasm Creek. These places have been driven 9 ft. high in clean hard coal. A horse tramway and a jig connects the mine with the tramway from the No. 4 section. St. Helens Mine (T. Bennett). —This mine has been worked continuously during the year. The roof is very variable, sometimes being a good strong sandstone and at others very treacherous, necessitating strong sets for support. Chester's Mine. —This is a small mine adjoining Bennett's and working the same seam. Other co-operative parties commenced prospecting operations towards the end of the year, and should augment the production from this field in the near future. Westport-Stockton Colliery. —As the Stockton Colliery could no longer be, considered as naturally wet throughout, early in the year the manager was instructed (hat if would be necessary to use only " permitted " explosives. Owing to the scarcity of labour only the X field was worked during the first half of the year, but the mine is now fully staffed, and operations have been renewed in the old mine. D section is exhausted, and the eastern portion of C section consists of small areas of coal, where four pairs of miners are now employed. There are also four pairs of miners on pillar work in B section. The cover over the coal in the X field being shallow, this continues to be a very wet area and considerably increases the cost of mining. Development work continues apace in the Nos. 2, 5, and 6 sections. In the Nos. 2 and 5 sections " rolls " are often met, making haulage difficult. A commodious bath-house is now being erected at Stockton Township, and the management have coped with the housing difficulty by providing several comfortable workmen's cottages at the township. These are being purchased by the employees on tin- instalment system. Millerton. Millerton Colliery.- -Mangatina Section: The pillar area along the eastern boundary of the lease still produces a small output. Old Dip Section : A connection has been made between the old dip section and the No. 2 dip section at Mine Creek, and ventilation is now produced solely by the Mine Creek fan. As ignitions of inflammable gas occurred in the old dip and No. 2 dip section, the management were notified, on the 28th June, that no lights other than locked safety-lamps could be used in these districts. Mine Creek Mine. —Development still proceeds in the No. 2 dip and 4th west sections. A downthrow fault was met in the main level oil' No. 2. dip, and since going through this fault inflammable gas has been given off in the working places. The barrier pillars are being extracteil from the southeast section, and pillar-extraction continues in the south pillars. The up-to-date bath-house near Millerton was completed during the year, and is being regularly used by the employees.