55

C—2

Kaitangata No. 2 Mine, Kaitangata. —Old No. 1 dip section finished and stopped off permanently. On the 6 ft. scam work mainly consisted of withdrawal of pillars left at first working, and as places were, driven narrow very little coal was being lost or left behind. Owing to heaving flo■>. roadways are low in places; timber plentifully supplied and used. 18 ft. seam : withdrawing pillars and driving to dip for extraction of available coal. Main seam driven to dip, and developing southward in narrow work. Owing to tender roof each place was box-bratticcd for ventilation, and the smoke from shot-tiring disappeared rapidly, hatch place was well timbered and ventilation adequate. Castle Hill Mine, Kaitangata. —New main seam; two places being advanced for development where small quantities of fire-damp were reported as occurring on two occasions. When the stent on was put through the gas disappeared. Ventilation, 17,750 cubic feet of air per minute. Benhar Coal-mine, Benhar. —A new opening was being made on the western side of Main South Railway at a dip in 1 in 3. Mount Wallace Mine, Stirling. Mine-working suspended and abandoned. Plant mostly dismantled and removed to the new Lakeside Mine by Mr. Stevenson. Oti/cerama Coal-mine, Otikerama. —A drive was being put in to the opencast face previously worked. Reinke's Coal-mine, East Gore. —A new mine recently opened. McLean's Coal-mine, East Gore. —A new mine recently opened. Whiterigg Coal-mine, East Gore. —The mine formerly worked had been abandoned, and a newdip drive was opened on the northern part of the property. Green's Coal-mine, Gore. —My inspection being nea the close of the working-day, there was plenty of powder-smoke in the working-places, but by the aid of the small ventilating-fan, a fair current of air was travelling through the workings. Riverview Coal-mine, Gore. —A small private opencast mine. Bumwell Coal-mine, North Chatton. —Working suspended and mine closed. Ramsay's Coal-mine, North Chatton. —Pillars had been robbed, and the underground mine-workings closed by falls of ground. Opening out afresh from the opencast working-place. Glenlee Coal-mine, Waikaka. —Underground mining conducted safely. Pyramid Coal-mine, Riversdale. —Seam to dip split by a band of stone. A drive into the terrace opposite was proposed, where a seam 10 ft. in thickness was said to have been discovered by boring. Terrace Coal-mine, Riversdale. —The new air-shaft had been completed. The seam is strong and the roof is safe. Rossvale Coal-mine, Waikaia. —Some heating was coming from a fallen place at the head of the dip, which the manager promised would be substantially stopped off. Argyle Coal-mine, Waikaia. —An opencast working ; stripping sluiced away by water. Waikaia Oil-shale Development Company, Waikaia. —Work on this property had been suspended throughout the year, but negotiations were stated to be in progress for the development of the. oil-shale seam known to occur on the area. Princhester Greek Coal-mine, The Key. —An opencast pit, worked for local supplies. Mataura Collieries, Mataura.- The new ventilating-fan was being installed. Mataura Lignite-mine, Mataura. —A fan having been installed the ventilation is improved. Heatherlea Coal-mine, Mataura. —A small opencast mine, worked for local supply. Torrie's Coal-mine, Mataura. —A small opencast mine, worked for local supply. Ota Creek Coal-mine, WynHham. —An opencast working, used for district requirements. Clarke's Coal-mine, Wyndham. —An opencast working, for supplies used locally. Nightcaps No. 1 Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —A small dip drive was being put down opposite the power plant, and some opencast working at the top end of the paddock is all there is left of the old mineworkings. Lloyd's Dip. —On the, left-hand side of the dip pillar the coal is mainly extracted, and preparations are being made to win the coal barrier, 30 chains by 4 chains, left at the first working between the old maritime and recent dip workings. Nightcaps No. 2 Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —Eight men working in the opencast, and two miners with roadmen below ground. Knight's Section. —A pair of men driving in thin seam with (lie object of proving continuity of seam to dip. Black Diamond Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —Mine not at work on date of visit. Fan ventilation. Coaldale Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —New dip driven 400 ft., 1 in 4, but a wet back had been struck, and the pump with steam boiler was to be duplicated. Stirling Coal-mine, Nightcaps (Lyons and Currie). —Erecting a. loading-stage on siding off Ohai Railway. Expected to be ready for output from opencast working at early date. New Brighton Coal-mine, Wairio. —The mine was not working at the date of my visit. A new 49-in.-diameter sirocco ventilating-fan has been installed. Wairio Coal-mine, Wairio. —Four miners underground and four in opencast, where coal almost exhausted. The 5 ft. seam was being developed to south of old workings. W. Smith's Lease (57 acres). —Two men driving in resin-seam for prospecting purposes. Willow Coal-mine (now Ohai Coal-mine), Nightcaps. —An opencast pit preparing for output to Wairio Railway Extension terminus. Wairaki Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —Only two workmen engaged prospecting underground. Safetylamps only in use, but gas had not been reported since January last. The ventilation was good. Xo. 2 Mine: Driving in solid and pillaring. The coal roof is strong. Ventilation good. Erecting additional steam boiler for pumping-powor and drive for new ventilating-fan now being completed. Mossbank Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —Workings to rise were all face-jigs. The level face was standing on a downthrow fault which was being proven. Ventilating-fan, 6 ft. diameter, and 6 h.p. oil-engine on the ground ready for erection. ./. T. lluugerford, Nightcaps. —Prospecting by boring and surface operations.