C.—2

48

Greencastle Mine, mine-owner has made an arrangement with two miners to work the mine on the co-operative system. Waipa Colliery. —During the year the endless-rope haulage was extended in the main heading, and a 6-ft.-diameter sirocco fan removed from the old workings and erected at the new mine. The pillars on the left side of the mine are being extracted satisfactorily. Hunua Mine. —Considerable improvements have been made in the methods of haulage. United Coalfields. —Work on this area has been mostly confined to boring and proving the coal. A start has been made with a prospecting-drive. Mac Donald State Mines. —A main heading has been commenced and driven some 10 ft. in clay. A workshop and magazine have been erected. Taupiri Extended Mine. —The distance from the face to the shaft in the main west section is now approximately one mile and a quarter. A section has been developed in the top seam which appears to be equal in quality to that of the bottom seam and about 16 ft. thick. The north heading has also been advanced and the distance from the shaft to the face is approximately one mile and a quarter. In March a spontaneous heating took place at a fall in No. 4 old workings, west side, which later developed into a fire. This, however, was successfully overcome by pumping water from the sumps on to the top of the fall. Preparations are being made to hydraulically stow this section of the old workings with sand. Non-fatal Serious Accidents. Taupiri Extended. —l3th December, 1.920: Leo Long, age 21 —loss of second finger, at the first joint, of the left hand. Long was caging coal at the shaft-bottom, and his finger was caught between a coal-truck and the cage. 12th June, 1920 : George Peel —loss of part of little finger. Peel was employed as rope hand, when his fingers were caught by haulage-rope. Rotowaro Colliery. —20th May, 1920 : James Burton, age 14 —fractured leg. Burton was employed on the pit-top, and his foot went through a hole in the decking, causing him to fall ; before he could recover a truck struck him. 15th Juno, 1920 : Joseph Atkins, age 45—loss of two fingers at the first joints. Atkins was employed about the screens, and was in the act of clearing some slack from under the wheels of a wagon when the wagon moved, running over two of his fingers. 10th August, 1920 : Evan Davis —severe contusion of right hip and pelvis. Davis was engaged as a labourer, and was excavating in a clay bank when a piece of clay rolled from the top of bank, striking him. Pukemiro Colliery. —Ist December, 1920 : W. F. Gamer —severe scalp-wound and other minor injuries to face. Garner was employed as a trucker, and was apparently riding on the buffers of a truck ; the truck went off the road, tipping up on end, and Garner was thrown over the truck, striking his head on the rail as he fell. 27th February, 1920 :W. A. Colledge, age 15—abdominal muscles severely bruised. Colledge was engaged cleaning wagons, and was jammed between the buffers of two wagons. Waipa Colliery. —19th March, 1920 : J. A. Andrews, age 50—fractured leg. Andrews was employed as a miner. A piece of coal falling from the face struck him on the left leg, causing a fracture below the knee. Hunua Colliery. —2nd February, 1920 : R. R. Lewis—acute iritis of both eyes and loss of sight of one. Lewis was employed as a miner, and was struck by a piece of coal flying from his pick. Dangerous Occurrences (Regulation 81). Rotowaro Colliery. —18th November, 1920 : Manager A. Penman reported that after a shot had been fired in Mclntire's heading, No. 3 section, the men on returning to the place fired a small quantity of gas. Taupiri Extended. —29th June, 1920 : Manager W. Wood reported that a fire had taken place in No. 4 old workings, through spontaneous heating of clay and coal, where a fall had occurred some time previous. Ist July, 1920 : James Allison, acting-manager, reported that an ignition of gas had taken place at the site of the fire in No. 4 old workings. All the men were withdrawn from the mine. Pukemiro Colliery. —11th May, 1920 : Manager Burt reported an ignition of gas in the main north heading. 17th May, 1920 : Manager Burt reported an ignition of a small quantity of gas in Summer's heading.

West Coast Inspection District (Mr. George Duggan, Inspector). Coal-output. The coal-output was 821,507 tons. I regret to report that this shows a decrease of 24,319 tons on the previous year's return. The chief reasons for the decrease were the exhaustion of the Point Elizabeth and the North Brunner Mines, and the " go-slow " policy in vogue at all the mines until March, and again adopted at the Blackball Mine from November, and the stoppage of the Paparoa Mine owing to a labour dispute from February until the end of the year. It is pleasing to record an increase from the numerous small mines in the Reefton area, and from the Coal Creek Mine near Mokihinui. The Westport-Stockton Mine also shows a slightly increased output. Sj|.;!|The number of men employed at the mines has not varied much from the previous year, there being fourteen less underground and nineteen more on the surface.