C—2.

50

Schultze Creek Mine (Marshall and Party).—The main level has been standing throughout the year. To the rise pillar-extraction has been carried on. Dennehy's Mine. —Prospecting operations on a small scale have been carried on. Cain's Mine. —The work during the year has been of a routine nature. Bellbird Mine, Ten-mile Creek (Fauth and Party).—The work of driving the main dip heading has been continued throughout the year. The excellent method of working the coal-face and preparing tho shots is a feature of this mine. Over 80 per cent, of lump coal is being produced. . Bellvue Mine. —The development places have been continued in a south-easterly direction. Jubilee Mine. —This small mine has worked steadily throughout the year. Development work has been of a routine nature. In the western workings two rolls were encountered. The fault running north-east has been encountered in several places. Allan and Party's Mine, Brunner. —The mine was closed towards the end of the year. Smith and, Party, Dunollie. —All the available pillars having been removed, the mine was closed. Brae Head Mine (Boote and Party).—The major portion of the output was won from pillar-extraction in the northern portion of the lease. Work in the new stone drive that is being put in to tap the seam at a lower level is proceeding slowly. Inangahua District. Reefton Coal Co.'s Mine. —Preparations have been made to install an electric generator for pumping purposes. It is proposed to use the power to unwater the old dip workings. Three small contract parties have been at work on the lease during the year. Morrisvale Lease. —Four small mines are being developed on this property, as follows : (1) Matchless Syndicate: •No extensive development work was carried out. Pillar-extraction has been continued. (2) No. 3 dip : Owing to trouble with the steam plant the work of driving the dip was discontinued. (3) Perfection Valley Syndicate : The main level has been driven a distance of 8 chains in a north-easterly direction to the fault. The main incline going south-east has reached the outcrop. Pillar-extraction has been commenced adjacent to the old workings. (4) Surprise Mine : The main dip has been driven 3 chains in a north-westerly direction. Two levels proceeding north-east have been stopped on a fault. Archer's Mine, Capleston. —All coal won for the year has been obtained from No. 3 seam, which, in common with the other seams on this area, is more or less faulted. The troubled nature of the coal renders its exploitation a costly process. Waitahu Mine. —A small amount of coal was won from the rise workings by a co-operative party. White Rose Mine. —Work at this mine has been fairly regular throughout the j'ear, as sales are good though the coal is of medium quality only. Defiance Mine. —Three men were employed during the year removing pillars. The Terrace Mine (Empire). —A main level driven in a north-easterly direction has been largely advanced through the worked-out area of an old mine. Good solid coal should be encountered within a few chains from the present face. An air-shaft put down for a distance of 70 ft. from the surface gives excellent "ventilation. Glele Mine. —Pillar-extraction to the dip has been completed. Development work consists of driving a dip on the No. 2 seam, and levels were broken off to the left and right. Phoenix and Venus (Collins and Party).—By driving in the old workings a small amount of pillar coal has been recovered. Loghlan's Mine, Capleston. —Twin levels put out in a northerly direction, and continued during the year, have proved a fairly extensive area of good coal. Lankey's Creek Mine. —Attempts have been made to penetrate the troubled area to the rise, but all headings projected have been cut off by intrusions of either stone or shale. Solid, coal is being worked, but the future life of the mine must depend solely on pillar-extraction. Nelson District. A. O'Rourke's Mine, Murchison. —The main drive in this mine was seriously damaged by the earthquake on the 17th June, and very little work has been done since that date. R. E. F. O'Rourke's Mine, Ariki. —Prior to the 17th June a drive was started on the strike of the seam ; the earthquake, however, destroyed the road over which the coal was carted, and the mine closed down. Marble Creek Mine (Mount Burnett). —An aerial has been purchased, and will be erected at the mine. Winter's Mine, Motupipi. —A small amount of coal was won from surface stripping. Morgan and Party's Mine, Owen River. —A drive that had been put in through the gravel to intersect the coal-seam was destroyed by the earthquake. A second drive was then started some distance awaj'. After 230 ft. of driving had been completed, indications of coal were found in the floor and side. Clarke River Mine. —Two men have opened up a small mine near the junction of the Baton and Clarke Rivers. The coal is carted by road to the railway, a distance of eighteen miles. The coal varies in thickness from 3 ft. to 5 ft. North Cape Mine. —Prior to June work was being carried on to the dip in the north and north-easterly direction. The coal was 3 ft. thick. The earthquake on the 17th June so damaged the machinery that the water rose rapidly and tho mine was flooded. A new boiler was procured, but the steam so weakened the return airway that it collapsed. The work of pumping was still being carried on at the end of the year, but no coal was being produced. Puponga Mine. —At the end of the year the main level had been advanced a total distance of 24 chains from the mine-entrance, and a further 31 chains of driving remains to be completed when the outcrop will be reached. To the rise the workings have reached the outcrop 7-J chains from the main level, thus forming a main return airway. Pillar-extraction was carried out to the rise in the low coal (3 ft. to 3 ft. 6 in.) throughout the year. Method oi? Working. During the last few years the method of working has been gradually changed. All the larger mines are now working on the panel system, and in some of the older mines artificial panels are being formed by building concrete stoppings. The tendency is now toward narrow workings, usually 12 ft. wide and 8 ft. in height. The sizes of the pillars are also being increased. In pillar-extraction the straight-line system is being extended, the object in view being to get as long a roof-break as possible. Unfortunately, in the smaller mines the lack of capital has resulted in wasteful methods; this applies more especially to the Reefton. field, where the majority of the mines are worked on the tribute system. Fatal Accidents. During the year six men lost, their lives in the coal-mines of the West Coast Inspection District, as under: — On the 28th February, James White was killed by a fall of roof-coal in the Westportmain Colliery. A shot had been fired in a stump. White commenced to trim the shot, when approximately .14 cwt. of coal fell, killing him instantly. On the 6th March the mine-manager (Mr. Smith) and John Bell were examining fire-stoppings in the Millerton Mine when a large body of hot water that had evidently been dammed back in the drive rushed through the drainage-boxes in the stopping and swept Bell off his feet and inflicted injuries that resulted in bis death.