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SOUTHERN INSPECTION DISTRICT (Mr. George Duggan, Inspector). COAL-OUTPUT. It is pleasing to record that the output from the coal-mines in the Southern Inspection District, 475,998 tons, was 21,973 tons more than that produced in 1928. From the North Otago mines the output was 12,436 tons less, but this was due chiefly to the Shag Point Coal-mining Co.'s Mine being idle for about five months. From Central Otago only 4,946 tons of lignite were produced, this being a decrease of 428 tons for the year. Canterbury shows a small increase, and South Otago produced 2,633 tons more than during 1928. From the Southland mines, despite the Linton No. 1 Mine being closed for about a month owing to the explosion, the substantial increase of 31,900 tons is recorded ; the Wairaki Mines output increased by 18,019 tons, that of the Linton Mines by 11,875 tons, and that of the Black Lion Mine by 5,531 tons. Except for a couple of stopwork meetings at the Linton Mines, and the endeavour to reduce the ruling rates at the Shag Point Coal-mining Co.'s Mine, it is very satisfactory to report that there were no stoppages in this district through labour disputes. Many users have installed more up-to-date furnaces at their steam plants, thus creating a demand for the small coal, the greater portion of which was formerly dumped as waste. Near the end of the year a conference of mining-men at Nightcaps agreed upon an improved method of working tho very thick pillar coal at the Linton Mines. This method obviates as much as possible tho miners having to go out into the unsupported waste ground to fill loose coal. Better mining methods, particularly the forming of larger pillars, is being insisted upon, and an improvement in this regard is now evident at most of the mines. Summary of Operations at each Colliery for the Year 1929. Austin's Claystone Mine, Sheffield. —Pillar-extraction was completed in June, and the plant was removed. Later on, from an opencast pit about 15 chains to the east, a few tons of inferior clay were won, but no work is now being done there. Prospecting on Freehold Land, Sheffield. —A party of miners purchased 40 acres of freehold land about half a mile east of Austin's claystone mine and a little to the oast of the old Sheffield Mine workings. About ten years ago a shaft was sunk 110 ft. on this land, and it was reported that a seam of coal 5 ft. thick had been met. The new party put down a dip drive, at a grade of 1 in 3, from a gully 80 ft. lower than the top of the shaft, and they expected to reach the coal-seam about 100 ft. down, but after driving 170 ft/very troubled ground was met. From the face of the dip drive they then drove 40 ft. to the east, but being still in the faulted country, this place was stopped and the rails pulled up. It was then decided to repair the prospecting-shaft, but they ceased operations in October owing to lack of money. Springfield Mine. —No work was done during the year. Homebush Mine. —The three levels to the rise of the dip section entered coal containing thick bands of stone, so in July it was decided to begin working back the pillars. Two sections are now being worked in the claystone mine. In the southern one the main level has been extended and a place broken away to connect with an old level to the rise. When the incline now being driven in the northern section is through to the old workings above, the few pillars will then be brought back. Bush Gully Mine. —Pillar-extraction from the lower levels was completed, and the two miners are now driving a higher level, where the seam is 3 ft. thick, but which contains a stone band 4 in. thick. Klondyke Mine (Bush Gully). —About 15 chains north-east of the Bush Gully Mine two miners have driven a level going east for about 4 chains. A seam was met, 5 ft. thick, but containing many bands of clay. The seam is rising to the north at about 75°. Lately from this level a crosscut has been driven to the south, and an upper seam, 6 ft. thick, has been met. Prospecting is now being done on this 6 ft. seam. St. Helens (Whitecliffs) Mine. —The two miners drove several short dips and worked back a few pillars left in from former workings. Production ceased in October. Steventon Valley Mine. —Pillaring was continued in the dip section and was completed in May. A level was then driven west of the fault met in the dip section. A little coal was won from the 6 ft. seam, but old workings were met, so they drove a crosscut to an upper 5 ft. seam, and a dip is being driven on this seam. Lucknow Clay-r>it. —About a mile beyond the Steventon Valley Coal-mine a clay-pit was opened up, first as an opencast, and later a level was put in for 40 yards. A place driven to the rise reached the outcrop 45 ft. up. Now the few pillars are being brought back. Clearview Mine. —All the output for the year was obtained from pillar-extraction. A borehole was put down from the floor of the main level a few chains back from the face. Another seam of rather soft coal was found 12 ft. below the present workings, but as boring was continued only 3 ft. into the seam its thickness was not ascertained. Mount Somers Goal Go's Mine. —The main north level is now in over 6 chains and has entered very troubled ground. The face of this place is 3 chains to the south of the 150 ft. dip driven in 1928, and which stopped at a large fault. To the east two levels have been driven, and they are now in 4 chains from the main north level in good-quality lignite. Two places going to the north out of the upper east level have passed through the poor lignite, so the outlook is now much more promising. Burmvell Mine. —This mine has not yet been reopened. Blackburn Coal's Co.'s Leases. —A railway of 3Jft. gauge is being made from the Mount Somers Railway-station to the foot of the hills at Chapman's Creek, a distance of about nine miles. A good deal of prospecting has been done on the outcrops up the hill, and it is anticipated that production will commence during the coming winter. Albury Mine. —The available rise coal on the Woodbank area is nearing exhaustion, as the fault is cutting off all the rise places. The bottom level going east was continued through the faulted ground, and the seam has again thickened to 11 ft. This level is now stopped within a few feet of Ross's opencast pit worked some five years ago. On the Albury lease a dip drive at a lower level is being cleaned out. It is intended to again drive under the traffic road to work the lignite to the dip of the present bottom level. Roseneath Mine. —The north level is now in over 2 chains, but the last £ chain is in very poor lignite. Places driven to the west off this level met a downthrow fault when only 6 yards in. To the east the lignite is unmarketable, so this mine will not last much longer, as the owner does not intend to extend the main dip where water is still flowing at the face. Airedale Mine. —Most of the winning-places are stopped on account of meeting very soft lignite, and the outlook for the mine is now far from promising. The main and back levels were stopped early in the year, and later two of the dips were also stopped owing to the poor-quality coal met. St. Andrew's Mine, near Peebles. —The main level, going almost due north, is now in 11 chains. A little troubled ground was met about a chain back from the face, but the level is again in fairly good lignite. Three. crosscuts have been driven to the dip at a grade of lin 9, the full dip of the seam being 1 in 4£. Places have also been worked a couple of chains to the rise, and all are in good-quality lignite. Throughout the year a sale has been found for most of the slack produced. Ngapara Mine.—The places near the boundary were stopped, and development during the year has been to the east, and within 10 chains of the mine-entrance some of the old workings have been drained of about 2 ft. of standing water: this was conducted to two shallow pits sunk into the underlying gravels, and from there it seeps away. Sale is now found for the slack. Shag Point Goal-mining Co.'s Mine.— From, the 31st March until the 19th August the mine was idle.. In order to obtain fresh capital a new company was formed, and an endeavour made to get the employees to agree to a reduction in wages and contract rates. Development has now practically ceased, as most of the "output is from pillar-extraction. In Perry's and Hancock's dip sections the seam did not thicken or improve in quality,