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White Rose Mine. —Work has been continued on a small scale, the coal being thin with very little surface cover. Defiance Mine. — The work of pillar-extraction in the old mine has been completed and the section closed. Prospecting operations are now being carried on with a view to opening up the seam in the western portion of the lease. Terrace Mine.—The main roadways which were driven through old workings showed signs of heating, and the development places encountered stone bands. As a result of these conditions, pillar-extraction was commenced towards the end of the year. Clele Mine. —All rise pillars have been extracted to within 6 chains from the mine-entrance, a dip heading having been driven to win the remaining available coal. Phoenix and Venus Mine (Collin's Lease). —The fire having spread throughout the whole of the mine-workings, work during the year has been confined to surface-stripping near the outcrops. Coghlan's Mine, Capleston.—Development work has been continued in good-quality coal, and all old roadways have been maintained in a satisfactory condition. Lankey's Creek Mine.—Development work having proved unprofitable, due to thinning of the seam and stone intrusions, a commencement has been made with pillar-extraction, the quality of coal now won being good. Times Street Mine. —The No. 4 seam has been developed for a distance of 500 ft., the coal being up to 30 ft. in thickness, although friable in places, this condition being characteristic of this seam. Eone Mine. —A small area of coal was developed and totally extracted. It is proposed to extend an old crosscut stone measure into the seam at a lower point. Remarks on Development. Development work in the Reefton field is very lacking in system, unless at the Burke's Creek Mine. Up to the present only the blocks of coal situated above free-drainage level have been worked successfully. There is ample evidence that this coalfield will be subject to spontaneous combustion, and that any attempt to successfully develop the dip areas will require a prearranged systematic plan of operations based on the panel system, and the introduction of electrical power for underground pumping and haulage purposes. The present practice of conveying steam underground is neither economical nor is it conducive towards the safety and good health of the underground workers. Nelson District. A. O'Rourke's Mine, Murchison. —The earthquake damage to the mine has been repaired. Development work throughout the year consisted of driving the main level and one place to the rise. The coal-seam is 2 ft. 9in thick. Marble Greek Mine (Mount Burnett). —An aerial from the mine-mouth to the bin on the mud-fiats has been erected, and coal-production will be commenced early in 1931. Winter and Party's Opencast Workings, Motupipi.—A small amount of coal has been von from surface-stripping. Seymour Mine, Owen River (formerly known as Morgan and Party's Mine). —A new drive some 400 ft. in length has been completed to replace the one destroyed by the earthquake. The main levels have been driven some 4 chains, and a connection has been made to the surface for ventilation purposes. Clarke River Mine. —Very little work was done at this mine during the year. North Cape Mine.—The attempt to remove the water from the dip workings failed, and the mine has been closed. Puponga Mine.—ln the No. 1 west section the drives have reached the outcrop to the south and west, and the pillars are being extracted. The future development of No. 2 west section will be to the dip where coal 3 ft. thick of good quality has been proved. Development in the east section is on the longwall method proceeding in a south-easterly direction towards the old Puponga Mine. Serious Non-fatal Accidents. On the 19th March P. Hart, miner, North Cape Mine, Puponga, sustained four fractured ribs, braises, and injury to left shoulder, caused by a tall of coal from the roof. On the 22nd March T. Fenson, miner, Defiance Mine, Reefton, sustained four fractured ribs and contusions of legs and arm, caused by a fall of stone from the roof. On the 9th April Joseph Morgan, shiftman, Millerton Mine, sustained fractured skull, caused by being struck with a sprag which was displaced by a fall of stone from the roof. On the 28th April F. Harwood, miner, Clele Mine, Reefton, sustained fractured left ulna from a fall of stone from the roof. On the 23rd July P. Christana, miner, Bellvue Mine, sustained a fractured forearm caused by a fall of stone from the roof. On the Bth August Alexander O'Hara, miner, Westport-Stockton Mine, sustained a fractured leg caused by a fall of coal from the roof. On the 2nd October Wilfred Hinds, Westport-Stockton Mine, sustained a compound fracture of an arm, necessitating amputation. Hinds fell alongside a moving train of trucks from which he had alighted, several of which passed over his arm. - On the 30th October Samuel Hughes, miner, Westportmain Mine, sustained a fractured leg, caused by a fall of stone from the roof whilst engaged in pillar-extraction. On the 17th November C. Fox, miner, Owen Collieries, sustained a fractured leg, caused by a fall of stone from the roof. On the 2nd December Robert Finlayson, deputy, Millerton Mine, sustained a compound dislocated fracture of the ankle, caused by a piece of coal rolling down a slope and striking him. On the 4th December Edward McNeil, miner, Rewanui State Mine, sustained a fractured leg, caused by a fall of coal from the working-face. Fatal Accidents. There were eight fatal accidents recorded during the year. On 27th January David Binny, horse-driver, was killed at the Deep Creek section of the Ironbridge Mine, Denniston, owing to a rake of trucks, which he was driving, becoming derailed and passing over him. On 3rd February Thomas Henry Willman, miner, Cardiff Bridge Mine, Seddonville, was killed by a fall of coal from the roof during pillar-extraction. On 26th February John Vaughan, deputy, Blackball Mine, sustained severe spinal injuries from which he died on 16th July. Deceased was assisting to remove a bar in a haulage-road which was being retimbered, when he was crushed by the bar, and a small fall of coal from the roof and side. On 9th April David Alexander Marr, shot-firer, Ironbridge Mine, Denniston, was killed whilst proceeding to his work by striking the roof with his head and so breaking his neck. On 21st May Henry Clunie Burt, miner, Millerton Mine, was killed. Deceased was engaged taking down top coal during pillar-extraction when a piece of coal fell from a height of 21 ft. fracturing his skull. On 23rd September Samuel Glasson, surface labourer, Blackball Mine, was killed by being crushed between a a railway-wagon, which he was braking, and a temporary support which had been erected under a broken beam in the floor of the bins. On 7th October Charles Lempfert Skinner, mine-manager, Clele Mine, Reefton, sustained serious injuries from which he died on the following day. Deceased was commencing to take a lift off a pillar, and was in the act of trimming the rib when he was crushed by a fall of stone from the roof. On 27th November Thomas Edward Kirwan, miner, Paparoa Mine, was killed. A fall of stone and coal from the roof displaced eight sets of timber, deceased being crushed by the debris.

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