C.—2.

No. 4 West Level: This level has been driven a distance of 21 chains measured from No. 1 dip ; it has been driven on a straight course regardless of tho contour of the seam. Consequently, dips and inclines of heavy gradient have resulted, which makes development to the rise of the No. 4 west somewhat difficult and interferes with the installation of an endless-rope haulage system. Development work to the rise ol the level is proceeding under difficulties, due to the contour of the level, and a number of dips have been driven with the object of developing panels of work. The coal at the dip of No. 4 west level can bo more profitably operated to the rise from No. 5 west level, and tho manager is now driving No. 5 west level on three shifts for this purpose. No. 4 East Level: Very little development work has been done in this level during tho year. The slant dip, off this level, which was advanced 7 chains in 1938 has been advanced a further 2£ chains. At the face a stone intrusion was encountered, and driving has been abandoned for some time. Dips : Nos. 1 and 2 main dips have been advanced to a point in line with No. 5 west level. The latter level was commenced off No. 3 dip, and at the end of the year a commencement had been made to construct a connection between No. 3 dip and No. 1 dip in line with No. 5 west level. The main endless-rope haulage in No. 1 dip traversing from the head to No. 4 west level has operated quite successfully. With a view to possible extension of the haulage system to No. 5 west level, a new 150 horse-power electrically-operated machine has been installed at the head of the dip. Paparoa Colliery (Paparoa Goal Co., Lid.), lioa.—At this mine two seams have been operated during the whole year —viz., No. I seam in the aerial section, and No. 2 seam in the west level section —while during the latter portion of the year No. 3 seam has been operated. The latter seam overlies a portion of No. 2 seam in the west level section, and it is essential that this should be operated before pillars are extracted from No. 2 soam immediately underneath No. 3 seam, otherwise No. 3 seam will be lost. Aerial Section : All the output from this section was won from development work. The main dip was advanced 7 chains during the year, making a total distance of 22 chains. No. 1 level, off the dip, was driven 10 chains, and a panel of work of 7 acres has been completed. Levels are now being driven off the dip below No. 1 level for the purpose of opening out other panels. The seam is 15 ft. in thickness and the coal of good quality. Safety-lamps were introduced in the section on the 27th September, 1938, due to the finding of a small quantity of OH 4 in a working-place, and are still in use. The introduction of safety-lamps was quite justified as CH 4 has been detected on numerous occasions during the past year. Flameproof motors and starters have been installed on the pumps to replace open-type ones. West Level Section : Seventy-five per cent, of the output was won from pillar-extraction and the remainder from a little development work. No development work has yet been done in the stone tunnel which ta,pped the seam on a lower level in this section in 1937. No. 3 Seam : Acting under instructions from the Inspector of Coal-mines, the manager has commenced to develop No. 3 seam in the west level section : access is gained by means of a surface tram-line and self-acting incline, and the coal is delivered to the main west level jig joining with the coal won from the No. 2 seam. The seam is 10 ft. in thickness with a 10 in. dirt band near the centre. Orated Brunner Mines, Ltd., Brunner.—No coal-mining operations have taken place on the coal lease held by this company. During the year one borehole was sunk near the head of the surface-inclined tramway. Difficulties were experienced during boring operations in that a number of cavities were encountered, which necessitated the use of cementation in order to proceed with the sinking. The hole was sunk to a depth of 114 ft., and, as the seam was not tapped, boring was then adandoned. No further boring or prospecting has since been done. Co-operative Mines in Grey District. Spark and Party's Mine, Rewanui.—The output was from development work. Three levels, together with cutthroughs, are being driven, from which panels of work will be developed. The coal-seam is 25 ft. in thickness and of good quality. Operations during the year have been somewhat restricted, due to difficulties with water. An eleotrically-operated pump has now been installed. Old Runanga Mine (O'Brien and Party).—Two seams are operated at this mine, Nos. 1 and 2, the former being the uppermost. The output for the year was won from both development work and pillar-extraction. No. 1 Seam : Operations during the year were confined to extraction of pillars from No. 1 panel and development work in No. 2 panel. The main level was also advanced a few chains, but work therein has now been abandoned owing to the presence of stone bands in the seam and the coal thinning to such an extent as to render profitable work impossible. No. 2 Seam : Pillar-extraction has taken place in No. 1 panel, and further prospecting in the main level has resulted in this being further advanced. As the seam has thickoned to 6 ft. and the coal is of good quality, there is a possibility of this level being advanced many chains beyond the 28 chains already driven. Electric safety-lamps are used in both seams. Goldlight Colliery (Williams and Party).—Operations in this mine have been confined to pillar-extraction. During the latter part of the year the mine was fully exhausted, and prospecting was resorted to with a view to locating the seam through the fault encountered south of the mine workings. This prospecting was still in progress at the end of the year. Moody Creek Mine (Simpson and Party).—The output from this mine was won from development work and a little pillar-extraction. Owing to the presence of a number of " rolls " and " faults "in the mine, development work has been somewhat difficult. However, the party has persevered, and development work is proceeding to the dip in good-quality coal. New Point Elizabeth Mine (Guy and Party), Dunollie. —Most of the output for the year was won from pillarextraction, all development work having been completed during the early part of the year. No further development can be done in the present area, but pillar-extraction will give the mine a few year's operation. Fiery Cross Mine (Currie and Party), Dunollie. —The output from the mine was won from pillar-extraction, and only a few pillars remain to be extracted. A little development work is being done in a barrier of coal 2 chains wide lying between Baddeley and Party's old mine and Currie and Party's prosent workings. To attack this, a level drive has been commenced from the outcrop. Roof and floor conditions in the mine are bad, and extra, care is required where pillars are being extracted. Bend Creek Mine (Baddeley and Party), Dunollie.—ln addition to operating the old mine, this party has operated on a new lease adjacent to the surface tram-line leading to the former mine. Old Mine : The output from this mine has been obtained from pillar-extraction. The mine is almost exhausted, and operations therein will ceaso early in the coming year. New Lease: During the first half of the year coal-production commenced on the new lease, but after driving short distances in several directions the scam thinned to an unworkable thickness and finally a fault was encountered. Operations on this leaso have been abandoned. Castlepoinl Mine, (Duggan and Party), Dunollie.—The output from this mine was won from pillar-extraction and a little development work to the rise of the main level 35 chains inbye of the mine entrance. Early in the coming year all development work will be completed. Pillar-extraction has ceased in the crosscut section at a point to the rise of tho main level giving ample support and protection to the main return airway. Hilltop Mine (Armstrong and Party), 'Pen-mile. —From the beginning of the year and until the 10th April pillar-extraction was taking place. On the morning of the lltli April an old fire in the inbye old workings revived and prevented further coal-production. There was very little coal to be extracted, so stoppings were erected at the mine entrances to seal off the fire. Operations were then commenced in another seam on the same area underlying the one previously worked. A dip is being developed in this seam which is 7 ft. in thickness and the coal is of good quality. A second outlet has been made, and a " Blackman " fan of the streamline type has been installed. Hunter and Party's Mine (late Brady's), Ten-mile.—The output from this mine was won from development work and a little pillar-extraction. The development work was confined to a small area east of the dip, adjacent to the fault which has prevented further development to the dip, and, in No. 3 level, is coursing in a south-westerly direction. Pillar-extraction was limited to five pillars adjacent to the dip face, and at the end of the year four of these pillars were extracted.

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