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South Heading Section : The main heading was stopped, in 4 ft. of bottom coal and a place advanced to the southwest .J g chains from the face of the heading. On the north side of the dip a thinning of the coal-seam, accompanied by heavy roof and water, was encountered and seriously interfered with development work. Sump Section : Development work was continued in this section with the aid of a " Jeffrey " coal-cutting machine, the coal being of fairly good quality. North Section : Owing to flooding of the main dip, work in No. 3 north section was stopped and development work continued from No. 2 north level to connect with an incline in No. 3 north section. The latter place was advanced a total distance of 9 chains and also encountered undulations in the floor and heavy roof and water. Blackball Creek Mine (Baldersione and Party).—Early in the year No. 1 panel was reconditioned and the main-and-tail haulage system was installed. The output was won from the top seam, which varied in thickness from 4 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in. Briandale Collieries, Ltd., Ten-mile Creek.—Owing to a thinning of the coal-seam and disturbed ground, work was abandoned in the Aerial seam in April, operations having since been confined to prospecting a coal-seam situated to the east of the bin at the bottom of the main incline. Two prospecting drives were driven 2 chains in clean coal with an average thickness of 2 ft. 6 in. Wallsend State Colliery.—No. 1 Slant Dip : Splitting of pillars by six pairs of miners was continued at the lower end of the section, but adverse roof conditions and inflow of water from an old borehole seriously hampered operations. No. 2 Slant Dip : Development work to the Taylorville fault was completed in this section and the splitting of pillars was commenced along the fault during the year. ii ~ >ane ' : Two pairs of miners were employed on pillar-splitting in this panel, which is now nearing exhaustion. C Pa,nel: Owing to the coal thinning to 2 ft. 8 in., development work was stopped and splitting of pillars was commenced in this section. Extended Section : Two main levels were driven approximately 14 chains from the extended rope end and stopped at this point owing to the coal thinning to 3 ft. 6 in. Preparations for splitting pillars was proceeding towards the end of the year. No. 1 Dip : This section was reopened in October and a " Becander " hauler operated by a 30 h.p. flame-proof motor was installed for hauling coal to the shaft bottom. Four pairs of miners were employed driving levels towards the Dobson fault with the object of giving acoess to the inbye end of the section. Dobson State Colliery, Dobson.—Development work was carried out during the year to the east, west, and south, the extent of development east and west being strictly limited by the Dobson fault and the Buckley disturbance. Due to faulting and steep grades it was decided to cease development work and extract all available coal by pillar-splitting from the present position of the main dips. Paparoa Colliery.—Aerial Section, No. 1 Seam : Five pairs of miners were continuously employed in this section on day shift and one pair brushing and retimbering on back shift. No. 2 Main North Level: Pillar-extraction along the fault line was completed in the early part of the year with good results. The main roadways and airways leading to this section were maintained as a part of the main ventilating system. No. 1 Main North Level: The greater part of the year's work was done in this area, where all miners are now employed. The main level was continued 8J chains from the main dip where the grade increases, and,a pair of headings \vas driven to the rise for about 1 £ chains. To the east of the main level the main-heading workings were driven 3 chains in a new area of good-quality coal. No. 1 main level was brushed to the main stone roof and timbered with heavy sets. ■ No. 2 Seam, West Level Section : Three pairs of miners were employed during the year in the old slant dip section. Ihese workings were connected with the old west level and the main fault contacted at several points west of the main heading. Co-opebative Mines in the Gkey District Spark and Party's Mine, Rewanui.—The output from this mine was won by development work in the area to the east of the main dip. the main level was advanced 29 chains from the dip in 9 ft. of excellent coal, where an upthrow fault was encountered. Old Runanga Mine (O'Brien and Party), Rewanui.—No. 2 Seam : Pillar-extraction continued on pillars to the rise of the main level. To the west of the main level, development work was carried out in coal of an average thickness of 4 ft,, the distance advanced on a level course being 2J chains. Moody Creek Mine (Wright and Party), Dunollie.—Pillar-extraction in No. 2 dip was completed in July and development work was commenced in No. 1 dip, which was advanced a further (j chains. Coal in this area is of good quality with an average height of 10 ft. and dips at the grade of 1 in 6. Goldlight Colliery (Williams and Party), Rewanui.—Development work to the east was completed and a new dip was broken away to the south off the main level to open up development in that area. The dip was advanced 6£ chains in 9 ft. of good-quality coal. New Point Elizabeth Colliery (Guy and Party), Dunollie.—Pillar-extraction was continued and the rise section was exhausted. Towards the end of the year extraction of a few pillars on the rise side of the horse-road was being carried out. Castlepoint Mine (Duggan and Party), Dunollie.—About half-way through the year coal-production ceased, the mine having been worked out, and all plant was removed. Hilltop Mine (Armstrong and Party), Ten-mile.—Development work was continued in levels to the west of the ipain dip. The levels were advanced a distance of approximately 7 chains. Coal is of good quality with an average thickness of 20 ft. Boote and Party (previously Kaye and Party's Mine), Ten-mile.—The eastern fault was contacted approximately 13 chains from the surface and an extension of the main dip was advanced on a level course for 3 chains. Heavy roof conditions were encountered, and appeared to indicate the junction of the east and west faults. Coal is of good quality averaging 8 ft. in thickness. Hunter and Party's Mine, Dunollie.—Development work was completed to the rise off the main horse-road and pillar-extraction was commenced along the southern boundary of the lease. At the end of the year preparations were in hand for driving a dip to develop to the west of the main horse-road. Schultz Creek Mine (Qould and Co., Ltd.), Twelve-mile.—The output from this mine was won from pillar-extraction on a block of coal attached to an upthrow fault at the inbye side of the main level. Coal is of good quality with an average height of 3 ft. Cliffdale Mine (Stuart and Party), Ten-mile.—Coal-production was won from the extraction of pillars in the main dip. The dip drive from the surface was extended in a south-easterly direction for a distance of 5 chains for the purpose of opening up a new area to the east of the present mine. Bellvue Mine, Rapahoe.—The output was won from pillar-extraction between the eastern fault and the old goaf of the James Mine. Jubilee Mine (Tinning and Party), Rapahoe.—The main south level was extended to a distance of 10 chains from the surface and two headings were driven a distance of 8 chains from the main south level to the rise. Some pillarextraction was carried out in the old main level during the latter part of the year. Cliffside Mine (Moore and Party), Nine-mile.—The output was won from development work and pillar-extraction between two faults to the west of the old mine. Prospecting work was carried out to the south-east beyond an upthrow fault which had cut off all the working-places, and the coal has been proved in these two places. Smith and Party's Mine, Dunollie.—The output was won from pillar-extraction in the barrier pillar between this mine and Castlepoint Mine. There only remain six pillars and a half to extract to complete exhaustion of this mine. Braehead Mine (Boote and Party), Dunollie.—The entire output from this mine was won from pillar-extraction on both sides of the main dip. Harrison and Party's Mine, Ten-mile.—Pillar-extraction was commenced in July by two pairs of miners in the vicinity of the main western fault, and the output to the end of the year was won from this class of work. A stone drive to connect the main dip with the inbye workings was driven intermittently and advanced 1 chain from the main west level.

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