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East Coast Coal-mining Co. —-Kai Point Opencast Pit (R. Stanniford (Deputy), Manager).—An output of 25 tons to 30 tons daily is being won, Avith the coal loaded by Diesel shovel into a portable screen and belt-loader with slack-bin attached. The present face is 10 ft. in height, but the seam thins, with dirty coal at the extreme point of the first cut, 8 chains from the starting point. Stripping of the second cut flanking the first, and on higher ground, has advanced sufficiently to permit of coal-production, and this should prove superior to the first. Kaitangata Mine (W. E. Hill (First Class), Manager).—No. 2 Mine : The output has been obtained from pillar work mainly in the Electric Dip, where good extraction was obtained from the thick seam with favourable roof, with the width of face restricted to from two to three pillars. In December the retreat reached the brow of the dip, and the area below this point was sealed. The present work is confined to extraction around the head of the dip and a small area on the south side beyond the bottom of the stone haulage tunnel. The seam in this latter area is about 12 ft. in thickness, with the coal of good quality. The life of this mine is limited to about six months. No. 1 Mine : A stone drift off No. 1 tunnel has been driven to intersect the coal-seam proved by boring to lie beneath the tunnel, the result of faulting of the measures, while from the surface on the hillside a stone dip at a grade of 1 in 1 has established connection. Development in this seam so far is not as good as expected at the outset, the coal being friable, while the thickness is irregular, roof conditions are poor, and the measures not uniform. While driving the return in stone, a 10 ft. seam of good coal was passed through, and after driving in the seam a level stone drift from the surface has now holed and a short surface tramline on the hillside has been installed. The seam at the intersection by the return drive was almost horizontal, which does not conform with the adjacent measures cut by the No. 1 tunnel, so its extent is very doubtful. Summer Hill Mine (W. E. Hill (First Class), Manager).—Development has opened up a large area, the coal being generally good hard quality of this class of coal, while the thickness of seam is upwards of 40 ft. Lensing, with a gradually thickening band of fireclay-mudstone, is present in one section, while the undulating nature of the measures restricts adherence to a plan. Drilling Operations : No 5 Bore is being drilled alongside the coast road on the east side of the saddle, with the nature of the measures very hard conglomerate, and at the end of the year the depth -reached was 440 ft. Southland District Opencast operations were continued with varying degrees of activity, based mainly on local requirements, at the following pits : Costers, now Browndale (G. Butel (permit)); Raby (D. McGregor (Permit) ); Starlight (J. Hoffman (Permit)); Argyle (A. J. Hamer (Permit)); Ota Creek (H. G. Genge (Permit) ); Diamond Lignite (W. H. Monk (Permit)); and Waituna (E. H. Chalmers (Permit) ). At Waimumu (S. I. Allison (Permit)), Newvale (R. A. Adair (Permit)), Hedgehope (A. Maxwell (Permit)), pits in the Waimumu district, and Midway (A. W. Coster (Permit)), situated at Mataura, opencast operations on a larger scale were undertaken, the latter now being worked by New Zealand Paper Mills, which company has systematically bored the area and installed heavy earthwork machinery for stripping the overburden and loading the coal at the face, but so far the installation of nower drilling for blasting has not been considered. With the exception of Hedgehope, where a transfer has been made to the new area proved by boring and situated about half a mile from the old pit, operations and conditions at the faces remain unchanged. Boghead Mine (Mataura), (E. W. Moseby (Underviewer), Manager).—On the completion of development to the northern boundary, pillar-splitting on an approved system commenced in this area simultaneously with development in the lower south levels. Splitting of the 45 ft. pillars is by a cross-split with places 13 ft. wide and 11 ft. high to the Pretty—a district term for a well-defined band and parting—and leaving 10 ft. to 12 ft. of top coal, with stumps 16 ft. square. The places are arched, and in this tough lignite they do not require support, and to December three rows of pillars each way had been split with conditions perfect. Terrace Mine (Balfour). —Operations ceased during the year and the material was withdrawn, and the workings, a small area, are flooded. Glenlee Mine (Waikaka), (E. McGregor (Permit), Manager).-;— Development has been to the north-east of the former haulage road a short distance from the portal, where the first places to the east encountered outcrop coal. Owing to a syncline these places are bearing away from the course of the previous main road, and pumping may be necessary to recover the coal in the depression. Waimeamea Mine (Orepuki), (M. Fowler (Second Class), Manager).—ln the early part of the year, operations were confined to extraction of stumps or small pillars formed by the old company to the west of the dip roadway, the seam being of hard coal 9 ft. in thickness, with a 4 in. band of oil-shale 7 ft. from the floor of the seam, which forms an excellent roof-parting.

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