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Mossbanh Colliery.—l4th March, 1949 : Sealing off heating. Two men with Proto apparatus(precautionary). r Mossbank Colliery.—l9th March, 1949 : Erection of stopping inside fire area due to outside stoppinobemg m crushed position. Proto apparatus used with six men. Mossbanh Colliery.—26th June, 1949 : Examination of fire area to ascertain height of water used to flood area. Two men using Proto apparatus. Wair aid No. 3 Colliery.—3oth July, 1949 : Sealing off ventilation shafts inside sealed area to facilitate reventilation of top workings in area No. 1 Section. Six men used Proto apparatus Birchwood Colliery.—29th August, 1949 : Sealing off heating. Two men with Proto apparatus (precautionary). Star Colliery. 6th. December, 1949: Sealing heating. Two men with Proto apparatus(precautionary). Rotowaro Rescue Station Number of trained men on register .. .. .. .. 57 Number of individual practices .. .. .. " 391 Number of team practices .. .. .. .. .. 95 Number of emergency calls .. .. .. .. ~ 7 The following were the emergency calls during the year : Mac Donald Mine.—On 10th April, 1949, the mine-manager advised that a fall of coal had dislodged a stopping and smoke was coming from the inbye side of the stopping. Two stoppings were erected and effectively sealed off the fire. Five brigade men were on the job. Pukemiro South Mine. On 3rd May, 1949, the mine-manager requested assistance to repair a stopping in the Borehole Section. A fall of coal had A broken a stopping, liberating noxious gases. Apparatus was used for two hours while a stopping was erected which effectively sealed off the area! Five members of the rescue team were on the job. Pukemiro South Mine. —On 14th July, 1949, a call from the underviewer to complete a stopping was received. Three members of rescue team were on the job. The Proto apparatus was used for one and a half hours to complete the stopping (blackdamp being present). Pukemiro South Mine.—On 15th July, 1949, the underviewer called for use of Proto apparatus to examine old working in a sealed-off area where falls had occurred, with the idea of ventilating the area to work it. Apparatus was used for one hour by three brigade members. * Pukemiro South Mine. On 21st November, 1949, the mine-manager called for assistance of a rescue team to deal with an active fire that had broken out due to a fall having occurred and breaking a stopping. The fire was effectively dealt with by the application of water and stonedust. A stopping was then erected and the area sealed off. Four men from the rescue brigade were emnloyed. Proto apparatus was not required. Wilton State Mine.—On 21st December, 1949, at the request of the Inspector of Coal-mines, a rescue team of five men was taken to this mine to deal with a gob fire. Conditions were good, due to the temporary stoppings that had been erected. Two board stoppings were erected over the two gobs where firestink was coming out and two brattice stoppings were erected over two other gobs where it was possible the fire may have been drawing air. Proto apparatus was not used. Mangapehi State Colliery.—The District Manager advised that Proto sets have been used at this colliery in order to ascertain the level of the water in No. 1 East Dip Section. Particulars of their use are as follows : 3rd September, 1949, two brigade men used sets for one hour: and Bth September, 1949, three brigade men used sets for one and a half hours.

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