SCHOOL OF MINES

Grey River Argus, 15 June 1933, Page 7

SCHOOL OF MINES

LECTURE AT KUNANGA. I On Monday evening, Mr. Brown, manager u f Brae Head Party’s mine, gave a lecture on machinery in mines, to a good audience, giving an outline of tho various labour-saving devices in mining, particularly that of the disc cutting machine as used very extciisivelv in the mines in the Old Country. Tho speaker demonstrated on a black board the type of machine as used in long wall workings, that of the rotai} tvpe, which is limited to a, hundred yards face, the coal being taken by conveyors to the main haulage road. The speaker stressed the point of a uniform supply from the machines, as compared with hand labour, as in machine (•utting. a regular supply was maintained. 'l’he chain principle was also dealt with, the speaker comparing the difference in the various types of machines. including the barrel principle, the chain and barrel machines being used (‘xlensively in the pillar workThe speaker pointed out the necessity for having efficient men in charge uf operations, us a machine required verv careful handling and adjustment. Tho average number of places a machine would cut in eight hours would • be about fifteen, with two men operating, the average cut, being seven* feet. 'l’he amount of coal won would depend on th<* height of the coal. There was a certain amount of danger due to a “shorting” in the electrical parts. However. very rigid tests were carried out and the danger was minimised, the cliief danger being that of the trailing cable becoming worn and bared through coal striking the cable in tin- course of firing shots, the, result sometimes being the ignition of the coal dust and gas explosions, and also the danger of electrical shocks. At the conclusion of the address a vote of thank’s was accorded tho speaker, it being carried by acclamation.