PUPONGA.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11966, 20 June 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

PUPONGA.

(Froo Our Own Correspondeont. ) Considerable progress has been made of late in the development of the Puponga Colliery. A new pump, of tbe capacity of 18,500 gallons per hour, Tangye pattern, has been installed, and commenced working on the 22nd May last. This has considerably reduced the working expenses of the mine. The previous pump of 5000 gallons per hour being taxed to its utmost in keeping tho water, down ; having to work continuously for the whole month. The piesent pump is doing the work ia eight hours a day, easy pumpinr. A large sump, or resarvoir for water, has been made underground. This will store water for three days, without pumping. The preliminary work to starting the dip is now being pushed on with, and a start will shortly v be made to push on this important work. Faces are now open in the mine for an output of 180 tons daily. difficulty has been experienced in obtaining good miners. The mine is some thirty miners short. However, many are now turning up, and it is hoped that shortly the mine will be fully i manned. The Company hove made an offer to the men of a bonus of 3d per ton when the output reaches 100 tons daily. As the average wage of the men is now from 12s to 13s daily, this should have the effect of encouraging good miners to the colliery A large dam is being constructed, with the debris from the mine, for storing water for washing the coal. This should be completed shortly. Surveying has been completed for the laying out of an incline to the main outcrop about seven chains -up the gully. The coal here, being lifted by a big fault, is of a very (fine quality, and is seven feet in thickness. Owing to the shortness of labor, work is temporarily suspended at this part. A great saving has been made in the washing plant. Previously the loss in washing coal has been as hi^h as 18 per cent. With the ne-v plant this has been reduced to about 7 per cent, and much better quality of coal. The coal used now by boilers at the colliery and dredge being washed slack, where previously nuts, or unscreened coal was used, shows the success of ttffe new washing plant... The work of dredging tbe channel has been proceeded with since Christmas, and a cut extending about 500 yards outwards from the wharf has boon completed. This cut is about 80 feet wide, and 6 feet deep at low water. Very great improvement has been made at the wharf, there being now 5 feet of water at low water here, which will now allow of vessels to the capacity of 500 tons loading, and having the advantage of being partly water - borne at lew water. The depth of water in the channel is now 7 feet at neaps and 11 feet at springs. The dredge has ceased operatiens temporarily, until the finer weather. It will take about three months' dredging to complete the channel, when the channel will show 12 feet of water at neap tides. Owing to shortness of hands not half the orders are able to be fulfilled, the demand for coal being very heavy at this time of the year. However, it is hoped that shortly the output will bo considerably increased, and the supply equal to the demand.