GLEN AFTON.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15885, 25 July 1923, Page 5

GLEN AFTON.

o COLLIERY OPENED. DESCRIPTION OF MINE. The Glen Afton Colliery w T as officially opened by Mr J. A. Young, M.P., yesterday, in the presence of a large number of shareholders of the N.Z. Dairy Co., Ltd., and the general public. The mine consists of 1200 acres purchased at £2O an acre, and an adjoining property of 2000 acres has

been secured under a mining lease. The extent of the field is estimated at 15,000,000 tons, the seam varying from 7ft up to 20ft in thickness. The development of the field has been greatly facilitated to allow the output to be used this coining season. By means of day and night shifts and two steam shovels just over 30,000 cubic yards of earth were shifted in 6 months, and the rails reached the pit head a year ahead of the earliest estimate.'

QUALITY. The actAial coal won from the mine has a splendid appearance, being bright and hard. An analysis made by the Dominion Laboratory shows that it is equal in quality to' any of the coal previously mined in the Waikato coal area. In the development of the mine some patches of stone have been touched, but in every case it required only the driving of a, few feet to clear out these faults. Such patches of stone must be expected in any colliery Avith the geological nature ? of this district, but on the whole the seam so far as it has been developed, is remarkably clear of stone. WORKING THE MINE.

The mine is to be worked on the panel system. That is, drives or tunnels are taken in from a side “lead,” a wall of coal being left between the tunnels. When all the coal is exhausted by the tunnels the intervening walls of'coal are mined, commencing at the most distant point. When the intervening and supporting walls of one section are all taken away, the entrance to the section is filled up, so that whatever bad gases may arise cannot get into any other part of the mine.

PLANT. The Avhole of the plant to operate the mine is driven by electricity, the power being generated at a central station and transmitted by aerial wiring to the various points required from °hvo sets of Beilis and Morcom vertical compound engines direct, coupled to 3-phase 400 volt 50 Cycle Metropolitan Vickers’ Generators. These . engines are supplied with steam from two modern Babcock and Wilcox boilers, each capable of generating 150 h.p. HAULAGE. The haulage system adopted is that provided by means of an endless rope. This has been installed to a distance of 40 chains underground. The size of the rope used Ts 7/Bths of an inch in diameter, and is controlled by 50 h.p. BTH Squirrel cage motor, reduced by a “Coventry Chain Reduction Gear” to a speed of If miles per hour on the driving Avheel. The clips used for connecting the trucks to the rope are of the wedge and screw type, used for the first time in New Zealand.

SCREENING. The plant for weighing, tipping and screening is particularly efficient and modern, and is regarded as being second to none in the Domiion. When the mine tubs have been .disconnected from the haulage rope they gravitate over a “Pooley weigh-bridge, where the weight is recorded. They then travel into the circular power-driven “Tippler.’ The “Tippler” describes a circle the whole truck being carried round bodily, and the coal is emptied on to the screens of the shaker type. HOUSING EMPLOYEES.

Special attention has been given to the housing of the employees, three types of houses being provided, viz., 3, 4 and 5-roomed structures. These houses have been well built, and contain all modern conveniences, such .as baths, hot and cold water, etc. Each house is built on a quarter-acre section, and as the land is of excellent quality, there is no reason why the employees should not have gardens. Indeed, quite a number have already made very creditable improvements, and there is no doubt that in time the little community will develop an atmosphere of comfort and solidity not usually associated with a mining township. A large modern boarding house has been built, and a post and telegraph and money order office established. A school has been authorised, and will shortlv be elected. Roads have been made, and are now in process of being metalled from a quarry situated nearby, and on the whole Glen Afton —which is the name given to the property—is