11

C.—3b.

36. Bruce No. 2 Mine, Milton.— (2s/7/94): The raging fire in Young's old workings at the time of my previous visit has now reached Hardwick's workings and adit-level, and has driven him out of the pit. I have reason to believe he did all that lay in his power to block off and stop the fire getting to his ground. The area of coal burnt since the fire started is considerable, and unless water it brought on to the spot to extinguish it the fire is likely to spread and follow the seam as long as there is a block of coal to burn in the locality. The lessees of the Coal Reserve appear quite indifferent to the destruction going on, and, as far as I can see, not the slightest attempt has been made by them to stop the fire spreading or put it out. 37. Beat McKay Mine, Milton. —(2s/7/94) : Nothing has been done in the old mine since it took fire. Some little distance to the west of the old pit, and quite handy to the road, a seam of coal was known to exist; but very little was known about it. Since the fire Mr. Young has driven a tunnel some distance in this coal from the front of the terrace. About 6ft. of the seam is taken out, leaving between 3ft. and 4ft. overhead for a roof. I did not find any one at the pit, and the bad state of the road would prevent any coal being removed for some months to come. The coal seam appears to be nearly level, going south-east, and rising slightly to the east or north-east. The tunnel is timbered all the way to the face. 38. Jones's Mine, Goal Greek. —A year's output from this pit does not alter its appearance much. The coal is being hewn down to the same level as it was last year, and I did not see any preparations being made to test the depth to the floor of the coal. 39. Mrs. McPherson's Mine, Boxburgh. —The tunnel referred to in last year's report has only lately reached the coal. Its construction proved a troublesome and costly job. The white clay in which it is driven all its length proved to be too heavy for the stone wall built up between each set of timber, and consequently the walls and clay came into the tunnel in quantity, all of which had to be removed to the outside, and the sides of the tunnel made secure by timbering, which is now done all its length up to the coal seam, at a depth of 32ft. below the old pit-floor, where a body of coal nearly 2 chains square has already been removed. The tunnel has not touched the bottom of the coal, and it is not yet known how much coal there may be below this level. The opencast is in good-order. 40. Craig's Perseverance Mine, Coal Greek. —Since my previous visit Mr. Craig has discontinued the open stripping, and during the past six months has been getting his coal by tunnelling into the seam from the open face near the pump-level. I found a considerable amount of underground work done, by bord and pillar, from east to west, which exposes what appears to be a vertical clay bank on each side of the seam. If the coal proves to be standing on edge, I think it is more than likely it will prove to be 100 ft. thick. The next twelve months' work should bring to light the lay of this large body of coal. The pillars are fairly large, and well laid out to stand till it shall be known how it may be worked to the best advantage. Central Otago. 41. Alexandra Mine, Alexandra. —(22/11/94): There are still the three working-places in the mine, notwithstanding two new pits having been opened in the locality since my visit last year. The current of air is now good, and I think the top of the upcast shaft has been better looked after since the discovery of the old sacks covering last year. The coal roof throughout the mine is in first-class order. 42. Lett's Macqueenville Mine —(22/11/94): There are now,three men employed in the mine, and 6ft. of coal is being hewri out to a smooth parting in the roof. When any of the coal is left below the parting it is found in time to sag down, when it has to be removed. The mine is in good order, and the air is good. 43. Enterprise Mine, Alexandra. —(22/11/94) : This is a new pit at Alexandra, and only a short distance to the eastward of Lett's mine. The coal is not so clean as that in the old pits: a stone band from 9in. to 18in. thick comes in the centre of the working-place. There are three working-places started, but they are not many yards in from the shaft yet. The shaft is not the size it should be to comply with the Act. The ladder is fixed in a vertical position, because it could not be otherwise fixed in a shaft only 4ft. by 3ft. The owner, Mr. Eivers, states that he did not know anything about the Coal-mines Act, and made his shaft similar in size to the old shafts close by. I think mining operations in this pit will be on a very small scale, and possibly for a short time only. I have therefore not yet demanded compliance with the Act. 44. Findley's Mine, Alexandra. —(22/11/94) : This is also a new pit at Alexandra, and is about 40ft. deep. It is situated between Thomson's and Lett's pits. The shaft is similar in size to the other two, and has also a vertical ladder. Mr. Findley, the owner, makes the same excuse as Mr. Eivers for not complying with section 47 of the Coal-mines Act. I have not yet ordered the alterations to the shaft to comply with the Act, for the same reasons as stated re Eivers. (I have quite lately received a notice from Findley that he has abandoned the pit.) The drainage in this is much greater than in any of the other pits in the locality. The height of coal taken out is from sft. to 6ft., and not of the best quality. The roof is good. 45. Dungey's Pit, Cambrians. —The stripping is 10ft., and all gravel. The thickness of coal is also about 10ft., and of very good quality. The full thickness of seam does not extend to the north from the present workings, but the full thickness is being followed to the eastward. There is no water, and the pit is in good order. 46. J. B. Jones's Welshman's Gully Pit. —The stripping is still being continued in the old style, notwithstanding its getting deeper every year. A short time ago a tunnel was started in the face of coal, which was followed on the dip to the west a short distance, but, the drainage becoming troublesome, the work has been discontinued until a suitable engine and pumping-plant be procured which will keep the mine dry, and wind the coal up on an inclined plane from a considerable depth. The water now stands at the level of the present floor, which is in some cases a bog in