15

a—Bb

77. Green Pit, Gore {worked by Stark and Son). —-(20/8/94): The output from this mine during the first six months of this year is so much greater than during any previous half-year as to lead to the belief that it is likely to very much exceed last year's output. The quantity and quality is still there, and plenty of room for men to put out any quantity if there was a ready sale for it. The bords are made from 15ft. to 18ft. wide, and the coal to a height of from 12ft. to 15ft. is taken out, which leaves from 4ft. to sft. overhead for a roof. The thickness of coal overhead is tested from time to time by boring through it with an augur as the working-places advance. The dip of the coal is probably lin 5, but the seam is not at present being followed to the dip. The present workings are following the contour of the floor near the outcrop, being, I suppose, the least costly coal to get for a while. When the dip is followed straight down for some distance, which will have to be done at an early date, steam-power will have to be used to do the haulage from the dip-bottom to the main dray road. The coal-boxes are at present being hauled from the workings to the dray road, a distance of 4 chains or more, on a gradient of about 1 in 3, which requires a strong horse to haul one box at a time. There is some talk of this mine being opened in another place a short distance to the south of the present pit mouth, and in the direction of the dip of the seam where there is a considerable depression in the surface, in the belief that the coal is quite handy to the surface. I advised them to first take some levels, and calculate the dip of the seam, to avoid a disappointment. 78. J. Smith's Mine, East Gore. —(20/8/94) : Pair progress has been made in the underground workings since my previous visit, and the young man in charge is doing his work very well. The workings are from 12ft. to 15ft. wide, and the pillars 14ft. thick. Of the 21ft. of coal, only about 12ft. is taken out, leaving an arched roof of 9ft. of coal. An upcast air-shaft is very much required to carry away the powder-smoke quickly, and this necessary work, I am promised, shall be done at an early date. A small portion of the drainage of the mine is lifted by a hand-pump into a covered drain in the pit, and leads to the surface in the hillside. The seam dips slightly to the south. 79. B. Smith's Pit, East Gore. —(2o/8/94) : This is still an open face in the side of the hill near J. Smith's pit. The stripping is getting deeper as the work advances into the hill, and is caving into the opening very much. The output is as yet very small. 80. Irvine Brothers' Pit, Knapdale. — (24/8/94): Since my previous visit the seam —nearly vertical—has been followed northward to where the character of the coal is very much altered for the worse, being, in fact, crushed up into slack, and showing clay where there should be coal. When the clay was touched in the face near the roof further work in that direction was stopped for the time being till a bench in the working-place is hewn down to the floor level, and perpendicular with the spot where the clay was touched in the face. A bench of 6ft. is to be taken off the floor of the mine, while a small prospecting tunnel is being put into the face to ascertain what is ahead— probably a fault. The present chamber is as large as it can in safety be worked in without timber or filling in with debris. 81. Pemble's Pit, Ghatton. —(29/8/94): Harvey's drain to the south end of the open cut is still in progress, and should be completed during this coming summer. Clay pipes are being layed in the cutting as the works go on, and the deep part will be filled in again after the pipes are laid. The main seam of coal is still in a vertical position, but what appears to be a second seam is making on the east side of the present workings, and dipping eastward at an angle of about 1 in 2. The quality of this seam, however, where exposed is very friable and unsaleable. I think if it continues into the hill it should improve in quality. 82. Hunter's Pit, Ghatton. —(29/8/94) : This pit is completely filled up by a large land slip from the terrace on the line of the seam, which is vertical, and is a continuation of Pemble's coal. Ino not think Hunter is likely to clear away the slip. I fear it is too big a job for him. 83. Pacey's Pit, East Ghatton. —(29/8/94): 1 found the pit —now 3 chains long by about 40ft. wide—filled with water to the level of the outlet drain, which is near the level of the top of the coal. It would take the engine four days to pump the water out. The stripping is 10ft., and the face of coal is 14ft. The road to the pit is in such a bad state of repair just now that there is no sale for coal. 84. /. McGill's Pit, Wendon. —(27/8/94) : I heard of this pit to-day for the first time, and that coal had been taken out of it for his (McGill's) own use only for some years past. Mr. McGill has quite lately started to sell coal to his neighbours, and is therefore preparing to open the pit properly, so as to have always coal hewn ready for a customer when he comes. Preparations are being made to fix up a small water-wheel to do the pumping, which work will have to be done shortly, since the seam dips into the terrace. The quality of the coal is said to be very good. The stripping will average sft., and the coal-seam 14ft. 85. Roland McDonald's Pit, Wendon. —(27/8/94) : Very little has been done in the pit since I visited it last year. The working-face has been cleaned-up a little, and more room made. The new road to the pit is now completed, and has been well laid out. The coal is about 10ft. thick, and the stripping about the same. There is very little coal removed in the year. 86. G. H. Evans's Pit, Wendon. —(27/8/94) : The stripping is getting deeper every year, and will continue to do so as the work advances into the terrace; it is now about 25ft. deep, with about 16ft. of coal—in all, 40ft. of a face—which is in first-class order. Mr. Evans does not like the idea of tunnelling the coal out, and declines to give it a trial, as he does not understand underground work. 87. W. H. Edge's Pit, Waikaka.— (2B/8/94) : I found this pit much in the same state as it was in last year. I did not find any one there. No coal, lam told, has been taken out this year. 88. David Wiltiams's Pit, Granville Boad. —(2B/8/94) : This pit is on the farm joining Milne's, and is being opened in a narrow gully where the terrace is high on each side. The stripping from 6ft. to 12ft, has laid bare the top of the coal, but its thickness is not known beyond the depth of