C—3b

4

current of air is provided by hand-fan. A winding-shaft is intended to be sunk shortly. The coal is rather soft and, although of a fine black colour, must be classed as a brown-coal. It does not cake. Brook Street Prospecting-mine. —(7/2/95) : This is a prospecting-drive, 108 ft. in ; not the Enner Glynn Mine. A coal seam 18in. thick was cut at 40ft. from the mine-mouth, but when driven on some 25ft. it pinched. Timbering requiring attention, and not good standing - ground; so I requested that it be seen to at once. No workable seam having been found, operations were suspended, and I am told the drive caved-in a few days later. Westport Cardiff Colliery. —(ll/1/95) : Only three places working, with two men in each. Eequested Mr. Broome not to stow any small coal in mine, as had been done to a small extent on side of main heading. Directed attention to one or two bad places in roof; these are to be seen to. Timbering elsewhere sufficient. Air fresh. My attention had been drawn to the engine-man working longer than the specified time, and I found that although not really working he was employed over the eight hours: but this will not be allowed to occur again. Eeports and register duly kept. (14/5/95): No. 4 outcrop district has been reopened, and three places are working. Air all right. Eather a bad roof, but not treacherous. Some of the timber not too well set. In the main workings, three places and a stone drift are at work. The latter was said to be cutting through a " roll," but when I examined it it proved to be a downthrow fault. The air in the face of the stone drift was poor and rather dull where the head-coal was being dropped, but on my drawing attention to this it is to be attended to at once. Thirty-four men in all employed in the mine. (11/7/95) :In the main workings only one place was going, dropping head-coal. The stone drift had cut through the fault, but others had been met; and at the above date it was stopped till better air should be provided. For this purpose a shaft is to be sunk; and this has since been done, providing a good current. In No. 4 district head-coal is still being dropped, and twenty men are employed in two shifts. Air rather dull, but a place will be holed through by to-morrow, which will improve it. Mokihinui Colliery. —(ls/5/95) : Eight men were engaged splitting pillars in the old mine, and the water was being allowed to rise in the dip-workings. For the purpose of opening up the outcrops known to exist ahead of the old workings, three shifts of three" men each were driving a new road in the line of extension of surface tramway, and were in about 3 chains. The size was 9ft. by 6ft. 6in., and heavy sets of black-birch were being put in. Four men had started to drive back to meet this from a point on the opposite side of the spur, about 10 chains from the mine-mouth. They were in about half a chain, and had just touched brown marl, so I pointed out they would probably have coal underneath, and this was shortly afterwards cut. Four men were also making a road on the surface in the line of the extension of the new drive. The total number of men employed was thirty-six. This mine was also inspected in July. (30/9/95) : The new incline and surface tramway, the latter some 9 chains in length, have been completed, and a top drive has cut the coal about a chain and a half in. After running about a chain in coal, some driving in stone had to be done, as a trough in the measures was met with. Two places are now working, employing four men per shift. The coal does not look very good, clay-backs showing and a little stono coming in. Air right. Timbering good. Drew attention to some slack stowed in back heading, and it will be moved. A new drive has also been put in, running south from the west side of the surface-incline, cutting the coal at a chain-length in. The coal is only of moderate quality, and about sft. in thickness. Two places are working, employing eight miners in two shifts. Air good, an air-shaft having been sunk to the level. At date of writing, steps are being taken to open up the Hut seam near the old workings, as the coal near the outcrops opened up by the new incline has not, so far, turned out very well. Granity Creek Colliery. —(l 7/5/95) : No work doing in the coal-mine, the only underground work being the driving of tunnels for the upper incline. The upper of these has been driven for nearly 2 chains in coal, but has met a downthrow fault, cutting the line of tunnel at an acute angle. Detonators on roadside : these are to be moved. Tunnels otherwise safe. This upper incline has since been completed, and is 52 chains in length, including the two tunnels, 5 chains and 8 chains long respectively. There is also some 6 chains of bridges and trestle-work, all of which have been constructed in a very substantial manner. The method of haulage is to be by endless rope. Bins are in course of construction at the foot of the lower incline, which are intended to have a capacity of 3,000 tons, and to be fitted with shaking-screens. One mile and a quarter of sidings have been made, the rails laid and ballasting completed. A considerable amount of work has been done in the construction of dams at Millerton to supply water for the hydraulic brakes and cranes which are to be erected. Mr. Ashley Hunter, the company's engineer, informs me that contracts have been let for the construction in the colony of powerful hydraulic brakes for the inclines, for a 3f hydraulic crane, and for all the rope-pulleys, tension-wheels, surging-drums, water-pipes, &c. These are all in course of construction, and more or less completed. Some two hundred steel tubs have been made at the Granity Creek Workshops. At date of writing work had been resumed in the mine, the main roads being opened out with a view of having a considerable output from the first. When the lowering of coal will begin will depend on when the inclines are in working order, but this is expected to be about June next. Forty men are employed, nearly all on the surface. Coalbrookdale Colliery. —(ls/1/95) : In the B;g Dip section I inspected all the working-faces. A good current of air circulating in the aggregate; at one or two places it was a little dull, but not bad. Spragging fairly well observed. One man tamping with mixture of damp slack ; Mr. Lindop ordered clay to be provided at mine-mouth. (7/5/95) :In the Big Dip section all the workings are now in the lower seam. No case of non-spragging seen. Ventilation, main currents all strong. New Mine section not working. Ten places working in the Cascade section. Thirteen faces in