C—3b

6

Phoenix Coal-mine. —(26/7/95): Four men in all working, taking out Bft. or 9ft. of the seam. Some open joints in the roof of Shane's working-place, to which I drew Mr. Murtrie's attention; but the roof is not bad. Air good. The workings for the supply of the Ajax Mine, at the upper part of this lease, are very limited, but in good condition. (23/11/95) : About 12ft. in thickness of the seam is now being taken out. Boof sound, and mine in good order. Lankey's Gulley Goal-mine. —(19/8/95 : Mr. Lamberton and two youths working. As the air was poor, I requested him to stop the inner place until the ventilation was better, and to this he agreed. He is at present driving to have a second outlet. Sprags used. Beport behind. Reefton Coal-mine. —No work has been done in this mine during the year. Progress Coal-mine. —(l 7/10/95) : Three men working, Mr. Hally in charge. Eoof bad, and driving alongside old workings. A good deal of timber used. I requested that the place be kept narrower. Air first-rate. Eeport kept, and copy of Act on ground. (20/11/95) : Place narrower, but still rather wide. Some bad places on main road ; these will be seen to. Breen's Coal-mine. —(2s/7/95) : The workings had extended a distance of 4 chains in, in the west level, but the coal was thin and soft, so work has been started nearer the mine-mouth. A pillar has been left all the way along the level, and above this has been packed with slack. As the coal in this drive is considered not worth working, a start is to be made in the east level. This requires re timbering, which is to be done. Sir Francis Drake Goal-mine. —(l 6/3/95): Two men opening up a 3ft. seam on the opposite side of the road from the old mine, which has been stopped. As there is little cover, this seam is worked open-cast. (21/10/95) :As the new mine did not turn out well it has been stopped, and the old one is being re-opened by a short drive. Stays needed at the two outer sets; these will be put in. Devil's Greek Goal-mine. —(l 6/2/95) : Mr. Mcllwham works this mine occasionally for his own use. Air very good, and a second outlet. On subsequent visits the mine was idle, and appeared to be rarely worked. Cumberland Coal-mine. —(7/3/95) : This mine was in fair order, but, owing to the battery not crushing, it has been idle during the latter half of the year. Mr. Walter Irving, at date of writing, has not yet sent in the statistical return from this mine, although repeatedly asked to do so. Archer's Coal-mine. —(15/2/95): No one about. A new dip-drive has been started at a higher level, and is down some 30ft. From the bottom of it a level runs south-west a short way. The seam dips north-west at 32°, and is about 9ft. in thickness. Blackball Colliery. —(29/7/95): This mine works two shifts, employing thirty miners and fourteen truckers in each, or a total of eighty-eight men underground. Timbering, as a rule, well done. A fair current of air at all the places except the two next the level-face which is stopped on a roll, but the back-going face will hole through shortly. The total current of air circulating was over 13,000 cubic feet per minute. The upper part of the seam is chosen for the first working as it is found to be stronger. No pillar-work has yet been done. (25/11/95) : Fifteen fast places working on west side of main jig and four on the east side. Timbering plentiful and well set, but one or two bad places on roof on west side, to which I drew attention; Mr. Leitch, the overman, ordered to be timbered up at once. One place has also been started at the foot of the main jig ; this will form the main west level. Air a little dull, but the stack is to be heightened to improve the draught. Only one shift is now working, employing fifty-nine men underground. Eeports duly kept, and Mr. Scott, the manager, promptly forwards a properly made plan of the workings for each half-year. Brunner Colliery. —(ll/3/95): Pillar-workings going on from the dip-drive on the western side and nine fast places to the east. The prospecting drive in the extension of the dip-incline had, at the above date, been driven nearly 500 ft. The thickness of saleable coal was about 18in. There are signs of movement as well as pinching of the seam. (30/7/95): The prospecting drive is now stopped after having been driven some 950 ft. The face shows all stone on one side, but on the other side a wedge of coal 9in. in thickness comes in. On the way down the coal is seen to vary very much in thickness, wedging out entirely at places and making again, but never regaining a workable thickness, while there are strong signs of movement and strain. As I observed a band of sandstone in the floor of the drive near the face which resembled a bed overlying the seam, I pointed out to Mr. Bishop the desirability of prospecting underneath. A bore was put down some 30ft., but without result. A bore was also put up in the roof considerably further back, which showed one of the overlying seams 2ft. thick. It is to be regretted that this prospecting has not turned out more favourably. Ten faces are working on the south-east side of the incline, the lowest of which has the poorest coal and most stone. Pillar-work is going on on the other side. (27/11/95) : Nine fast places on the one side of the incline and pillar-work going on on the other. Plenty of timber, but a few loose pieces of roof are to be taken down. Seventy men in all employed. 17,000 cubic feet of air circulating per minute. Manager's and deputy's reports duly kept. Plan-work not up to the mark, a difference occurring between tracings sent me ; this has subsequently been corrected. Brunner Rise Workings. —This, as already pointed out, is the so-called 20-acre block or new mine, but already there are more than twenty acres of pillars formed. It was inspected several times during the year. (22/11/95): There are twenty-five faces, and the total number of men employed underground is sixty-eight, but the mine was idle to-day for want of trade. The level and one or two places above it have stone bands in the coal. The roof is sound, and the mine is in good order. A drive is to be put out to the cliff-side to the rise for ventilation, as in some of the advanced places the air was getting dull. This has since been done and very good air provided. The coal in this section runs from 10ft. down to sft. 6in. in thickness, with the tendency to thin to the rise. At date of writing the above, bands in the level and adjoining places have become more marked, and as they are somewhat in the line of thinning met with in the lower workings, may limit the field in this direction. Coal Creek Lease. —(14/3/95): The first outcrop occurs in the Seven-mile Creek, about 20 chains inside the boundary line. The coal is 6ft. thick and the dip is south-west at lin 4. It is said to