19

a—3a

Green's, Gore (J. Smyth).—(4/12/1900): Coal strong and woody, and the bords, though wide and high, are standing well. I informed the lessee that it would be necessary to sink an air-shaft at an early date. Knapdale, Knapdale (E. Irvine). —(4/12/1900) :No one about. Not much doing from appearances. Harvey's Coal-mine, Chatton (James Harvey).—(24/1/1900): Vertical seam, of which only the upper edge or water-free portion is being worked. Owner says that it will not pay him to work below water-level. The coal is worked out almost up to the road-line, and a pump will be required if output is to be continued. A clay wedge which started at nothing some distance back is now 5 yards thick, splitting the seam and increasing cost of getting. Perkins's, East Chatton (A. Perkins). —(21/6/1900) : The coal crops out in a gully and runs into the hillside. Clay-stripping 12 ft. to 14 ft., with 4 ft. of black band lying on top of the coal, which is here 10 ft. thick. Water heavy, and the bottom of the pit is very wet. About an eighth of an acre has been worked. Pacey's, East Chatton (W. E. Pacey). —(21/6/1900) : This pit, like Perkins's, has been opened in the gully, consequently the drainage of the country side gravitates into it. A low-level drain was brought in some time ago, but there is still some 10 ft. of coal below water-level. An engine is now on the ground which is intended for pumping purposes when dry weather comes, so that the low-lying coal can be recovered. The working-face of the pit is about 100 yards long, and is from 20 ft. to 35 ft. high. There is up to 14 fc. of clay and gravel on top of the coal. No attempt at stripping has been made, and the face is highly dangerous. I cautioned Pacey and the two men working in the pit as to the risks they ran working under such a face. 6 ft. of bottoms being lifted for present sales. Mrs. Mclvor's (lately Hilt's), Landslip, Waikaia (A. C. Mclvor), —(3/7/1900) : Coal is at present being got at a point near the crop where the stripping is fairly light. The pit proper is in a very rough state, being almost blocked by heavy falls of clay and gravel, of which there is from 70 ft. to 80 ft. on top of the coal. Goldie's Landslip, Waikaia (T. F. Goldie). —(3/7/1900) : No work done for twelve months owing to owner's ill-health. Monaghan's Landslip, Wuikaia (B. Monaghan).—(3/7/1900) : Two small openings made on the hillside expose a seam of coal similar in quality to Mclvor's. Only a few tons have been taken out. Argyle Coal-mine, Waikaia (John Baxter). —(23/1/1900) : Opencast pit. Stripping with water (ground-sluicing), which is stored in a dam some distance above the face. A fair area of coal is stripped ready for winter-trade requirements. I advised Mr. Baxter to deepen his tail-race and keep on the bottom of the seam, several feet of coal being left underfoot. Waimca, Longridge Village, Waimea (A. Smith). —(4/7/1900) : Old workings on hillside abandoned owing to the stripping becoming too heavy. Coal is now being taken out of the flat in the creek-bed, and is only about 3 ft. thick. Stripping, 3 ft. Pyramid, Mandevi le (E. McAlister). —(4/7/1900): Coal-seam at level face dipping rapidly, and is evidently approaching a fault of some size. Only two parallel levels being driven. Badford's (lately Carmichael's), Wendon (B. and P. Eadford). —(4/7/1900) : Opening up the old drive which had fallen in at the mouth, where a few sets of timber will be required. The seam is vertical, and 22 ft. wide. So far as could be seen, looking in over the fallen entrance, the old drive in the coal is standing in good order. Waimumu, Mataura (C. P. Sleeman). —(30/5/1900): Stripping, which is 10 ft. deep, is kept well in advance of the working coal-face. The owner finds that it pays him to keep three men constantly stripping ahead of the three men getting coal. This is well proved by the average daily output, 25 tons. Good prospects can be obtained here on top of the coal-seam, the overlying gravel being auriferous. Bogside, Mataura (H. Brown). —(30/5/1900) : Face practically vertical. No stripping in advance. Mr. Brown, who works alone, was flooded out of the pit in November last, and is only now getting to work again. Beattie and Coster's, Mataura (W. Coster). —(30/5/1900) : Only a small area stripped where coal being got. Two men at work, one stripping and the other getting coal. River View, Mataura (L. D. Nicol). —(30/5/1900) : Opencast. Not much doing. Nightcaps Colliery, Nightcaps (J. Lloyd, manager).—(l 9/1/1900): New hauling-engine and boiler being erected at the tramway terminus on the railway loading-bank. Coal is principally obtained from underground workings, but a few miners are employed in opencast pit near the outcrop. Here a gang of men are stripping about an eighth of an acre of coal in anticipation of a largely increased winter demand, the present output being the best on record at this time of the year. A new ventilating-shaft is to be sunk and furnace built near working-faces. Furnace and upcast shaft now in use are to be utilised by boiler and engine, required to work the seams to the dip; present workings, being above water-level, maintained by Californian pump. Working-places roomy and in good order. Eoof here and there looks ragged, owing to partings and diagonal backs which are prevalent in the mine. Timber is freely used, and a large stock is kept on hand. Air cool throughout the mine, but travelling very slowly, and somewhat tainted with powdersmoke. (27/10/1900) :An 8-horse portable engine and boiler have been set in the mine at the top of the dip for hauling and pumping purposes. Smoke and steam are conducted to the old furnace-shaft. A 2 ft. fan is being erected for ventilating the dip, which is down 4 chains. A new air-shaft has been sunk near the working-face, and the air is good, but charged with smoke in some of the places. The hauling-engines —10in. cylinders by 2 ft. stroke, and a 20-horse-power boiler, all made and fitted up by Johnston and Sons, Invercargill—are giving every satisfaction. A serious defect, however, is that the engine-driver cannot see any part of the tramway owing to the engines being set low.