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Alexandra Coal-mine, Alexandra (Hunter, Mathias Bros., and Bowler, lessees ; Andrew Hunter, manager).—(l 4/4/1904) : The lessees have secured this property from Mr. W. A. Thomson at a reasonable figure. The dip drive is now being cleared out preparatory to extending mining operations further into the dip section of the field of coal. Ventilation in the mine is fair. Safety-lamp inspection made as a precaution does not reveal any trace of firedamp in the mine. (31/5/1904) : Pit idle at present; trade slack. (1/10/1904) : Operations have now been resumed on this property. A new dip is to be driven, as it was found that the lower present dip workings are practically lost. Ventilation good. Alexandra Coal Company, Alexandra (James Pollock, mine-manager). —(22/1/1904) : Mine in good order. The ventilation has been considerably improved by the adoption of wooden air-stoppings in the mine to replace brattice cloth hitherto in use. (13/4/1904) : Mine and appliances in good workingorder\nd all safe. A total of ten men are employed in the mine on day-shift and four men on afternoonshift. Ventilation good. Safety-lamp inspection duly made and results of examinations entered in report-book. Report-books kept up to date. General and special rules posted. Boreholes kept as prescribed in all advancing places. As instructed from this office a barrier of half a chain of solid coal is being left between the dip workings and the riverward area. In this latter area the places are all broken away narrow to admit of speedy closing off. An efficient barrier is being left on the river frontage. Although moist backs are met with, there is very little water given off from the advancing places in the rise workings. A soft band of coal has been struck in the main dip, which is giving off water freely. A " Snow " Duplex steam-pump has been installed in the dip as an adjunct to the main pump at bottom of shaft. (31/5/1904) : Mine in good order ; ventilation fair. The soft or faulted coal in the dip cut out into solid coal, and the water has pined off. Eighteen men are employed underground in three shifts. Average pumping-time, fifty-nine hours per week. Water-growth steady, averaging 96,000 gallons per twenty-four hours. (30/9/1904) : Mine-workings in good order. In order to further improve the ventilation the wooden air-stoppings are to be continued down the main dip. This will carry the fresh air direct to the working-faces. Complaint having arisen as to the necessity for latrine accommodation, a suitable closet has been erected on the surface, and is used by the workmen, evacuation underground being prohibited. Undaunted Coal-mine, Alexandra (D. H. Mathias, permit, lessee). —(14/4/1904) : No coal has been taken from this lease for the last three months. The lessee intends to bring the plan up to date, draw the plant from the mine, and apply for cancellation of the present lease with a view towards amalgamation with two neighbouring leases. The present style of working this mine is costly and out of date, while the lessee considers trade-prospects in the district do not warrant the expenditure of capital in haulage and pumping plant. (31/5/1904) : Pit still unwatered. Cambrian's Coal-pit, Cambrian's (Catherine Dungey, lessee). —(18/3/1904) : Very little coal is taken from this lease, which is now practically exhausted. One man at work. Welshman's Gutty Coal-pit, Cambrian's (J. McGuckin, lessee). —(18/3/1904) : Trade has materially decreased at this pit during the past twelve months. Coal is brought into the district by wagoners (as back loading) from the Alexandra coal-pits, while competition in the coal trade is also strong in the district. The seam, which is worked opencast, is a difficult one to work owing to the dip of the seam and the heavy overburden. Two men generally at work. (14/7/1904) : Lignite-seam, 15 ft. to 30 ft. in thickness. Dip of seam lin 3 westerly. Stripping, 15 ft. to 30 ft. in depth. An attempt has been made to win the coal by driving, but had proved the cost to be greater than the usual sale price when stripping was again resorted to. Blackstone Hill Coal-pit, Blackstone Hill (James Armitage, lessee). —(20/3/1904) : Opencast pit. Stripping light, but water inflow heavy. Two men at work. Price's Coal-pit, Blackstone Hill (G. Price, lessee). —Coal taken out for private use only. St. Bathan's Coal-pit, St. Bathan's (James Enwright, lessee ; James Doyle, manager).—(2o/3/1904) : I drew the manager's attention to the necessity for keeping the overburden well stripped back from the working coal-face, and subsequently wrote the lessee to the same effect. Two men at work. (24/5/1904) : Pit now in better order. Stripping being attended to. Rough Ridge Coal-pit, Idaburn (Mrs. M. Beck, lessee ; William Beck, manager).—(22/3/1904) : I instructed the manager to proceed at once to strip the overburden ahead of the working coal-face, and subsequently wrote the lessee to the same effect. The coal-face is 25 ft. in height, and is overlaid by 8 ft. of gravel. Three men generally employed. (24/5/1904) : Pit in very fair order, attention being now paid to stripping in advance of coal-working. McLean's Pit, Idaburn (Mrs. M. Beck, lessee). —(21/3/1904) : Nothing doing on this date. Idaburn Coal-pit, Idaburn (J. White, lessee). —(21/3/1904): Opencast pit. Stripping in advance and shooting down lignite-face. Two men employed. (24/5/1904) : Pit in very fair order. Bottom of seam now rising and outcropping to the south-eastern boundary. Border Coal-pit, Rough Ridge (George Turnbull, lessee). —(21/3/1904) : The lessee experiences great difficulty in the working of this pit, which is subjected to flooding during rises in the Idaburn Creek. The pumping plant is quite inadequate. One man at work. Gimmerburn Coal-pit, Gimmerburn (C. Dougherty, lessee). —Coal mined for private use only. Commercial Colliery, Upper Kyeburn (Christian Archer, permit, lessee). —25/3/1904) : Seam vertical; worked by levels driven off the shaft to the boundary in solid coal. The head coal is then brought back and the roof allowed to fall behind. Three men employed. Owing to scarcity of demand for coal in this district, and competition from better coals brought in by railway, the lessee has decided to abandon the lease. Coal has been mined from this lease for the past twenty-four years. (25/5/1904) : The walls or casing of the seam had become soft at depth, and recently a run of drift-sand had filled the inclined shaft 150 ft. in one night Abandoned.