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APPENDIX A. INSPECTORS' REPORTS. Mr. James Coutts, Inspector of Mines, Thames, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. g IR Inspector of Mines' Office, Thames, 25th February, 1907. In compliance with section 75 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1905," I have the honour to transmit the following report on the coal-mines in the Northern District for the year ended 31st December, 1906 : — Kawakawa (Samuel Neill, manager).—There was no work done in this mine for some time after W. H. Culley relinquished the lease; but in the early part of the year Messrs. Hall and Black took it over, and, like the previous lessee, their attention has been directed* to taking out the small pillars left on the outcrop of Moody's old workings, and prospecting over their lease of 70 acres. They inform me that about 1,000 ft. of boring has been done, the deepest bore reaching to a depth of 80 ft., where the seam of coal was found to he 6 ft. 1 in. in thickness. This is most encouraging, and will probably lead to a profitable area of coal being discovered. An average of three men have been employed since the present party has held the lease, and the output for the year was 275 tons. Hikurangi Coal Company {Limited) (Moody, T. P.).—The company's operations are chiefly confined to the extension and development of the coal-area on the western side of the railway, between Waro Station and West Bryan's old coal-mine, a portion being worked under the limestone rocks. These rocks present an attractive appearance, and are greatly admired by people passing to and fro on the railway. The prospects of the seam extending in this direction are most reassuring, on account of the thickness and good quality of the coal being maintained throughout. Owing to the swampy nature of the country on the surface, a large quantity of water has found its way into those workings during the period of the floods, thereby entailing a considerable outlay and cost in pumping the water out, causing also an inconvenience by the stoppage of the various faces, and reducing the output, which is urgently required to supply the demand. The company is installing another pump in order to cope with any sudden influx of water, thus preventing the flooding of the workings in future. A fair supply of coal is still obtained from the pillars worked on the eastern side of the railway, and great care is taken in the extraction of the pillars, consequently only a small amount of coal is lost. The workings, when inspected from time to time, have always been found to be carried forward in an efficient and careful manner, and with there being very little cover over the coal the ventilation has been all that could be desired.' The output of coal for the year was 52,709 tons, an increase of 2,399 tons as compared with the previous year. An average of seventy men were employed. Dividends paid by the company for tne year amounted to £1,875. The Northern Coal Company {Limited) (W. R. Dunn, manager).—This company's operations are still directed to the development of their coal-area in a north-easterly direction from the top of the self-acting incline. As the work proceeds the seam continues to maintain its uniform thickness and quality. An improvement is being made in the main haulage road, commencing at the entrance of the tunnel and extending in toward the face. This has been enlarged to a height and width of 6 ft. by 9 ft., and carried in a straight line and graded to a very slight incline, which will enable a double line of rails to be laid down, and give better facilities for getting the coal out of the mine. During the year the mine was inspected three times, and on each occasion the workings were found to be carried forward satisfactorily to all concerned, whilst the ventilation was also good. The output of coal was 46,710 tons, an increase of 8,977 tons as compared with the previous year. Sixty-five men were employed, and dividends to the amount of £2,373 16s. were paid by the company during the year. The Ngunguru and Kiripaka Mines (E. W. Tattley, manager).—These mines are now owned by the Northern Coal Company (Limited), and are run under the last named. The operations are confined to the Kiripaka section, where a large area of excellent coal is being operated on, below the bed of the river. The seam averages 16 ft. in thickness, and the main dip is down a depth of 600 ft., from which two levels have been opened out. In the early part of the year the company decided to erect a plant capable of raising from 250 to 300 tons a day, and with this object in view a hght tram-line was constructed a distance of two miles and a quarter, and a 10 ton locomotive put on to take the trucks from "the mine to the wharf, where boats can lay alongside and load, thus doing away with the old method of loading with punts and frequent stoppages caused by the small tides and freshes in the river. By this means a considerable saving is effected, and a more regular supply of coal is put on the market. A boiler with a working-pressure of 120 lb. has been installed to drive a Waddel fan to ventilate the mine and also to drive the light machinery in the workshop. A Helical hoisting-engine with 10 in. by 16 in. cylinders is now being put in position. The workings and appliances as inspected from time to time were found to be safe, but the ventilation in the early part of the year was not as good as could be desired, but since the erection of the fan there is no further cause for complaint as regards the air. The output of coal was 28,617 tons, an increase of 9,026 tons over the previous year. An average of forty-nine men were employed. . . . ~ Union Collieries (F. J. Tattley, manager).—The work in this company s mine has been principally directed to the extension of the headings and the bords, from which a fair supply of marketable coal has been obtained. As the plant was sufficient for all requirements for the time, no important alterations have been made beyond carrying the working-faces forward to get sufficient coal to supply the