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several apertures at different points in the mine. Prospecting is being carried on with a view to locating further seams in the property. Report-books to date. Rules posted. (11/9/1907): In No. 1 section six men were employed on pillar work. Timber well used. Operations have been discontinued in the swamp section until a new drive has been put down to the dip of present workings. The last of the pillars are now being taken from the old mine. Mine-workings in good order. Ventilation good. Safety-lamp inspection made. Glenledi Coal-mine, Milton (N. MeGilp, owner). —(10/5/1907): Since the advent of the Bruce and Real Mackay Coal Companies in this district trade has fallen off at several small mines. A few loads are taken away from time to time from this pit. \Varonui Colliery, Milton (Bruce Railway and Coal Company, owners; Thomas Barclay, mine-manager).—(lo/5/1907): The working-faces and roadways were in good order. All work is in the solid coal and in the dip section. The present haulage is lengthy and costly. It is now proposed to put in a dip drive, lins, to strike the coal to the dip of present workings. This alteration would reduce haulage and pumping cost, but would necessitate rearrangement of surface plant and railway system. The ventilation was fair, being maintained by furnace in upcast shaft. The seam maintains its average thickness of 17 ft. throughout, though the presence of pug seams causes considerable trouble. Rules posted. Report-book to date. About eighteen men employed. (11/9/1907): The working-faces are progressing further from the upcast shaft, and, in the absence of mechanical ventilation, it is now evident that a new air-shaft will be required. A proportionately new travelling-way or second return is being made. Safety-lamp inspection made prior to men commencing work. Taratu Colliery, Kaitangata (Taratu Railway and Coal Company, owners; G. R. Cheeseman, general manager, Dunedin; T. Shore, mine-manager).—(ll/1/1907): Mine-workings in good order. The dip workings are turning out well. The coal is hauled to the dip-head, and the drainage effected by an oil-engine for power. From the dip-head the coal is hauled to the screens by ponies. (14/9/1907): Examined the No. 1 mine-workings, and found them in good workingorder. Ventilation good. Timber used where necessary. Levels are being driven off from the shaft-bottom, but progress is hindered by a fault on the west Efforts are being made to connect through to the No. 1 shaft for ventilation, but it will be necessary to pierce the fault-line. Safety-lamp inspection made. Approved list of signals in use. (16/12/1907): Recent mineworkings abandoned, consequent upon the new or No. 2 shaft sunk 200 ft. in depth to coal-seam 14 ft. Dimensions of shaft, 13 ft. by 5 ft., three compartments. A main fault, strike north-west and south-east, was met with in the 5 chains to drive to upcast air-shaft, and crossing fault, running conglomerate struck was giving trouble. Safety-cages by Roberts and Son, Bendigo. Guibal fan, 5 ft. diameter. Air, 7,500 cubic feet, at 200 revolutions per minute. New surface plant and arrangements on pit-bank, with screen and elevator for nuts and peas. Examinations by safety-lamp made regularly; small feeders of gas occasionally reported, but no accumulations of gas have as yet been disclosed by examination. Kaitangata Colliery, Kaitangata (New Zealand Coal and Oil Company, owners; 0. G. Lockhart, secretary, Dunedin : W. Carson, mine-manager).—Several most important events took place during the operations of the year. In the first place, the value of the new upcast airshaft was amply demonstrated by increased and improved ventilation of the mine, and, as a secondary consideration, by reason of the piercing of the strata, thereby liberating pent up gases from the measures overlying the coal-seam, resulting in the gas drainage of an area of coalbearing land probably larger in extent than had previously been exposed to view in the history of the colliery. Considerable difficulty was experienced in making the necessary connections for ventilation and haulage when developing the main extension area, owing to presence of fire-damp in the rise places, notwithstanding close bratticing, especially in the neighbourhood of No. 7 fault. Upon the connections being made, however, the gas-pressure gradually decreased, and the workings assumed normal conditions. An extraordinary ''overlay" exists at this fault, where the unusual occurrence may be seen of the coal-seam, 30 ft. in thickness, overlaid in the V of the fault by the seam a similar thickness, having a band between of about 30 ft. of clays and conglomerate. The positions in which these seams were found in relation to the main crossmeasures, easterly extension drive, proved most favourable for haulage purposes, and flattening, as the seams are, to seaward, should prove encouraging to tlie owners, following on extraordinary expenditure in restoration of the mine. The special reinforced brick and steel fire stoppings on the main road have stood the test of time, and to all appearances they are quite capable of isolating the older workings by acting as air-tight stoppings, and preventing exudation of deleterious gases into the ventilating system of the new mine. Apart from the development work on the main easterly extension, coal-output has been principally maintained from the south level extension, including No. 19 dip district and Nos. 3 and 4 headings south, which have been extensively robbed by extraction of pillar and head coal. No. 19 dip seam proved disappointing, by reason of its faulted and troubled character. The only serious accident of the year happened to James Fibbes, roadsman, he sustaining severe injury to the lower spinal joint through being struck by a runaway rake of boxes on the main haulage road. Extreme care has been taken in the management and handling of safety-lamps, which are in general use throughout the mine. The lamp station is continued at the foot of the main incline, whence all the workmen are passed in to their work. Report-books and plans to Hate. Rules posted, and requirements of the Act generally well observed. (17/12/1907): An average circulation of 30,000 cubic feet of air per minute is maintained by exhaust fan 9 ft. in diameter, electrically driven at 180 revolutions, W.G. jft, in. Twenty visits of inspection were made during the year. Castle Hill Colliery, Kaitangata (New Zealand Coal and Oil Company, owners; W. Carson, mine-manager). —(23/7/1907): During the early part of the year this mine was heavily drawr upon for supplies, on account of the troubles at Kaitangata Mine,

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