C—3a.

16

North Otago. St. Andrew's Colliery, Papakaio (Thomas Nimmo, permit, owner and manager).—(l 6/6/10): Mane in excellent working-order, and ventilation good. The seam, however, shows indications of incropping, which is not unusual in this class of coo) in Otago and elsewhere. Rules posted, report book and plan kept. Prince Alfred Colliery, Papakaio (Mining reserve ; Abe! Beardsmore, permit, lessee and manager). —(16/6/10) : On entering the mine incipient fire-smell became discernible, and was traced to a fallen place, necessitating three stoppings being put in, which the manager subsequently wrote me had been done and the mine cooled down. Otherwise, mine in good order, and new dip workings being opened satisfactorily. Ngapara Collier;/, Ngapara (William Nimmo, permit, owner, and manager).—(l 4/6/10) : Mine in good working-order, and ventilation excellent. In this strong seam a minimum quantity of timber is used or required for roof-support. Any blasting necessary is, for safety, conducted by the minemanager himself at the close of the day's work. Rules posted, and report-bock duly kept. Shag Point Colliery, Broadieaf Mine. Shag Point (George W. Brooke, permit, lessee and manager). —(17/6/10) : A new entrance has been made on the fringe of Hunt's old workings, and a seam 5 ft. in thickness met with. Communication having been made with Hunt's workings, there is sufficient air passing for ventilation. bul the fallen roadway will not permit of travelling. However, that will readily be overcome when the heading now being driven to daylight is completed. Shag Poiiii ('mil-mining Company, Sluiij Point (Shag Point Coal-mining Company, lessees; J. 0. Gilmour, secretary; E. Clarke, mine-manager).—(l 7/6/10) : The new dip drive at 150 ft. tapped a 3ft. seam of coal, which is being worked on [ongwall system. A seam of " bat " makes convenient stowing, and " gob "is well packed. Timber systematically used for roof-support, consequently worKings safely secured. Ventilation fair. Owing to the midwall in main drive being of timber, which is liable to take fire —but not likely u> do so on account of dampness—l recommended that a separate second outlet be provided, and this the owners stated would have their early attention. The lessees are a party of working-miners formed into a private company. AUandale Colliery, Shag Point (A. Mclntosh and .Sons, lessees; Allan Mclntosh, mine-manager).— (19/9/10) : The mine plant has been drawn and the workings abandoned. The water is rising slowly in the engine-plane. A cross-measures dip drive at 460 ft. struck the coal-pillars left in workings twenty years ago. On t!u> dip side the roof and floor are met tight, while to tin- rise the old drives lire more open, and air is travelling to the upcast air-shaft, where a tall timber stack has been raised. !t seems thai ;'ii area of pillars was left in during first working, and prospecting-drives are being put in to northward and eastward to recover these. Air in one drive is to be improved by putting a stenton through. South Otauo. Fernhill Colliery, Abbotsford (Fernhill Coal and Sand Company, owners ; James Gray, manager). -(29/12/10): Ventilation good, and working-places kept in safe order. A decreased output is being obtained from pillar and head coal in workings opened some years ago. Some smell of fire in the air was coming from a stopping, which was receiving attention. Freeman's Colliery, Abbotsford (Freeman's Coal Company, owners: K. Green, general manager; A. S. Gillanders, mine-manager). —(29/12/10) : A newly installed ventilating-fan is in good workingorder, being actuated by a 10-horse-power Tangye engine driven by producer-gas, which is generated from brown coal produced at the colliery. With fan at 380 revolutions, Wg. 1 in., volume of air circulating equals 20,000 cubic feet per minute. Ventilation adequate, with the exception of two northgoing places at the bottom of No. 7 dip, where stentons not through, and the bords were driven too narrow for brattice. The manager promised to rectify this by having stentons driven at more frequent intervals. Otherwise the colliery is in good working-order, and practically free from accidents. Timber is well supplied and capably used. The completion of No. 8 dip haulage-way will permit of fresh air being taken direct around the working-places. A travelling- waj separate and apart from the haulage roads is provided for the underground workmen. Rules posted ; plan and report-books to date. Green Island < 'oUiery, Green Inland (Green Island Minerals Company, owners; J. Louden, managing director; T. Barclay, jun., mine-manager).—(3o/12/10) ; No one was about on the occasion of this visit, but there was ample evidence of the collier.- being in working-order. Rules posted ; report-book to date. Jubili'i Colliery, Saddle Hill (Jubilee Coal Company, owners; A. P. Bremner, general manager; Thomas Barclay, mine-manager). —(30/12/10) : Induced probably by thinness of seam and proximity of faults, a " creep " set in in the dip workings, and the area is now abandoned. Owing to heating on the fringe of waste of pillaring area, a line of wood and ash stoppings has been built which effectually retains "gob" odor. A new break on the pillar-line is being induced successfully. Roof fairly good considering height (up to 14 ft. in places), for which long timbers are provided. Furnace-ventilation adequate, and requirements of the Act generally well observed. Burnweil Colliery, Saddle Hill (Adam Harris, owner and manager). —(23/12/10) : After being worked for a period of twenty-nine years, this mine is now practically exhausted, and is about to be abandoned. Prospecting on the south-westerly part of the property has been carried on to a limited extent, without adequate result. Saddle Hill No. 1 Colliery, Saddle Hill (Christie Bros., owners ; W. W. Ogilvie, mine-manager). — (23/12/10): Owing to spontaneous incipient tires in the waste, fire-stoppings of brick and sand had been built, which are well looked after and kept in good order. Through encroachment of pillaring work the recent ventilating-shaft has become disused, and, pending connection with a new shaft (almost completed), natural ventilation is in vogue, an adequate supply of air being well conducted by brattice close to working-faces. Pillar-extraction conducted safely. Requirements of the Act generally well observed.