98

C—2

ANNEXURE A.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OF MINES.

Northern Inspection District. —Me. Boyd Bennie, Inspector op Mines, Thames. Hikurangi Coal Company (Limited). —No. 3 section (new dip) : From this section practically all the year's output has been produced. The extraction of pillars constitutes the principal work, and has been carried on without accident. In July the pillar coal became ignited by spontaneous combustion of the waste coal in the " gob." This fire took a complete hold of the mine, and destroyed the air-shaft, fan-shed, and engine-room. The mine was then flooded, and later, when the water was drained off, the manager reported very little damage to have been done underground. The new north dip section, situated at the northern end of the property, is entered from an inclined stone-drift about 300 ft. in length, dipping 1 ft. in 6 ft. The coalseam has been opened up, and three shifts were worked daily. Owing to continuous working, the mine-ventilation became very bad, and two air-shafts were sunk. Three other mine adits were opened up on various parts of the property, where small areas of coal were located, and parties of from six to eight men employed. During the year the manager was proceeded against and fined for a breach of the general rules, section 42, which renders compulsory the employment of a certificated underviewer for every mine. During the year 46,515 tons of coal was mined, ■as against 54,618 tons for the previous year, labour troubles being the chief cause of the decrease. An average of eighty-five men has been employed. I visited the mine several times during the year, and found the conditions as regards safety precautions anything but satisfactory. Northern Coal Company (Limited). —Hikurangi Northern Mine: Work during the year consisted solely of pillar-extraction, in which considerable progress had been made up to the time of the strike, the output for the ten months being practically equal to that of the previous year. The quality of the coal in No. 3 section has considerably improved, it formerly being split with seams of stone. I have made six inspections during the year, and the Check Inspectors one, and on each occasion the mine was found in good condition generally. Unfortunately, one fatal and one serious accident occurred during the year. 43,242 tons of coal were mined, and an average of sixty-three men employed. New Mine : Development has been confined principally to the extension of the main dip and its connection with the shaft, for ventilation. This was satisfactorily effected in September last, and all steam-pipes were carried through the return airway. The coal mined is of excellent quality, and is in considerable demand for steam purposes. Steam for hauling is obtained from two multitubular boilers, and a compressor supplies air for the pumps. An endless rope is to be installed, the necessary machinery being now on the property; a loading-station is •also to be constructed. There is every reason to believe that in the near future this colliery will be the chief producer in the district. I examined it several times during the year, and found conditions satisfactory. 7,612 tons of coal have been extracted, and an average of seventy-three men employed. Te Kiripaka Mine : The development-work in connection with the opening of this mine has been suspended, and as the Kiripaka Panapu section became worked out 1,193 tons of coal was obtained from the old Ngunguru section. Eight men were employed for part of the year. Ruatangata Kamo Mine. —For a few months a little work was done at this mine. Thirty tons of coal were mined, and an average of two men employed. I examined the colliery during the year, and found conditions fair. Whangarei Colliery. —Operations at this mine have been irregular, owing, in a measure, to the nature of the mine-developments. At present the coal is inferior and the seam much faulted, but from the evidence supplied from boreholes and the workings of the old Kamo Mine an improvement is anticipated some chains ahead of the present workings. During the strike a number of inexperienced men were employed at the colliery, with the result that one fatality occurred. I examined the mine on several occasions during the year, and found the conditions normal; ventilation sometimes dull. 3,880 tons of coal was mined, and eighteen men employed. United Collieries. —This colliery has been worked almost continuously throughout the year, the coal being principally used at the mines of the Waihi Goldfield. This mine is worked from the main incline dip, but it is proposed to open up an old shaft near the river loading-station, and to erect an up-to-date winding and screening plant, which would effect a considerable saving in the expense of haulage. I examined the mine on several occasions during the year, and found conditions generally in fair order, but the distribution of air was at times faulty. During the year thirty-eight men have been employed, and 21,651 tons of coal was mined. Taupiri Coal-mines (Limited). —Ralph's Mine : The chief development consisted of the construction of a stone drive, 10 chains in length, to open up the coal existing under Lake Waahi. The face of the coal was reached just prior to the stoppage of work by the strike, and, in consequence, operations in this part of the field have been hindered. During the early part of 1914 this heading will be advanced, and it is expected that the bulk of this mine's output will shortly be won from this area. Attention has also been directed during the year to the Lake Rotoiti lease (Taupiri West section), where the coal has proved to be of excellent quality. I examined the mine on several occasions, and found conditions generally satisfactory. 89,949 tons of coal was mined, and an average of 226 men employed. Extended Mine: Coal of excellent quality is still being produced. The ventilation was considerably improved by the installation of a new 92 in. diameter double-inlet Sirocco fan, which was erected to replace a smaller fan of similar type. The assembling of all the compressors under