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West Coast Inspection District (Mr. George Duggan, Inspector). New Zealand Stale Coal-mines. Liverpool Colliery. —No. 1 section : The workings of this section have been developed mainly to the north, and the main headings to the rise are now approximately 31 chains from the main level. One of the higher levels, going cast, has holed out on tho bank of Puru Creek, and this has considerably increased the quantity of air circulating in the rise workings. Pillar-extraction is proceeding on the lower east side, as well as on the west side of the Seven-mile Creek. The coal from this section is still of a friable nature. Morgan seam : Work in the Morgan seam has been confined to the development of the east and west levels, and .very little wide work has yet been done. The east levels arc now 15 chains in from the haulage road, and the west levels 10 chains. Owing to the shortage of truckers, work in the west levels has been temporarily suspended. The Morgan scam continues to be of good quality, but is friablcr The endless-rope haulage has been carried in to the end of the main stone drive. As a considerable area of coal lies to the dip of the main levels in the Morgan seam, and to reduce the length of haulage, another stone tunnel will soon be commenced from the Seven-mile Creek near the middle brake to intersect the coal-seam. No. 3a section : All of the output is now obtained from pillar-extraction. A small area of about 6 acres, containing low coal, to the east of the old dip, remains to be worked. No. 3 section : Tho development during tho past year has been in a northern and eastern direction. Only a limited area now remains unworkod between this section and No. 3a section. The fourth level, going eastward, is within 2 or 3 chains of the cliff overlooking the Seven-mile Creek, and when through will materially assist the ventilation. The pillar workings on the west side of the first level arc almost exhausted, and the output from the section is gradually diminishing. The up-to-date safety-lamp house, whore 200 electric safety-lamps were charged and stored, was destroyed by the landslip. Only forty lamps were recovered, and are now reserved for the use of the truckers. The coal-hewers have had to revert to the use of ordinary safety-lamps. The bins being erected to replace those demolished are almost completed. A number of reports of small quantities of inflammable gas were recorded at the No. 3 section and at the Morgan seam. The output from the Liverpool mines, 113,013 tons, is nearly 33,000 tons less than that for 1917. This was mainly duo to tho stoppage caused by the landslip. Point Elizabeth Colliery. —Tho dip portion of the No. 1 section ceased output in October, and in a few weeks the rise portion will be exhausted. It is anticipated that the No. 2 section will also be exhausted during the coming year. A few reports of inflammable gas were recorded at the No. 2 section. The output from the Point Elizabeth Colliery for 1918 was 95,106 tons. New Coalfield near the Sea-coast, eight and a half miles from Greymouth. —Prospecting and boring is now being done on this field, and has already proved a considerable extent of workable coal. The coal is very hard and is non-caking, and should take the place of the nearly exhausted Point Elizabeth coal for household purposes. Paparoa Colliery. —The output from this mine, 34,145 tons, has boon considerably curtailed through numerous strikes occurring. One of these, commencing on the 18th October, was still unsettled at the end of the year. Very little development has been done during the past year. One level go ng south-east from the head of tho first jig is approximately 7 chains in, and will open up a small area bolow some of the standing pillars. Most of the output was obtained from pillar workings in the slant heading section. Inflammable gas has again been reported in small quantities during the year. Very little progress having boon made towards the erection of bath-houses, the management were notified that proceedings would be taken if the work was not facilitated. Owing to the protracted strike labour has since been unobtainable for this purpose. Blackball Colliery. —The output from the Blackball Mine was 121,259 tons, being'nearly 11,000 tons less than that of the previous year. This reduction was mainly due to an inrush of water carrying down a huge quantity of debris on to the haulage-road. This occurred in July, and no output has since been obtained from the inner workings. The miners employed in these workings were found places by working two shifts in all places in the No. 9 dip and the No. 1 rise sections. The bottom of No. 9 dip is 13 chains below the main level. The dip itself is not at present being driven owing to very acid water destroying tho pumps., Levels are driven from the bottom of the dip and are now approximately 24" chains in. They have another 16 chains to go before striking the fault. Black-damp is given off from the floor of the main and water levels, needing ample ventilation to dilute it. The area stoped off, through spontaneous combustion in the rise workings, has been under constant surveillance, and, although at times troublesome, has been kept well in hand. A fatality, caused by a fall of coal in pillar workings, occurred at this mine in January. North Brunner Colliery. —This mine will be compjletely exhausted during the coming year. Only a few miners are at present employed on pillar-extraction in the top section. The lower section is now finished. Output for 1918 was 11,489 tons. Brunner Mine. —Most of the output is obtained from pillar-work in the St. Kilda section. A few solid places are being driven south-east of the dip. A pair of miners are engaged in the Coal-pit Heath area driving through old workings to obtain pillars left in during the previous working. The inclined stone drive, to cut a deposit of fireclay, has been full of water the greater part of the year. A low level is being driven to cut the stone drive about half-way down from surface. The year's output was 11,090 tons.