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Boustridge's Prospecting-area. —Prospecting is being done on tho south side of the Grey River at the eastern end of the Brunner-Stillwater Railway tunnel. A level, in coal varyingffrom*3 ft. to 7 ft. thick, has been driven about 150 ft. This drive has had to be diverted to the east owing toja large " roll " coming in on the right side. Reefton Coal Company's Mine.-—This mine has worked continuously during the year, and has produced 6,636 tons of coal, being 2,332 tons more than the output for 1917. Towards the end of the year an outcrop was discovered about 11 chains up the creek from, the mine-mouth. Further prospecting will prove whether this is a lower seam than the one being worked at present. The coal shown at the outcrop is from 10 ft. to 12 ft. thick and of excellent quality. A survey has been made from the Reefton Railway-station with the object of taking the railway-hoppers up to the four mines in the Burkes Creek district — i.e., the Reefton Coal Company's, Lockington's, Morris and Learmont's, and the Waitahu mines. At present the coal is conveyed from the Reefton Coal Company's mine to the railway-station along a narrow-gauge tramway and drawn by a horse. From the other three mines the coal has to be conveyed the greater part of the way by drays. A serious accident occurred on the Reefton Coal Company's tramway, which is mentioned further in the report. Other Reefton Mines. —Very little development has been done on this field during the year, although numerous coal leases and prospecting licenses have been applied for. Lockington's and Morris and Learmont's mines changed ownership, and the Waitahu Mine resumed mining operations in April. A fault was struck in this mine in the level, and driving was continued into the fault for 105 ft. This drive is still in coal-measures which are almost perpendicular at the face. The management now contemplate putting down a borehole from surface 800 ft. ahead of the face of tho drive. The Lankey's Creek mine, which only supplied coal for the Energetic Gold-mine, has been idle since May, owing to a fire destroying the Energetic shaft. Other small mines in the Reefton field still produce a little coal, mostly for household purposes. Westport District. Coal Creek Mine, Mokihinui. —This mine has produced 4,007 tons for the year, as compared with 2,554 tons for 1917. Seven miners are now employed. Pillar-extraction continued in the lower workings until October, when this section was abandoned. In the upper workings a drive is going through a " roll " to get to an unworked area to the rise. A coal-prospecting license has been obtained by this party over 105 acres further up Coal Creek, who state that outcrops of coal 18 ft. thick are exposed on the area. Co-operative Mine, Seddonville. —From the old No. 4 section workings the yearis output was 2,813 tons. The coal varies in quality, much " brassy " coal being left unminod. An area of 200 acres, comprising part of the old Cardiff workings and some of the former State mine area, has been applied for by this party Westport-Stockton Colliery. —Considerable development has been made at the new mine. A new haulage-road has recently been completed to an area of about 20 acres to the east of the C tunnel, old mine. The seam is about 6 ft. thick and of good quality. Work at the old mine consists mainly of pillar-extraction. Near the electric-haulage road to the new mine a small area, called Sandeap, of about 4 acres, has been connected up, and. mining operations commenced therein. The seam here is about 7 ft. thick and very hard, and has an excellent sandstone roof. Six pairs of miners are employed on single shift. At the new mine a stone drive, going south-west, is being constructed to shorten the motor-haulage road, and when completed this will allow the extraction of a large section of pillars near the present mine-mouth. A dip in coal going westward is being driven towards a borehole which has proved 18 ft. of hard coal. This dip will command an area of 15 to 20 acres. Early in July a fire, caused by the explosion of a small distributing-magazine, broke out near the mine-mouth. The fire was with difficulty confined to a small area of goaf to the east of the minemouth. The output from the Westport-Stockton Mine for 1918 was 154,120 tons. A fatality occurred in the pillar workings of this mine on the 4th April. Millerton Colliery. —Mangatina and old dip sections : At the Mangatina section coal is still being won along the eastern boundary of the lease near the boardinghouse. The south Mangatina heading has not been extended during the year, but boreholes have heen put down ahead, and to the west of the face of the heading. One of these boreholes proved 11 ft. of coal, and another 13 ft. It is proposed to extend the heading in a south-western direction, and it is anticipated that the coal will be struck within a few chains, the borehole being only 7 chains from the face of the heading. Old dip section :In this section all the miners are employed on solid work. The coal in the headings going south is very steeply inclined, and tho headings were recently stopped. The face of the main heading is only 5 chains from the Mine Creek workings, but the country between is much folded, and all driving to make the connection must now be done from the Mine Creek side. A stone drive to facilitate haulage is proceeding in the old dip section. This drive is parallel to and about 5 chains to the west of the old main jig. Another haulage-road is proposed, going south-west through the workings, towards, an outcrop of coal in the left branch of Granity Creek, and will open up the area near the curved stone drive. Mine Creek Mine. —Most of the output from this extensive area is still obtained from solid workings. Development is to the west and the north, but the northern workings (dip sections) will soon connect to the old dip section. Pillars are being extracted in the top south near the fire area. Heating was apparent in the fire area during November, but prompt measures were taken and water was pumped in through one of the brick stoppings for a few days and the temperature reduced to normal. Last year's output was 240,096 tons, being nearly 40,000 tons less than that of the previous year.