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a—2.

Grey Valley Coalfield. Paparoa Colliery. —Most of the output from the Paparoa Mine was from pillar-extraction, the only development being the continuation of the level going south-east from the head of the first jig. Small quantities of inflammable gas are occasionally reported by the examining deputy. Owing to the small output many pillars are crushed before being extracted, and large quantities of coal are lost. Blackball Colliery. —The output was obtained from No. 9 dip and No. 9 rise workings. The crosscut and No. 17 sections were idle until November, and in the latter section portions of the workings had to be sealed off owing to spontaneous combustion. Heating was also apparent in No. 1 rise section, and the Nos. 1, 2, and 3 banks were scaled off. Two other banks in the No. 1 rise section have been constantly advancing, and have opened up an area of approximately 10 acres. The No. 9 dip has been extended only a chain or two, and is now about 7 chains below the lower haulage-road. Places have been broken away near the bottom of the dip. The coal there is extremely hard. Black-damp is freely given off in the No. 9 section, mainly from the floor, and brattices have to be kept close up to the working-faces. All working-places, 10 ft. wide and over, are now timbered, instead of, as formerly, the coal being " arched " in some. The general safety of the mine is thereby much improved. The main levels in this section are now within 10 chains of the line of the large fault. North Brunner Mine. —The main workings were exhausted in July, and to obtain a strip of coal to the dip of these workings a stone tunnel is being driven approximately 5 chains from the old level. This is now in over 400 ft. The fault has been crossed, and the seam should soon be pierced. St. Kilda Mine. —The remaining coal pillars are being taken out safely, and extraction will be completed before the end of 1920. Work in the Coal-pit Heath section has again ceased. The lower portion of the fireclay drive has been abandoned, but fireclay is still being won from the upper level. Dobson Area. —Preparations arc being made to drive a dip tunnel, approximately 1,300 ft. long, at a grade of about 1 in 3, to the coal proved by the Grcymouth Harbour Board's No. I borehole. Rock-drills driven by compressed air will be used, and the air-compressor and steam boiler are now being installed. Boustridge' s Prospecting-area (near Stillwater). —The coal in the main level became thin and unworkable, and driving ceased at 200 ft. in from the surface. Reef ton District. Reef ton Coal Company's Mine. —A crosscut stone drive from near the mine entrance proved a coal-seam at 300 ft. The seam is 5 ft. thick, hard, and of good quality. An outcrop was also found in a creek 11 chains from the mine-entrance. Another stone tunnel for ventilating purposes has been driven from the creek and connected with the crosscut. The timbering in this mine has shown a decided improvement during the year. Eonini Mine (formerly Lockington's). —A considerably increased output was obtained from this mine. Coal was produced during the year from both the lower and upper sections of the Konini Mine. A dip drive going north-west was commenced from the main level in the upper section, but owing to the lack of plant to cope with water the drive was stopped before going many yards. The Konini Company also control Lishman's lease, and the old drives on this area were cleaned out during the past year and retimbcred, but coal-production has not yet recommenced. Waitahu Mine. —Little underground development was done at this mine, but a diamond-drill borehole, 800 ft. ahead of the downthrow fault, proved the coal-seam to be 8 ft. thick at 584 ft. from the surface. Prospecting is also being done on a lower seam, cast of the present workings. Morris and Learmont's Mine. —Three miners are employed at Morris and Learmont's mine. It is proposed to strip the overburden near the mine-eiitranc.e and obtain the coal from a few acres by opencast workings. Murray Creek Mines. —Four miners are producing coal from the thick seam at the Phoenix and Venus Mine. Owing to the disabilities of conveying coal to Rccfton the output is restricted to about 8 tons per day. A new mine, called the "Victory," was opened up during the year near Murray Creek, by Messrs. Woods and party. A traffic-road, 20 chains long, and a surface jig, about 6 chains, were made to connect this mine with the main traffic-road to Reef ton. Two seams were driven on, the lower one thinned to about 3 ft., and developing was stopped when the drive was in 180 ft. The upper-seam workings are now in over 200 ft., and the coal is very hard and clean. The places are 7 ft. 6 in. high, worked to a "parting," with about 3 ft. of "tops" left on. The bottom coal is not worked, being soft and unsaleable. Lankey's Creek Mine. —Coal from this mine is used solely for power purposes at the Energetic Gold-mine. Owing to the Energetic shaft being destroyed no coal was mined during the year. Archer's Freehold (Capleston). —A crosscut drive through soft sandstone proved a 24 seam of hard coal lying at an inclination of 45°, and, being driven a further distance of 80 ft., pierced a 6 ft. seam of good coal. Development-work is proceeding on the thick seam, and levels are being driven east and west. Golden Point Mine. —This mine was reopened during the past year, and a dip driven a pillarlength below the old workings. A level is proceeding from the bottom of this dip. The seam is almost vertical in the level. Railway. —A private railway connecting the Burkes Creek mines with the Reefton-Grey-mouth Railway will be completed about the end of January. This will replace about three miles of horse-haulage. Numerous coal leases and coal-prospecting licenses have been granted recently in Rccfton district. One coal-prospecting license was cancelled during the year, and two coal leases determined for non-compliance of the conditions imposed. Three amalgamations of small leases have been effected.