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eastern side, which is now down over 4 chains in good clean coal. The upper place going to the east off the crosscut met faulty ground when about 2 chains in. A place going west shows 0 ft. of coal. An explosives-magazine was erected about 3 chains from the mine-mouth. Wangaloa Mine. —A very small output was produced from this mine. Kaidale Mine. —Owing to the bad state of the traffic-road no coal was produced during the months of July and August. The main, dip is now down 100 ft. Kaibrook Mine. —A slip, caused by the heavy floods, occurred at the mine-entrance, and a good deal of retimbcring had to be done. The main dip is now down 280 ft., and a bord is being driven, to the south-east from the bottom of the dip. Kaitangata No. 1 Mine. —This mine has been coal-producing only during the winter months of the past year. Work was confined to the 18 ft. seam district, which proved to be much disturbed by irregular faults. The stone drive in this district was extended through the No. 6 fault to the 8 ft. seam, a distance of 330 ft. The seams on the south side have been proved to a point in line with the ventilating-shaft. The examining deputy reported inflammable gas on thirty-six occasions during tho year. Kaitangata No. 2 Mine. — In the O-ft.-scam-workings the pillars are now worked back to near the dip haulage-road and the goaf has been scaled off by stoppings. A level tunnel in stone has been driven in a westerly direction from the bottom of tho dip haulage-road in the 6 ft. scam, and a fault was met when 200 ft. in. A heading was driven to the rise on the fault, and at a height of 20 ft. the main seam was met. A portion of this seam —to the north of the present workings—was worked forty years ago. Headings and levels have recently been driven to develop this seam, but owing to haulage difficulties work was stopped, and an inclined stone tunnel, dipping at a grade of 1 in 3, was driven from the surface. This tunnel connected with the workings at a distance of 450 ft., and the entrance is. 300 ft. from the entrance to the No. 2 mine, and is close to the main haulage-road, to which connection, will be made. Main-seam workings : In the main north level section an 8 ft. seam of good coal was struck in an inclined stone tunnel dipping to the east. This is stopped until a convenient roadway can bo made to connect with the seam from the main drive. Pillaring has been continued in the main seam, and the waste is sealed off as the various sections are exhausted. The main stone tunnel was extended a distance of 400 ft., when a seam of good coal, 15 ft. thick, was struck. Levels are being driven north and south. Screening plant : New screens have been installed at the Kaitangata mines. A revolving screen replaces the old shaker screen to deal with the large coal, and another of the same type screens the smalls. These screens are proving a decided success, as the coal is delivered in a very satisfactory state. Castle Hill Mine. —No output was produced until May, and the mine was again closed down in November for the summer months. A section of pillar coal was taken out. on the north side in the Jordan seam. In the main top seam section very steeply inclined headings have been driven to the east. The levels going south off these headings are in rather soft coal. No reports of inflammable gas have been recorded during the year. The ventilating plant has been removed from tho air-shaft to the top of the new inclined drive, which now becomes the main return airway. Men and horses may now travel through this drive to the surface. The large three-throw pump has been removed from its old site at the main seam to the bottom of the main inclined drive, and pumping is now direct to the surface in one lift. A new screening plant has been erected, and the coal is now sorted by a steam-driven revolving screen. Benhar Mine. —The main dip was extended 2 chains during the year, being now down 14 chains. The bottom level going north —-which was broken away alongside the 3 ft. upthrow fault —is now in 8 chains, and the level to the south about 4 chains. The pillars being formed on the north side are rather small, and the management was advised to increase the size in future. The ventilation is excellent owing to the stoppings between the intake and return airways having been erected of brick. Pulcerau Mine. —Production was steadily maintained during the year. The working-places are -driven about 15 ft. in width and from 6 ft. to 7 ft. in height. Rosedale Mine. —An opencast pit, from which a small output was obtained. Whiterig Mine. —The main dip drive is about 9 to 10 chains in length, and the timber in the upper portion needed attention towards the end of the year. Three miners were steadily employed. Green's Mine. —The pillars were formerly made 30 ft. square, and owing to increasing depth they are now being made 40 ft. square. The main dip has an average gradient of lin 8. The seam is 20 ft. thick, and the places are driven 12 ft. high. Fan ventilation good. Riverview Mine. —A small pit worked opencast for private use. Springfield Mine. —An opencast pit from which a small output was produced early in the year. Glenlee Mine. —Pillar-extraction was continued during the year. A new dip drive has been commenced. Ramsay's Mine. —Worked bord-and-pillar, the latter being 30 ft. square. Owing to very strong lignite very little timber is used. Two men employed underground. Landslip Mine. —Very little work done during the past year. Rossvale Mine. —The coal is almost exhausted from the present workings. Another stone tunnel has been commenced about 7 chains south to work pillars which are standing in that locality. Argyle Mine. —There does not appear to be much coal which can now be worked opencast, and as the seam is dipping into the hill it will soon be necessary to commence bord-and-pillar workings. Terrace Mine, Kingston Crossing. —A low level is being driven to get to the back of a large fall. The seam is 20 ft. in thickness, and about half of this is being worked. The area opened out is small, and the pillars already formed, are rather small. Princhesler Creek Mine. —An opencast pit, worked to supply settlers in the Mararoa district. Lynwood Mine. —An opencast pit. The small output was used for steaming purposes for the steamer plying on Lake Te Anau. Forest Hill Mine. —ll6 tons were produced prior to the 16th May, when the mine was closed down. Mataura Collieries Company's Mine. —An increased output was produoed, as compared with 1922, from this mine. The high and wide working-places are well ventilated. Boghead Mine. —No further underground mining done, and output produoed solely from opencast. Mataura Lignite-mine. — Bord-and-pillar workings are Well ventilated by an open-running fan driven by a single-phase 440-volt A.C. motor. Terrace Mine, Mataura. —170 tons were mined prior to 31st March, when the mine was abandoned. Heatherlea Mine. —A small output for local requirements was produced from this opencast pit. Ota Creek Mine. —During the year 588 tons were produced from opencast work. Clarke's Mine. —An opencast pit, from which 806 tons were mined for the year. Diamond Lignite-mine. —1,472 tons were produced from this opencast pit. Wattle Mine (formerly Nightcaps No. 1 Mine). —This mine, which was closed down during 1922, was sold to a small party of minors, and they reopened Knight's section during August last. A few pillars have since been extracted, and a hand-bore was put down underground to prove if a lower seam existed. On account of the hardness of the conglomerate the hole was stopped when only 8 ft. down. They are now sinking a small circular prospecting-shaft about 100 yards south-west of the mine-entrance. Black "Diamond Mine. —As the coal makes a good strong roof very little timber is needed in this mine. The places are usually driven 14 ft. wide and 8 ft. in height. The inbye place going to the east from off the main dip is in very stony coal and is being driven narrow. New Brighton Mine. —The main dip heading has been driven through the upthrow fault, which proved to be of only 12 ft. displacement. Beyond the fault the coal was proved to be at least 11 ft. in thickness, and it contains a band of stone 1. in. thick. Places were broken away, and at the end of the year five miners were working therein. Ventilation is very good throughout the mine. Owing to a " creep "in the pillar section some had to be abandoned. Wairio Mine.—No work was done on the Resin seam during tho year. The coal in the little dip below the former workings became very thin, and a large fault was met running north and south. Two hand-bores were put down on Questcd's area, near the Nightcaps-Ohai Road, but with disappointing rosults, as no coal was met in either hole.