45

C.—2

Coal Creek Mine, Upper MoJcihinui.—On the 13th April a serious fire broke out in this mine. All efforts to extinguish the fire proving fruitless the mine was abandoned. Celtic Mine. —This mine commenced operations during the year, the coal being won from Lease No. 0357, adjoining the old Seddonville State Mine. The coal is soft and friable and varies from 5 ft. to 12 ft. in height. The output is conveyed from the mine to the Upper Mokihinui Railway station by flume. Five men are employed. Glasgow Co-operative Party's Mine. —This mine, which is situated near the Cardiff Bridge Mine, commenced to produce coal during the year. Quin and Party's Mine, Mokihinui.—A small party of three co-operative miners have successfully reopened some old workings near the Mokihinui bins. A drive running in a south-westerly direction is showing 4 ft. 6 in. of hard coal. Black and Party's Mine, Seddonville.—This party has commenced operations on the State Coal Reserve, Seddonville. Only a few tons of coal produced. St. Helens Mine, Seddonville.—Work has proceeded steadily at this mine during the year. Only two men are employed. Grey District. Liverpool Slate Mine.—No. 1 Mine (Top Seam): During the year the whole of the output from this section was won from pillars. The pillars now being worked are 30 ft. in height. The false roof is tender, and the gradient heavy, thus rendering the extraction of pillars difficult. Crosscut Section: Pillar-extraction in this section is not so difficult, the coal being only 8 ft. in height, and the roof hard and strong. Morgan Seam: In this seam pillar-extraction continues under favourable conditions. On the east level coal-winning operations have ceased, all the available coal having been extracted. West Level: All work in this level is confined to pillar-extraction. No. 2 Mine.—Three seams cut by the stone headings are now being worked. In the first (Anderson's seam) the driving to the dip was continued for 3J chains, when the measures showed a tendency to rise, driving was then stopped. Kimbell Seam: Two levels going east and west have been started on this seam. The east level is now in a distance of 9 chains in good coal, 20 ft. in height. Two inclines have been driven for a distance of 2J chains in a northerly direction at a grade of 1 in 3. A change in the strike of the seam was then met, and the directions of the inclines were altered to meet the changed conditions. The West level has been extended some 6| chains from the stone drive. The coal is of good quality, and mining-conditions generally are favourable. Morgan Seam, No. 2: During the year the stone headings reached this seam. The coal is of good quality, 30 ft. in thickness. Levels are being driven east and west, and inclines will shortly be set away to reacli the Morgan No. 1 level, 24 chains distant. Ferguson's Dip: Work in this section ceased early in January, 1925. No. 3 Mine. —During the year the bulk of the output from this mine was won from pillar-extraction. A small section of solid coal, 3 ft. to 4 ft. in height, east of the main haulage-road and left behind in the first working, has been opened, thus prolonging the life of this mine. No. 3 Extended Mine. —Pillar-extraction in this section continues. Only a small area of coal of approximately 5 acres in extent remains to be won. The new bridge over the Seven-mile Creek leading to the No. 2 Mine has been completed, and a haulage-engine installed near the power-house. A new bathhouse, built of concrete, has been completed at the Middle Break, and is extensively used. James State Mine. —The main heading is now in a distance of 63 chains, and is within 24 chains of Kendriok Creek. After passing through a roll, 6| chains in length, that pinched the seam, the heading-face now shows 5 ft. 0 in. to 6 ft. of clean hard coal. To the west work has been confined to winning coal between the main heading and the outcrop. Six places are at present being worked. To the west of the main heading the inbye workings have been extended some 4 chains. The coal in this direction averages 5 ft. 6 in. in height. Operations outbye have been confined to winning coal already proved, further development having been suspended by faulting of the seam. Blackball Mine.—During the year work commenced in No. 3 level off No. 9 dip, which is now producing the bulk of the output. The coal is of good quality. During July work in No. 1 level, No. 9 dip, ceased, all coal that could be safely won therefrom having been extracted; these workings are now sealed off. Recently a start was made to open up No. 2 dip, which has been full of water for the last nine years, and it is hoped shortly to have the water pumped out. The total output for the year was derived from the workings in No. 9 dip section ; an average of forty-five pairs of colliers being employed. With the satisfactory development of No. 3 level the main haulage-rope from the surface was extended to a point in the main dip immediately opposite the No. 3 level. During February a start was made to construct an additional outlet from No. 9 dip workings to the surface. This additional outlet takes the form of a rise at a gradient of 1 in 1. At the end of the year it was driven approximately 476 ft., leaving 50 ft. to be completed. When finished it will serve as an additional outlet, intake airway, cable-way (in lieu of present level), and will also be used for pumping purposes. On 21st December there were indications of heating in the No. 2 heading off No. 2 level No. 9 dip, and although circumstances indicated that fire would not break out for some time the area was sealed off. The amount of coal abandoned was not considerable ; it is expected that this coal will be won at a later date. Paparoa Mine. —During the first portion of the year the output from this mine was derived from pillarextraction, and during the latter portion from solid workings. An average of fourteen pairs of miners were engaged. At the beginning of the year a start was made to reopen the main West level. The repair work finished, a pair of headings was set out in coal to open a new area recently prospected. The back heading on the east side of the main jig has been driven to meet the East level; this will open up a fairly large area of solid coal. Dobson Mine (Grey Valley Collieries, Limited). —The coal, 15 ft. in thickness, was reached early in the year, and a return airway, to connect with a stone dip driven from the surface at a grade of 1 in 1 for a distance of 472 ft., has been completed. A Keith fan erected adjacent to the Greymouth-Reefton Road will shortlv be in operation. It is proposed to develop the field on the panel system; each panel to be from 3i to 5 acres in extent, with barrier pillars, 2| chains wide. Four main drives, 100 ft. centres, are to be driven to the dip at a grade of ] in 3. This system, coupled with the extre-large-size pillars, should give excellent results, both as regards safety from fires and accidents, and should ensure the extraction of a larger percentage of coal than is customary under the ordinary system of bord-and-pillar work. The erection of a bin for the storage of coal, a concrete bathhouse, and a number of cottages for the housing of the workmen is being proceeded with. Wallsend Mine (Brunner Collieries, Limited). —During the year baling operations were commenced by the above company at the old Wallsend Mine, at Wallsend (Brunnerton). Operations were commenced by erecting a temporary wooden headgear oyer main hoisting-shaft. A winding-engine and a Babcock and Wilcox water-tube boiler was also placed in position. Baling operations commenced with two 400-gallon tanks. It was discovered later that the influx of water was greater than was anticipated. To cope with the influx, the size of the tanks was increased to 600 gallons, and later to 800 gallons. On the completion of baling it is'proposed to install, near the bottom of the shaft, an eight-stage Rees Roturbo pump direct-coupled to a British Thomson-Houston Company's motor of the slip-ring type, flameproof, protected, enclosed, and ventilated. The power will be supplied from the Grey Power Board's plant at 11,000 volts, and transformed at the works to 400 volts.