0.-2.

Rough Ridge Coalpit.—A few tons were won from the south-east corner of the lease during the year. A total output of 35,701 tons has been won. Idaburn Coalpit.—Further stripping has been done at the north-west end of the pit where there is about 8 ft. of stripping including some fine white sand suitable for plastering. Total output to the 31st December, 1931, was 56,015 tons. Oturehua Mine.—The dip to the north-west is down 6J chains from the surface at an average grade of about lin 5. For the last 2to 3 chains it was in lignite of very poor quality, but has again reached good lignite. Work is now concentrated on driving stentons and another connection to the surface for a return airway. The dip is ventilated by a 6 in. sirocco fan used as a blower. Only a little work has been done at the opencast pit. To end of 1931 6,921 tons have been produced. Parfit's Pit. —The large slip from the west side which almost buried the pit in 1930 has been cleared away with the hydraulic nozzle and supplies are again being won from the north end of the pit. Total production to the 31st December, 1931, was 876 tons. Cambrian Pit. —Further stripping was done to the west, and the pipe-line shifted back about 10 yards farther to the west. Total output to the 31st December, 1931, was 52,851 tons. Coal Creek Flat Pit. —Most of the recent supply has been won from the upper portion of the thick seam, but the lower portion has been pumped out and work is proceeding towards the traffic-road. It is to be regretted that there is not a much greater demand for the lignite from this large and cheaply worked opencast pit. To end of 1931 the total output was 100,319 tons. Shepherd's Creek Mine.—Production during the year was from the extraction of pillars from the north side workings. The waste is closing behind them nicely, the sand overburden filling it completely. At the present output the pillars should suffice for another two to three years. To the 31st December, 1931, total production was 126,161 tons. Nevis Crossing Mine. —Work was recommenced near an old mine, about a mile above the junction of Coal Creek and the Nevis River and east of the river. A small quantity of lignite was won from opencast workings and then a level 6 ft. high was driven in about 50 ft. The seam is 13 ft. thick and there is about 4 ft. of gravel overlying the seam which could be sluiced away and the lignite then won by opencast working. Total output to the 31st December, 1931, was 18,276 tons. Blackman's Gully Mine, near Earnscleugh.—About 20 chains north of the small mine worked in 1928 a short dip has been driven. A level was then driven to the north and intersected the dip near its face. It is now in 15 yards in a seam of coal 6 ft. thick and dipping to the north at about 30°. About 5 chains east is an untimbered level to the south driven in very soft lignite. Freeman's Mine.—Pillar-extraction has been continued throughout the year. All working-places are well supported by blue-gum props, and the mine at present is free from trouble through heating. Roadways are constantly heaving and have to be brushed. A trucking-road, driven through several pillars on the south side, had to be abandoned owing to crush, the lignite there being of poor quality. The return airway is now along the north side and an old air-shaft has been cleaned out and retimbered. Total output to the 31st December, 1931, was 623,077 tons. Jubilee Mine. —Pillaring was continued in the lower south workings, but on the 24th May a second inrush of water, apparently through some, fissure leading to the old No. 4 section, delayed work for some weeks. The inflow is now only 4,000 gallons per hour, but the damage it caused and the possibility of further inrushes prevents the extension of the dip workings, so the life of this mine is limited to the already proven coal in the north and south levels. The upper south pillars have been worked, and pillaring in that section was completed in November. Considerable development has been done in the lower north levels, but when the bottom north level was in 11 chains thin coal of very poor quality was reached. The levels to the rise have since entered the thin coal area. None of them is within 4 chains of the old Walton Park Mine workings. Pillar-extraction from that section will be commenced early in the coming year. The floor heaves in most of the trucking-roads necessitating much brushing and renewals of timber. Towards the end of the year prospecting by hand bores was commenced a few chains south of the original Jubilee Mine, closed in 1918. Three holes have been drilled 50 ft., 60 ft., and 71ft. in depth respectively, the third hole being 600 ft. west of the first one. Three seams of lignite were proved, averaging 4 ft., 5 ft., and 8 ft. in thickness. The 5 ft. seam was worked to the dip in the old mine and it is expected that the 8 ft. seam will underlie those old workings. Tenders have been called for a level drive, about 900 ft. long, to intersect the 8 ft. seam. Total output to end of 1931 was 579,764 tons. Fairfield Colliery.—South of the area now being proven by the Jubilee Coal Co. is Section 45, which has been acquired by the Fairfield Collieries, Ltd., for coal-mining. Two bores have been put down by a percussive drill driven by a petrol-engine. The first bore proved two seams of lignite, the upper one 7 ft. thick and the lower one lift., the floor of which is 185 ft. down from the surface. In the second hole, about 5 Chains west of the other, the seams are thinner and the 11 ft. seam is split. A dip is being driven at a grade of 1 in 4 to work the lower seam. McMaster's Saddle Hill the opencast pit the lignite became of very poor quality, so another pit was opened about 15 chains farther north to work a fairly large pillar left in from former workings. To the south-west there was only 8 ft. of overburden but it thickened to the north-west so a drive, 6 ft. wide, was put in that direction. Broken ground was reached 30 yards in, so the small amount of available pillar coal to the west was worked back. Another small area, a few chains from the opencast pit worked about a year ago, is being worked, and a 6 ft. drive is in over a chain and well supported by sets of timber. Work to the north is limited, but hopes are held of driving under a stream to the south to some unworked ground beyond. Total output to end of 1931 was 1,032 tons. Willowbank Mine. —To shorten the haulage a new dip was driven from the surface, commencing 60 ft. from the old mine entrance and connecting to the east side workings, and the ventilating-fan removed to the mouth of the old haulage-road, which became the main return airway. The new dip and places to the north entered an area of soft and friable lignite and when 8J chains down from the surface the dip struck a downthrow fault. Bottoms were picked up chain back and up to the fault-line, and driving renewed. A little coal was met, but it soon cut out. Driving has been continued in igneous rock for over a chain, so apparently a large dyke is being crossed. If development proves disappointing and coal is not soon met pillar-extraction from the inbye east workings will be commenced. A place to the north in the east workings has also reached faulted ground, but a little more prospecting will be done there before that place is stopped. A small area to the south-west and between the new and the old haulage-roads is also being worked. Total production to the 31st December, 1931, was 40,040 tons. Salisbury Mine. —Early in the year two miners commenced prospecting near the old Salisbury Mine workings. A drive was put in to the north-east and about 5 chains east of the old workings; at 20 ft. in a seam of lignite ft. thick was met but further driving proved it too thin, and the drive was stopped at 90 ft. in, the seam being then only 4 ft. 8 in. thick with a roof of sand. Another drive was put in farther to the west and met fallen-in old workings when only 11 yards in. A place was broken away and connected to a level from the first drive. A new drive was put in to the north-west, later deviating to the north, in coal 6 ft. thick, but with a fairly good roof. This place also holed into old workings. Along the line of the outcrop the overburden, from 6 ft. to 10 ft. thick, has been stripped for a chain in length and the seam is being worked opencast. To the end of 1931 the. total output was 4,933 tons. Elliotvale Mine. —A dip being driven to the south at about 1 in 8 is down 4 chains in good thick coal with a clean parting 7 ft. from the floor, A good deal of water is being made and has to be hand-bailed,

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