C.—2A

£3,799 Bs. 4d., as compared with £3,032 10s. lOd. for the previous year. On the output produced this works out to a cost of 8-90 d. per ton. Underground Workings.—Coal-winning operations have been carried out on similar lines to those of the previous year —namely, the extending of workings in the solid in the Anderson, Kimbell East, and Morgan West Sections, and the extraction of pillars from the other sections of the mine. Operations in the Anderson Section consisted of developing areas to the dip and rise from the main east level. In the workings to the dip, the seam maintains an average thickness of about 8 ft., but in the area to the rise it gradually thins as the workings are extended in an easterly direction towards Davey Creek Fault. In the Kimbell East Section development work is still confined to a small area to the rise, in what is known as No. 8 Bank. This seam, in the places that are being extended in a northerly direction, varies between 7 ft. and 8 ft. in thickness, but as the levels are extended in an easterly direction the seam gradually thins and becomes unworkable. Development work in the Morgan Seam consists of extending the No. 3 Bank West workings in the direction of the barrier between the No. 1 and No. 2 Mines. Pillar-extraction in this section continues to be carried out in a satisfactory manner, good roof conditions enabling practically complete extraction. In a few pillar places in the Kimbell Seam a fair percentage is lost in the process of extraction, due to the seam being exceptionally thick and the upper portion intersected with bands of stone. Stone-dusting. —Work under this head has been regularly carried out. The number of samples analysed from the various zones at this colliery was 489. In addition to the latter, 108 samples were analysed from co-operative mines. Plant and Machinery. —The whole of the plant, machinery, and buildings have been maintained in good order and condition, and during the year the following new buildings and plant have been erected : A new mine tub weighbridge at the Middle Brake and a concrete building to house same. The erection of new stables in concrete, containing seven stalls and a feed-house. The construction of a new viaduct to replace one that had to be demolished on the haulage road near the upper Rewanui Township. Two double huts and one single hut have been erected for the housing of workmen, and others are in the course of erection. A new track was constructed from near the Middle Brake to give access to the township. Formerly, the residents had to travel through a tunnel 7 chains in length. A pair of Tangye engines to operate the cable-car have been erected, but so far the housing of same is not completed. A considerable amount of work was carried out in repairing the concrete retaining-wall near the No. 2 Mine, also in protecting the banks of the Seven-mile Creek below the Middle Brake Power-house, which had been damaged by flood-water. Exploratory Work. —In my previous reports reference was made to the work that had been carried out by drilling and surface prospecting on that portion of the State coal reserve between the Nine-mile and Ten-mile Creeks. During the year the diamond drilling plant was transported over the ridge between the Nine-mile and Kiwi Creeks, a distance of approximately 70 chains, over very rugged country. A hole was drilled on the banks of Kiwi Creek to a depth of 534 ft., and in the drilling of this hole two seams were passed through at the following depths : The upper seam at 404 ft. and the second seam at 519 ft. The former, which was 12 ft. 6 in. in thickness, was split up with stone bands, but the second seam, also 12 ft. 6 in. in thickness, consisted of clean, hard coal. On the completion of this hole, another site was selected 15 chains upstream in Kiwi Creek, where a hole was drilled to a depth of 624 ft. In the drilling of the latter two seams were passed through at the following depths : The upper seam, 17 ft. in thickness, at 481 ft., and the second seam, 14 ft. in thickness, at 604 ft. ; both these seams consisted of clean, hard coal. All work in connection with prospecting on this portion of the reserve is suspended in the meantime. James Collieuy. Coal-winning. —The gross total output for the year was 26,845 tons 2 cwt., a reduction of 6,848 tons 14 cwt. when compared with the figures of last year. After making allowances for stocks on hand at the beginning of the year and deducting mine consumption and waste, there remained for disposal 32,136 tons 11 cwt. 1 qr., which is accounted for as follows : —

2

_ Screened. U ™™ d Small. Slack. Total. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Tons owt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Shipped .. .. 8,595 9 1 1,890 9 2 .. 9,606 10 2 20,092 9 1 Rail to Canterbury .. 5,205 11 1 1,501 1 2 805 15 0 386 7 3 7,898 15 2 Local sales .. .. 105 12 2 .. .. 13 5 1 . 118 17 3 Mine sales .. .. .. 7 10 0 .. .. 7 10 0 Sold to workmen and .. 500 13 2 .. .. - 500 13 2 free issues Stock in bin and yard.. 25 0 0 50 0 0 .. 200 0 0 275 0 0 Stock on wharf ' .. 39 1 1 2112 0 .. ... 60 13 1 Stock in dump .. .. .. .. 3,182 12 0 3,182 12 0 13,970 14 1 3,971 6 2 805 15 0 13,388 15 2 32,136 11 1 Used on works .. .-. 226 0 0 .. .. 226 0 0 Waste .. .. .. 654 2 0 .. .. 654 2 0 Totals .. 13,970 14 1 4,851 8 2 805 15 0 13,388 15 2 33,016 13 1