C.—2.

Nelson District. Puponga Mine, Puponga.—Slant Dip Section : Eleven miners were employed in this section developing in a south-easterly direction in good quality coal 5 ft. 6 in. in thickness. The dip is stopped in good coal 12 chains from the surface. The workings in this section are approaching the fault-line. Pillar Section : Three miners are employed in extracting pillars on the low side of the horse-road. Only two pillars remain to be extracted. Spion Kop Section : Two miners were employed in extracting the few remaining pillars. With a view to the further development of the field, three boreholes of a total depth of 1,443 ft. 5 in., were put down. The results were inconclusive, and further boring is to be undertaken. No. 1 borehole was 524 ft. in depth (by side of swamp). No. 2 borehole was 478 ft. 5 in. in depth (near top of swamp). No. 3 borehole was 441 ft. in depth (west of swamp). Coal of varying thickness was met in all three boreholes. Mount Burnett Mine, Collingwood.—The main dip, on a gradient of 1 in 3-J, was stopped at 9 chains from the surface in unworkable coal. The thinning of the seam in the north side of the dip makes each level shorter on that side. No. 5 level could be continued only 2J chains. The pillars on the south side will be taken out as soon as the levels are completed. The inclination of the seam is approximately 60 degrees. It is proposed to extract the remaining pillars. The life of this mine is approximately one year. Motupipi Mine (Winter's), Talcalca. —Stripping operations were continued on the beach, and 82 tons of coal was produced. Abbotsford Mine (Irvine's), Takaka. —No mining operations were carried out during the year. Owen Colliery, Owen River, Murchison. —During the year development work to the dip was continued, No. 1 dip being driven a distance of 3J chains in a westerly direction below No. 1 level. From the main dip one narrow place and two stalls were driven in a north-westerly direction parallel with and below the main level. The stalls were 36 ft. in width. A pack wall 12 ft. to 14 ft. in width is being carried up the centre of each stall. Inbye No. 1 dip, a second dip has been started and driven for a distance of 2J chains westerly. A typical section of the seam is as follows Top coal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 ft. 0 in. to 1 ft. 6 in. Dirt bands .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 ft. 0 in. to 3 ft. 0 in. Bottom coal .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 ft. 0 in. to 3 ft. 6 in. Plant : During the year a new 34 horse-power oil-enghie and compressor were erected for pumping and haulage purposes. A start was made to enlarge the bin to provide more storage room. O'Rourke's Mine, Murchison. —The bottom level is still being extended in coal 2 in. in thickness. Only a small amount of coal was won during the year. Wynndale Mine, Murchison.—ln the upper north level pillar-extraction was commenced, the seam being nearly vertical. The coal is first stoped and the ground filled with debris. The filling is kept close up to the working-face as coal-extraction continues. South of the creek a pair of levels was advanced a distance of 7 chains. In both levels a roll was encountered, and prospecthig operations are being carried on to prove coal in advance of the present workings. Clarke Mine (8. Hartshorne's), Baton. —In the main level the coal pinched on the fault-line to an unworkable thickness. A short dip-drive was then put down for a distance of If chains, and levels broken away to the right and left. The coal, which is some 8 ft. in thickness, was split by two stone bands. Fatal Accident. One fatal accident occurred during the year. On 31st July, 1935, James Joseph O'Donnell, miner, aged twenty-three years, was killed in the west section of the Paparoa Mine. Deceased was walking towards his working-face when a block of stone fell from the goaf, and, rolling down the incline, struck the miner, inflicting fatal injuries. Serious Non-fatal Accidents. Fourteen serious accidents were notified during the year : — On 26th February, 1935, Charles Morgan received a serious eye injury at the Wallsend Colliery. Morgan and his mate were preparing to bore a shot-hole, and it is surmised that Morgan had brought the drills and stood them against the working-face. One of the drills fell, striking Morgan in the eye, the sharp edge of the bit cutting the eyeball. On 13th March, 1935, Ronald Virtue, miner, Dobson Mine, employed in No. 1 dip, No. 3 east level, received a compression fracture of the fourth abdominal vertebra. He was struck by a fall of coal and knocked against a truck. On 4th April, 1935, Stanley Tibbots, trucker, Burke's Creek Mine, sustained a fractured pubic bone and other injuries. Tibbots was trucking along the main level to the foot of the jig. After turning out a full truck on a flat sheet, he attempted to push the truck back on the road while the jig above was running. The descending box struck the one on the sheet, crushing Tibbots between the box and the low side rib. On 9th April, 1935, Robert McTaggart, miner, Duggan and Party's Mine, received a double fracture of the right forearm when a piece of eoal fell from the bin, striking him and inflicting the injury above mentioned. On 17th April, 1935, Henry Stagg, miner, Liverpool Colliery, suffered a displaced vertebra, as the result of a fall of top coal in his working-plaee. On 30th April, 1935, Frank Campbell, miner, Millerton Colliery, when stepping off a ladder, slipped and fell on a piece of coal, fracturing three ribs. On 9th May, 1935, Noel Aldridge, locomotive driver, Stockton Mine, received a fractured right femur and lacerated wound of the left arm. He was bringing down a full rake of coal from Fly Creek when he ran into a load of timber which had been uncoupled off the empty rake going inbye. Aldridge was caught between the ends of the props and the locomotive. On 24th May, 1935, William Harris, mine-manager, Higrade Mine, fell from a ladder, fracturing his left arm. On 15th July, 1935, Charles Nelson, horse-driver, Denniston Colliery, was struck in the left eye by a sprag. He was in the act of spragging a rake of coal when the sprag flew out and struck him, inflicting the above injury. On 17th July, 1935, George Erskine, miner, Dobson Mine, received a broken jaw (left side) and a fractured skull. He was working ill No. 3 bank west, when approximately 3 cwt. of coal fell from the roof and struck him. On 16th September, 1935, a fall of stone in a working-place in the Wallsend Mine dislodged three sets of timber. A miner named George Simon was caught by the timber, which fractured his left tibia. On 2nd October, 1935, Steve Gugun, miner, Dobson Mine, while riding in an empty rake on the No. 1 dip, received a compression fracture of the twelfth dorsal and first lumbar bones in the spine. On 2nd December, 1935, D. McEwan, miner, whilst employed in the Millerton Mine, was struck by a fall of coal as he was descending a ladder, receiving a fractured upper jaw and fractured rib (right side). On 2nd December, 1935, Archibald Martin, miner, employed in the Denniston Colliery, was struck by a piece of coal and sustained a fractured right radius. Dangerous Occurrences in Coal-mines (Regulation 82, Coal-mines Act, 1925). On 2nd January, 1935, a report was received from the Police Constable, Charleston, to the effect that fires had broken out on the lignite field at Charleston. On inspection it was discovered that two fires were situated on the lease owned by Messrs. Bowater and Bryan and two on the lease owned by Mr. J. H. Powell. A fifth fire was situated on a gold-mining lease held by Messrs. R. C. Tennent and L. Husband. Water was obtained from Powell's race and directed on to the fires. Towards the end of the year the fires again became active.

10—C. 2.

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