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James Mine Extension (Nine-mile Area): The work of surveying the proposed route of the rope-road from the present mine to the Nine-mile area has been in hand, and the stone-drive from Cannel Creek to the Nine-mile was commenced. A traffic road, 83 chains in length, from the Westport-Grey mouth main highway up the Nine-mile Creek, to provide access to the new section, is nearing completion and should be finished early in 1937. The workshops and'storehouse to be used in the extension of the present mine were commenced. Blackball Goal-mines Pty., Ltd., Blackball. —No development-work was done during the year. All the coal was won by the extraction of pillars in the districts between Nos. 13 and 16 banks on the old main level. On two occasions fires were encountered, but were not of a serious nature. Prospecting: Drilling operations in the Soldier's Creek area were commenced in November, and one hole was completed at the junction of Paparoa and Soldier's Creeks. Fifteen feet of coal, No. 2 seam, was struck at 300 ft. depth, or practically at sea-level. Blackball Greek Goal Co., .Ltd., Blackball. —Operations were confined to pillar-extraction in Nos. 2, 3, and 4 sections in No. 1 seam. No new development-work was attempted during the year. Briandale Colleries, Ltd., Ten-mile.—All the coal won was by pillar-extraction, from an area known as the Aerial section, between two faults. This mine was exhausted and closed down during November and the aerial jig was discarded. Commencing at a point 15 chains from the old Aerial bins and approximately 6 chains from the terminus of the tram-line, a jig was constructed. This is 22 chains in length and strikes the Aerial seam outcrop at a point 15 chains from the old Aerial mine-mouth. Coal-production from this new area has not yet commenced as there is still some outside construction work to be completed. Wallsend Colliery (Brunner Collieries, Ltd.), Brunner. —On account of the thinning of the seam to 3 ft. 6 in. and 4 ft., development in the main west headings was discontinued. A pair of levels to the south of these .headings was persevered with until May, when that area, and the No. 4 panel, were abandoned. From information gained in these west headings it was decided to drive a pair of headings in a south-westerly direction, approximately 35° to the south of the main headings, for future rope-road extension. These headings have been carried to a distance of approximately 20 chains and are developed sufficiently for a panel to be formed to the rise. A small auxiliary endless-rope system of haulage was installed. Slant Dip : The dip was not advanced much during the year, development being mainly to the west from a level about half-way down the dip. The lower level was also advanced in a westerly direction, but a very heavy roof with troublesome gas-feeders retarded progress, and work in this area was stopped. It is intended to drive a pair of dips, off the lower level lay-bye, to prove the position of the Dobson fault, which lies to the south, and also to work the block of coal to the east of the slant dip. No. 1 Panel: The completion of the solid work in the panel was continued and a little splitting was done. No. 2 Panel: The work in this panel throughout the year consisted of the splitting of pillars. Roof-movement at times liberated heavy gas-feeders, which, however, soon eased off. An increased inflow of water was also experienced, but this also had eased off somewhat. No. 3 Panel: Pillar-splitting, together with the working of half of the 3 chain barrier pillar between Nos. 2 and 3 panels, was carried on. This area is small, having been cut off to the north by the Kimberly fault. Plant: With the exception of the installation of a 6 in. air-main and a 4 in. water-column for No. 3 section, little new work was done regarding the installation of plant. Dobson Colliery (Grey Valley Collieries, Ltd.), Dobson. —With the exception of a small percentage, the output for the year was won from the dip workings—viz., Nos. 2, 3, and 4 west level sections and No. 4 east level section. In No. 2 west level the boundary of the company's property was reached, and the workings on both the rise and dip sides of the main level were rapidly being worked to the limits of the boundary, which, when reached (due to the fact that pillar-extraction cannot be performed), would terminate the work in this section. Nos. 3 and 4 west levels are purely developing levels, No. 3 having been driven for a distance of 26 chains and is within 4 chains of the boundary. On the dip side of No. 3 a pair of dips were driven for a distance of 5 chains, thereby opening up a sufficient area to develop a complete panel of workings. Eleven chains on the inbye side of these a pair of dips were driven for 5 chains to open up a half-panel. No. 4 west level was driven for 10 chains and was sufficiently advanced to permit of a pair of headings to be set off to the rise so as to connect with dips from No. 3, thus providing a return for the air from No. 4 section. No. 4 east was driven for 10 chains. To provide for water lodgment a dip was driven for 2 chains from No. 4 east and from which a lodgment-level is in course of being driven. The coal opened up by these developmg-places is of excellent quality. At the end of the year arrangements were well in hand for the installing of an endless-rope haulage in No. 1 dip. Paparoa Colliery (Paparoa Goal Co., Ltd.), Roa. —West Level Section: Most of the output for the year was won from this section. Pillar-extraction was carried out from the main levels, which were driven to a fault. The solid work to the outcrop, a distance of approximately 11 chains to the full rise, was nearing completion at the end of the year, so that all work to the rise side of the main west level will be on pillars. A stone-and-coal drive is being carried out from the bottom of the main west level jig in a westerly direction, the object being to pick up the coal-seam 6 chains to the dip of the main west level. Aerial Section : Owing to slackness of trade there was no coal produced from this area until near the end of the year. The whole of the output was obtained by pillar-extraction. United Brunner Mines, Ltd., Brunner.—This mine remained closed during the year. Go-operative Mines in Grey District. Spark and Party's Mine, Rewanui.—Coal-production from this mine was stopped during the year, having been brought back as near as advisable to the new dip stone-drive, which is being put in from the present seam to a lower seam which was proved by boring. The dip was driven 120 ft. from the original stone-drive at a gradient of approximately 1 in 3. Duggan and Party's Mine, Rewanui.—All the coal was won by pillar-extraction from a small section to the dip of the original mine. At the end of the year only a few pillars of thin coal were left, and the probable life of this colliery would be a few months only. Prospecting: A little prospecting by boring was done in a new lease, situate about a mile from Dunollie, in a seam which was proved by boring to be 3 ft. 6 in. in thickness. Old Runanga Mine (O'Brien and Party), Rewanui.—Two seams are being worked, the approximate distance between the seams being 60 ft. No. 1 Mine (Top Seam) : Development was continued in a northerly direction in 4 ft. of good-quality coal. No. 2 Mine (Bottom Seam) : Development-work was carried on in a northerly direction. During the year safety-lamps were installed in the No. 2 mine owing to the mine-manager having received burns after firing a shot. . Goldlight Colliery (Williams and Party), Rewanui. —Pillar-extraction in the old mine was continued. A stone tunnel 8 chains in length was driven in a south-westerly direction to strike the lower dip workings of the top mine. During the year an area below the Rewanui railway-line was worked, but operations ceased owing to the coal-seam having thinned to 2 ft. and becoming very dirty. Moody Creek Mine (Simpson and Party), Dunollie.—An area of coal being developed in a south-westerly direction across the fault and to the rise of No. 5 mine is in good-quality coal 7 ft. thick.

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