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Huntly School of Mines. The mining classes were well supported, some thirty students availing themselves of the opportunity of gaining technical knowledge and of preparing for the examinations held in October and November. Classes were held three nights weekly at Huntly and one night each at Glen Massey and Rotowaro. Two students were regularly assisted by correspondence. Fatal Accidents. On 7th July John Clark, a soreen-attendant employed by the Glen Afton Collieries, Ltd., was fatally injured as the result of a fall into the machinery on the Glen Afton screens. Death was duo to a fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain. On I.4th September Nicholas Belich, a machineman employed at the Renown Colliery, died as the result of an electric shock sustained whilst he was engaged in lifting a gate-end box. Serious Non-fatal Accidents. On 21st February Rua Terewhiti, an employee of the Rotowaro Colliery, sustained a fracture of the spine when he overbalanced and fell off one of the wagons used to convey workmen from the mine to the Rotowaro Station. On 2nd March D. Carrigan, minor, Renown Colliery, suffered a fracture of the right forearm. He was removing his tools when he slipped on a rail and fell. On Bth April 0. ,J. Mason, miner, Renown Colliery, sustained contusion of the muscles of his shoulder when he slipped on a rail and struck a prop. On 22nd April T. Labrum, shiftman, Pukemiro Colliery, received a fracture of the right radius when his wrist was caught and crushed between two skips. On 20th May J. H. Park, shiftman, Glen Afton No. 1 Colliery, slipped on a rail and fell, fracturing the left radius. On 30th June A. Swift, shiftman, Pukemiro Colliery, suffered hsematomo of the scalp and a strain of the neck muscles when his head was caught in the handle-bars of two skips whilst ho was uncoupling them. On 6th July William Lang, miner, Wilton Colliery, sustained a fractured fibula of the right leg due to a fall of roof stone. On 10th September K. Gair, deputy, Wilton Colliery, was caught by the haulage rope at the rope-drum. His injuries consisted of concussion and several broken ribs. Dangerous Occurrences (Regulation 82 of the Coal-mines Act, 1925). On lll.h March a heating was found in the gob in F section of the Mac Donald Mine. The two small stumps of coal which were affected were filled out, after which everything was quite normal. On 13th March a large volume of smoke was discovered in the vicinity of No. 4 auxiliary haulage road, Rotowaro No. 1 Mine. Permanent brick stoppings were erected to seal off the affected area. On 31st March a heating was detected in F section of the Mac Donald Mine, the affected area being subsequently sealed off by the erection of four brick stoppings. On 6th May indications of heating were discovered coming from a fall near a stopping on the return airway of the Renown Colliery, and the area was sealed off. On 13th August indications of a heating were found in B section of the Mac Donald Mine. Two stoppings were erected and the area sealed off. On 25th August " fire-stink " was discovered in a place in the main rope section, Rotowaro No. f Mine, and live stoppings were erected. On 30th August a heating was discovered in the return airway, near H section of the Glen Afton No. 1 Colliery. This was immediately given attention and the place made secure. On 13th September the men in the stone-drive section, Rotowaro No. 3 Mine, were withdrawn due to the presence of " fire-stink." This was caused by one of the ventilating-doors having been knocked down by a runaway, thus reducing the quantity of air in that sectfon. When the door was repaired the section was subsequently cleared of gas. On 24th October the mine-manager of the Rotowaro Colliery advised that a small active lire had been discovered in the goaf of a pillar in the Daylight section, No. 1 Mine. Permanent stoppings were erected and the fire was suppressed. Prosecutions under the Coal-mines Act, 1925. On 20th January a deputy was charged with behaving in a violent manner by attempting to strike a trucker. The case was dismissed upon payment of costs by the defendant. On 24th February a miner was charged with striking a trucker with his closed fist. The defendant was convicted and fined £2, and costs. On 29th September a carpenter was charged with unlawfully interfering, contrary to section 145 (3) of the Coalmines Act, 1925, with the fencing and place where a fatal accident occurred- He was convicted and fined £1, costs, 12s. On 29th September a trucker was charged with refusing to allow himself to be searched for prohibited articles. He was convicted and fined £1, costs 10s. On 29th September four truckers were charged with having in their possession contrivances for smoking. All were convicted and fined £1 each, costs 10s. each. WEST COAST INSPECTION DISTRICT (W. Parsonage and J. McArthur, Inspectors of Coal-mines). In accordance with section 42 of the Coal-mines Act, 1925, we have the honour to submit our annual report on the workings of the coal-mines in the West Coast Inspection District. The combined output from the Nelson, Buller, Reefton, and Grey districts was 984,389 tons, as compared with 975,228 tons during 1937, showing an increase of 9,161 tons. The following summaries show the increases and decreases in output and the number of persons employed during the year as compared with the output and number of persons employed during the year 1937 in the several districts of the Inspection District.

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