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C.—2

United Brunner Mines, Ltd., Brunner. —No coal-mining operations have been done on this lease for a considerable time previous to December, 1938. However, during December operations recommenced when four men were employed reconditioning the surface tram-line and clearing a fall at the portal of the old Coolgardie Mine. It was the intention of the company to work the property by means of the old Coolgardie level, but this was found to be in such a bad state as to render this method impracticable. Consequently, further work in connection with the old level was abandoned and preparations were made to commence boring with a view to proving as to whether the coal-seam existed at a point adjacent to the head of the surface-inclined tramway. During the year quite a fair quantity of gannister has been quarried off the lease at a point adjacent to the main Brunner-Blackball Road, Co-operative Mines in Grey District. Spark and Party's Mine, Rewanui.—At the commencement of the year a stone tunnel was in process of construction to tap a coal-seam at a lower level than the seam in the old mine. During the year the seam was tapped, but as gas was given o3 freely, it was found to be very difficult to ventilate. Consequently, a commencement was made to construct another stone tunnel to tap the seam. Progress in this tunnel was slow owing to a fairly large quantity of water being encountered. However, the coal-seam was tapped and a connection was made in coal between this tunnel and the one first driven. Coal-production commenced in December and will no doubt continue during the year 1939. Old Runanga Mine (O'Brien and Parly), Rewanui.—Two seams are operated at this mine, Nos. 1 and 2 seams, No. 1 seam being the uppermost. The output obtained during the year was won from both solid workings and pillar-extraction. No. 1 Seam : Further driving of the main level in this seam has been abandoned owing to the seam thinning and same containing a thick band of stone. No. I panel to the rise of the main level has been completely formed into pillars. On the 10th October, 1938, a feeder of gas was encountered, and in consequence the Manager was instructed to introduce safety-lamps to replace naked lights then in use. No. 2 Seam : All development work is done in this seam, and pillar-extraction has commenced immediately under an area from which the upper seam has been extracted. Electric safety-lamps are in use in both seams. Ooldlight Colliery (Williams and Party), Rewanui. —This mine is fast approaching total exhaustion. The output for the year was won from pillar-extraction. With a view to proving as to whether the seam existed on another portion of the lease, boring was resorted to but, as yet, without success. Moody Creek Mine (Simpson and Party), Dunollie.—The total output from this mine was won from development work. All development to the rise of the main level has been completed. Consequently, all development work is now confined to dip workings. No. I dip, known as Wilson's dip, has been driven a distance of 5 chains, and the seam at the face is 9 ft. in thickness and of good quality. However, owing to the presence of faults, development to the right and left of the dip presents difficulties. New Point Elizabeth Mine (Guy and Party), Dunollie.—The output from this mine was obtained chiefly from development work. The main-rise heading has been driven a distance of .18 chains. At fhis point clays and gravels were encountered. Development work to the right and left near the head of the heading is somewhat restricted owing to the presence of faults and the nearness of the hill escarpment to the heading. Indications are that the development work will soon bo completed and pillar-extraction resorted to. Fiery Cross Mine (Currie and Party), Dunollie.—The output from this rnino was won from pillarextraction. There are only a few pillars to be extracted, and it is estimated that the mine will be fully exhausted by the end of June, 1939. Bend Creek Mine (Baddeley and Party), Dunollie.—The output obtained from this mine was won from pillar-extraction. All development work in the mine has been completed. Some prospecting, however, has been done on a new lease adjacent to the present surface tram-line. Results are encouraging, and a commencement has been made to construct an inclined surface tramway to connect the present tramway with the prospecting-drive. Castlepoint Mine, Dunollie.-—The output from this mine was won partly from development work and partly from pillar-extraction. Development work continued during the greater portion of the year by advancing the main level. However, when this had been driven 40 chains a fault was encountered and driving was abandoned. Development work is now confined to the rise of the main-level inbye of the Crosscut section. Pillar-extraction is taking place in the last-named section. Hilltop Mine (Armstrong and Party), Ten-mile. —The output from this mine was won. from pillar-extraction in the dip workings and the splitting and robbing of pillars situated near the outcrop. Complete extraction of the pillars near the outcrop is inadvisable owing to possible danger due to slips from the cliff immediately over the. mine-entrance. The mine is approaching total exhaustion, but it is the intention of the party to develop a seam underlying the seam now being worked. Hunter and Party's Mine (Late Brady's), Ten-mile..-—Development work has continued during the year, the total output having been won from this work. The main dip has been driven 8 chains in a southerly direction. At this point an upthrow fault was encountered. At the end of the year prospecting through the fault had not been commenced, but it is intended to do so at a later date. In the meantime development work is proceeding to the east of the dip. The coal-seam is of good quality and is 10 ft. in thickness. Kaye and Party's Mine, Ten-mile. —The output from this mine was won from development work in. the dip workings. The dip has been extended and levels driven east and west off the dip. At the face of No. 1 level east 5 chains inbye an upthrow fault was encountered. A little prospecting was done at the fault, but work was temporarily abandoned before the seam was tapped on the upthrow side. On the 3rd August last OH,, was detected in this mine and safety-lamps were introduced and are still used. Hunter and Party's Mine, Dunollie.—Almost the whole output from this mine has been won from development work to the dip of the main level, where the coal-seam is of good quality but only 3 ft. 6 in. in thickness. The dip has been driven 5J chains, but, owing to the seam thinning below 3 ft. 6 in., driving was abandoned. Levels off the dip advancing in. a northerly direction have been driven 6 chains. There arc still a few pillars to bo extracted from the rise of the main level, but they are to be left until the workings to the dip are completed. Schutiz Creek Mine (Marshall and Party), Twelve-mile. —The output from this mine was won from pillarextraction. The coal is of good quality, but the seam is only 3 ft. in thickness. The borehole, which the party began to sink in 1937 adjacent to the fault in the main level, has not been persevered with. Prospecting around the hill beyond the fault proved that the seam was so thin as to render profitable working impossible, hence the abandonment of boring operations. Dennehy's Mine, Twelve-mile. —This mine did not operate during the year. Cain's Mine, Rapahoe.—The larger portion of the output from this mine was won from pillar-extraction in the old mine. Some prospecting has been done, and is still in progress, in a small area lying between the old mine workings and the No. I west section of the James Mine. Results of the prospecting have not been very encouraging, but it is still probable that workable coal will bo tapped in the area. Bellbird Mine (Fauth and Party), Ten-mile.■— The whole of the output from this mine was won from, pillar-extraction, in Nos. I, 2 and 3 levels east of the dip. Development work has still to be done in No. 6 level. When this level has been driven to the fault encountered in. No. 5 level it is intended to prospect, through the fault. The sefipi in this mine is of good quality and is 9 ft, in thickness,

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