C.—2.

" Webb" fault, further troubled country has been encountered. The seam has thinned to an unworkable thickness, and all development work in a north-westerly direction has ceased. The management has contemplated sinking a borehole from the surface in the area beyond the point where the coal has thinned to prove if coal of a workable thickness exists. Should the seam exist, then a stone tunnel would be driven through the troubled country from the West dip workings. However, nothing further has been done regarding boring. Watson's Mine, Karwmea.—During the year 18 tons of coal were produced from this mine for domestic purposes. Nelson District. I'uponga Mine, Puponga.-—The output from this mine during the year was won from pillar-oxtraction. No development work of any description has been undertaken since September, 1937, when the borehole sunk to the dip of the old mine workings was completed. This borehole proved the existence of a seam of coal 5 ft. in thickness in an area that may bo worked in conjunction with the old Puponga Mine. Mount Burnett Mine., Collingwood.—The output from this mine during the year has been won from development work. Three levels have been driven in the seam on the south side of the fault a distance of 15 chains. The coal has been of fair quality, but at the end of the year the coal at the face of the level had thinned to 2 ft. 6 in. and is interspersed with bands of splint. It is very difficult to separate the splint from the coal, hence difficulty is experienced in marketing the product. It is questionable if further development will be done to the south. North Gape Syndicate, Onekaka.—This syndicate commenced operations about the middle of the year on a seam of coal on freehold property at Onekaka approximately 12 chains from the Old North Cape Mine, and 44 tons of coal were produced. The mine was abandoned. Motupipi Mine (Winter's), Takalca.—This mine is worked opencast and is situated on the beach. The seam is overlain with approximately 3 ft. of sand and mud. The coal is of fair quality and meets local demands. Abbotsford Mine (Irvine's), Takalca.—Coal was not produced from this mine during the year. Owen Colliery, Owen River, Murchison.—This mine is operated under the double-stall system of working. The output for the year was won from the sinking of No. 2 dip and the driving of stalls east and west off the dip. Coal-production has not taken place from No's. 1, 2, and 3 stalls wost during the year, but preparations are being made to cut otf these stalls with No. 3 dip, and when this work is done production from the stalls mentioned will recommence. O'Eourke's Mine, Murchison. —No work of any description was done at this mine during the year, but it is anticipated that coal-production will recommence early in January, 1939. Wynndale Mine, Murchison.—Bottom Mine : The output from this mine during the year was won from pillar-extraction on the north side and development work on the south side. Pillar-extraction from the north side is completed, while the only development now to be done on the south side is the driving of the bottom level a further 5 chains to 6 chains. The two higher levels have been driven a distance of 15 chains and have encountered faulted country; therefore, development work in these levels has ceased. Top Mine: No work has been done in this mine during the year. At the end of 1937 the seam thinned and the mine was abandoned. Clarke Mine (S. Ilartshorne), Baton.—The output of coal during the year from this mine was won from development work. The new dip has now been driven 4J chains, and the seam, which is steeply inclined, is 12 ft. in thickness and the coal is of better quality than formerly. During the last three months of the year improvements have been made regarding better facilities for screening and the haulage of coal. Broxburn Mine (Broxburn Coal Co.), Baton.—A. small quantity of coal was produced from this mine during the year. The coal is of poor quality. Consequently, difficulty was experienced in marketing the product, and the mine closed down during the second half of the year. Schools of Mines. During the year interest in the Schools of Mines in the Wost Coast district was maintained. Classes, under the jurisdiction of the Directors of the Schools of Mines at Westport, Reefton, and Runanga, are held in localities to suit the requirements of all students residing in the mining townships, and all subjects relative to mining are taught. Therefore, students are instructed so as to be able to present themselves as candidates for the annual mining examinations. Classes are held by the Westport School of Mines at Westport, Denniston, Granity, and Stockton ; by the Reefton School of Mines at Reefton, Blackball, Wallsend, and Waiuta ; and by the Runanga School of Mines at Runanga. Rescue-station. During the year fair progress has been made in the erection of a very fine building at Dobson to bo used as a rescue-station, where persons will bo trained in the use of self-contained breathing-apparatus and in rescue work. It is anticipated that this building will be completed and ready for occupation early in March, 1939. Self-contained breathing-apparatus is also kept and maintained, together with all necessary accessories, at the Liverpool Colliery, and three rescue brigades have been trained and kept in practioe there. Fatal Accidents. Seven fatal accidents occurred during the year, as follows On (ith January, 1938, Robert Shortt, miner, employed at James Extended Mine (New State Mine) Nine-mile, was killed on the new road to the mine. A washout had occurred on the road after flooding, and Shortt was one of the men employed on the back shift repairing the road. At 8 p.m. four shots were fired in the bluff above the road. After having a meal Shortt and another workman went up the face to trim the shots, but as darkness came on the work was not completed, and they decided to work on the road level. A large stone which was on the road, required shooting, and a shot was bored and .charged. Before firing, Shortt went to put his car, which was on the -main road side of the washout, a little further from the shot. Shortt returned, and when directly beneath where the four shots were fired at 8 p.m. a fall occurred, causing serious injuries to Shortt, from which he succumbed three hours later. On 11th February, 1938, Robert Knight, miner, Old Runanga Co-operative Mine, Rewanui, was killed instantaneously by a large fall of roof stone while engaged on pillar-extraction. On sth May, 1938, Timothy Joseph Patrick Gallagher, miner, Liverpool Colliery, Rewanui, while engaged taking down top coal, was struck by a jig prop, which pulled out at the foot, causing fractured skull and brain injuries, from which he died the following day. On 20th May, 1938, George Blacklock, miner, Liverpool Colliery, slipped on a flat sheet, sustaining an inguinal hernia. He was operated on at the Grey Hospital, but died on the 21st July as a result of complications which developed after the operation. On 23rd August, 1938, Robert Adamson McKinlay, trucker, Millerton Mine, Granity, died from shock, fractured ieg, and abrasions following a fall of roof coal on a trucking road. McKinlay was in the act of entering a working-place for a full box of coal when the fall occurred. On 20th September,'l93B, Thomas Nicholson, trucker, Liverpool Colliery, Rewanui, while he was having lunch, was struck by a fall of side coal in No. '4 east bank section, Morgan seam, and sustained a fractured spine. On the 19th December Nicholson died in the hospital as the result of this injury. On 2nd December, 1938, Albert Louis Smithson, mine-manager, Hunter and Party's Mine, Rewanui, was seriously burned as the result of a gas-ignition in the mine. Smithson succumbed to his injuries on the 26th December. The accident ocourred at approximately 7.20 a.m. on the 2nd December when Smithson was making his usual morning inspection previous to the workmen entering the mine.

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