a—2.

In No 3 level troubled country has been encountered, and unless continuous prospecting is carried out in this level at an early date with a view to locating the seam the present output will not be maintained. Some prospecting has beL done on an outcrop situated near the storage bins, but not sufficient to indicate whether or not a workable seam will be found. During the year the V.1.8. cables installed in pipes were replaced by armoured cables Km and Party's Mine, Ten-mile.—The output from this mine was won from development work. Ihe mam dip has been further advanced and levels driven off it both in easterly and westerly directions HuntTand Party's Mine, Dunollie.-The output from this mine was won from development work and pillarextraction in workings to the dip of the main level. The seam is thinning as places are advanced to the dip, and at the i)resent time the seam is 3 ft. 3 in. in thickness. Good roof conditions prevail and the coal is of good quality. SMtz Greek Mine (Marshall and Party), Twelve-mile. Most of the output from this mine has been won from nillar extraction on the outbyc side of the downthrow fault encountered in the main level. During the second pa tunnel was constructed and the seam, 3 ft. 9 in. in thickness was tapped on the downthrow side and a portion of the output was won from development work m this area. Unfortunately, after drivtag 2 incoal, an upthrow fault was encountered. The distance of the throw of this fault has not yet been W ° y< DinneWs Mine, Twelve-mile,-This mine did not operate during the year. u „f th.. mit.o Cain's Mine ttapahoe.- The output from this mine was won from pillar-extraction in the old portion of the mine and development' woTinthe new area. Two headings are being driven partly in stone and partly m reach area adjacent to the No. 1 west area of the James Mine, where workable coal is known to exist. A little devtlopn e woA has bfeeii done in an area west of the headings referred to and adjacent to the Bellvue Mine workings mine Sost exhausted, and a tram-line has been constructed to operate a small area adjacent to the old workings of the Jubilee Mine. Rapaho( ,^ ki the commencement of the year this party were extracting pillars iti ~11 area adjacent to the Bellvue Mine and from an old area adjacent to the bins and main highway./ JLh«»o areas &T SS SSSTiiSt >»« development work 1... h. m on. mil, ton sauhsisust saMTJ.-sas 7ts fftSiS 'nr = highway. Development work already done in the seam is not very encouraging The seam has thinned, and a 0 ouantitv of brushing in stone is required to get sufficient height for the transit of trucks. quanti y (Moore and Party), Nine-mile.—The output for the year was won from development work m No. 1 section The development work has been confined to the area on the upthrow side of the fault encountored m Je ™ I V,.l In 10*18 The difficulty of handling the coal from the developed area somewhat retards output, and much relults would bj obtained U the party Constructed a low-level stone tunnel to tap the seam near a borehole put down hv the Mines Department and which proved the existence of a good workable seam. No Smith and Party's Mine, Dunollie.—The output won during the year was obtained from pillar-extractio . output during the year was obtained from work to the dip of the main level. The main dip has been driven 14 chains m good-quality coal, and at the iace the of the seam is 7 ft. 6 in. Levels have also been driven cast and west off the dip. REEI?TON DISTRICT. Archer's Mines Cavleston —Top Mine : All pillars to the rise of the adit level have been extracted and development N °- Bim otStfonsTnlhis mine are confined to pillar-extraction, all de--36 ft. in length and tapped the No. 1 seam. Two levels and cut-throughs have been driven, and preparations ar -The No. 2 seam is worked at this mine, and the output won during the year has been ""BBSS <«». to th. ,m, o. Ccjg-J. MineA stone tunnel 300 ft. long has been constructed, and tapped No. 2 seam at a point approxima e y - Th ° afISSTb — Th. -m .. tie .... i. «... in «*_ -«» °° al Ve!Zre Mini (Old Birchwood Mine), Reefton.- The lease on which this mine was operated has been cancelled * ssksssjstjk „ rtl „ 0[ „„,pSxr,.^ life in the extraction ol previously owned by D. Hamill, but during the year a 'SJZia.?z™«. ,„d . p »ton, r .«.»p. X No 4 seam which is from 30 I't. to 40 ft. in thickness, is being worked and the coal is ot lair qu y. S: the year on 3979, has to conSf/a cross-measure drive from the seam for the purpose of tapping No 3 seam. Phoenix and Venus (N. Collins), Murray Creek.—These mines have not operated during the year.

54