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Westport Coal Co., Ltd., Denniston.—lvonbri&ge Mine : A total of 12,322 tons was won from splitting and pillarextraction m Young s drive section and Kiwi sheet seotion by four pairs of miners. The mine eoased operations in September. r Coalbrookdale Mine: The output from this mine was won partly from pillar-extraction and partly from development. Ihe extraction of pillars was continued throughout the year in the Cascade Extended and Whareatea sections. In the old Waterloo section, north side, prospecting work was carried out to prove an area of coal-bearing ground north of the present workings. The average number of miners employed daily was seventy-seven. • Westport Coal Co., Ltd., Millerton Mine.—Pillar-extraction was continued in the Mangatini section, where three pairs of miners were employed. In tho Mine Creek area the output was won from partial extraction of pillars in the sixth west section and the recovery of bottom coal left in tho first working in the north-east section. Five pairs of miners were employed on pillar-extraction in tho Old Dip area, where alterations were made to the main haulage system to facilitate output being won from coal left behind in the early workings and to enable prospecting headings to be driven to an unworked area along the western boundary lino of the lease. A " propellor " fan 3 ft. in diameter and driven by a 10 h.p. motor has been installed to ventilate these workings. Stockton State Colliery, Ngakawau.— This mine was taken over by the State in July. The underground operations we ™ t CO o -to de ™ lo P ment w °rk in the South and No. 4 sections, and tho extraction of pillars in McCabe's, West Dip and No. 2 sections. In the South section the coal thinned to under 5 ft., and on account of steep grades and wet conditions development work was abandonod. In No. 4 section advances of 8 chains south and west were made in good coal. lillar-extraction in McCabe's west dip was carried out intermittently owing to periodical inrushes of water. In the middle of the year, opencast coal-mining commenced on two small areas situated near "C " panel The overburden varied from 20 ft. to 40 ft. thick with coal averaging 8 ft. in thickness. Miners were employed to fill coal the overburden being removed by bulldozer, and over 8,000 tons were won from this area In September opencast work was commenced on a much larger scale at " E " Hill, situated near the old western boundary of the mine. Production by mechanical shovel and motor-trucks started during November. The overburden is up to 20 ft. and the coal 12 ft. to 14 ft. thick. In the last six weeks of the year 9,000 tons of coal was produced. A considerable amount of repairs and renowals were effected to the high-tension power lines and locomotive track during tho year. Harris' Mine, Karamea.—A very small output was produced from this mine. Comet Mine, Inangahua.—The output was won chiefly from pillar-extraction in the North section and from prospecting work which was carried out on the south side of the creek. Paine Brothers' Mine, Butter Gorge.—Development work was carried out during the first half of the year An area of coal suitable for opencasting was subsequently opened up and opencast work was continued to the end of the year Overburden averaging 20 ft. in thickness was removed by bulldozer, and the coal, which also averaged 20 ft in thickness, is produced and loaded by hand. s Rahui Mine (Chester and Penberth), Buller Gorge.—The output was won from development work from two main levels and crosscuts necessary for ventilation. Nelsoj* District Owen Colliery, Owen River.—The output for the year was secured from extraction of pillars. • Nlx - mile Mine (J. Gillespie), Murchison.—All available coal was extracted from this mine, which was abandoned m October. Prospecting was carried out in an extension of the same seam 14 chains to the south of the old mine At the end of the year a seam 2 ft. thick had been located in one drive. Strathmore Mine (R. O'Rourke), Ariki, Murchison.—Development of the main level and rise headings was carried out intermittently during the year. Westhaven Mine, Mangarakau, Collingwood.—The output was won from development work carried out in levels to tho east and west of the main dip. Victory Mine, Glenhope.—A small quantity of coal was won from the vertical seam early in the year and a prospecting drive driven 1 chain in an attempt to locate the seam at a lower levol. Rescue-station, Dobson All the trained men from the Greymouth and Reefton coal-mines attended the two-monthly practices, the number of brigades being thirteen and the total number of trainees on the station register at the end of the year being sixty-five. Fatal Accidents Three fatal accidents occurred during the year, as follows : On Ist March James Dunsmuir Curragh, collier, Denniston Colliery, was struck by a fall of coal in Forsyth's Rope Hospita°l recelved severe injuries, including a badly fractured pelvis. He died on the way to the Westport On 15th June William Parfitt, substation attendant, Stockton Colliery, sustained severe injuries to both lees and a badly injured left arm through falling under the rear part of a loaded race while the locomotive and race were passing the substation. He was transferred to hospital, where ho succumbed to his injuries the following morning On bth September James Buchanan, miner, Smith and Party's mine, suffered severe injuries to the chest and a fractured spine as the result of a fall of roof stone. He was removed to hospital, and succumbed to his injuries the following morning. J Serious Non-fatal Accidents Sixteen serious accidents occurred during the year, as follows On 7th February W. Jones, miner, Liverpool Colliery, was struck by a runaway truck in the Morgan West section of the mine and sustained a fractured tibia and fibula of the right leg. fractured ribs ß ' ebrUary J " AUan ' ro P e " road attendant, Wallsend Colliery, was jammed against a truck and sustained On 27th March Robert Kennard, roadsman, Charming Creek Colliery, sustained a fracture of the skull and several 1^ Url T W a * c ? al /'?. out ? owt. in weight slipped off the rib side of a pillar and caught him, knocking him down. It is thought that, m falling, his head struck a rail across which he was lying when picked up. On -4th April Robert Madden, miner, Goldlight Colliery, sustained a compound fracture of the left leg below th(f knee as the result of a fall of a block of stone. On 17th May James Philips, miner, Wallsend Colliery, had his right foot badly crushed when a jig prop pulled out and he was caught by a full box at the bottom of a face jig. j t, p op punoa out On 25th May Neil Harris, trucker, Burke's Creek Colliery, received fracture of left radius and fracture of lower end of ulna Ibe accident occurred when Harris was putting a derailed truck of a race on the road. The truck slipped and jammed his arm between the wrist and elbow. "uusuuppea On 2nd June R. Cameron, rope-road worker, Wallsend Colliery, sustained fractures of both ankles while assisting m replacing the rope back on the empty side curve rollers at the top of No. 3 dip on the main rope road when the anchor chain snapped while ho was pulling the slack rope with the aid of the air wincli provided for the purpose. Jn 6th July A. Day, miner Wallsend Colliery, slipped while proceeding down the stone drive and struck the base of his spine on the rail, suffering a fracture of the spine. a sfaPmJof Hawes ' f f U u ker K Wharat l ea Extended Section, Denniston Colliery, was injured as the result of a stump of pillar collapsing, partially burying him. He received a fractured lower jaw. On 2nd September Colm Smith, trucker, Wallsend Colliery, when helping to replace a full box on the rails the box of skull ° n the box and a pro P' Ho eu^ained a fractured loft cheek bone and a suspected a fraotoe of "to the ™ * the b * ht ° f a ">P* sustained

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