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No. 3 Mine : The main headings have not been extended during the year, the main development work having been confined to driving dip headings to the north-west. These places intercepted a fault after being driven about 700 ft., and an effort is now being made to locate the seam to the north of ;the fault. Pillar-extraction has been completed in the No. 2 rise panel, and pillar-extraction is also continuing in the No. 2 dip panel. Some development work has also been carried out in an easterly direction and towards the Birch wood-Linton boundary. Fatal Accidents Kaitangata Mine.—On the 11th January Robert Leishman, surface worker, was knocked down by a runaway horse. The horse stumbled and fell on Leishman, inflicting injuries from which he died on 20th January. Birchwood Mine—On 29th September William McLachlan, trucker, sustained a very slight injury to his elbow as a result of striking the coal rib. The injury did not prevent McLachlan from completing his shift and did not appear serious enough to warrant medical attention. On the following day septicaemia set in, and McLachlan died on the 2nd October. Wairaki Mine.—On 20th December Leo Welsh, trucker, was killed by a fall of head coal in a pillar place. The coal fell from the lip of the place, which was not actually in coal-getting use. The deceased, when going into the place to get the face truck, unfortunately took a course which caused him to walk under the lip referred to. Serious Non-fatal Accidents Birchwood Mine. —On the 23rd January James Kitto, miner, and Frederick Edwards, fireman deputy, sustained severe burns following upon an explosion which took place in a heated goaf area. The injured men were attending to a completed line of temporary fire stoppings when the explosion occurred, blowing out the stoppings and inflicting the injuries mentioned. Kaitangata Mine.—On the 6th March N. Bloxham, shot-firer, sustained broken ribs and internal injuries as a result of being struck by a fall of coal from the lip of a pillar place. At the time of the accident Bloxham was in the act of charging a shot-hole. Linton Mine.—On the 10th March O. W. Grant, miner, sustained a fracture of the right leg and a fractured rib as a result of being struck by a fall of coal in the goaf of a pillar place. Blackburn Mine.—On the 15th March A. K. McLean, mine-manager, sustained a fracture of the right thigh and a fractured left scapula as a result of being struck by a fall of coal in the goaf of a pillar place. At the time of the accident McLean was instructing a miner to take down some loose roof material when an unexpected quantity came away from a greasy back. Willowbank Mine.—On the Ist August H. Clark, surface worker, sustained a fractured pelvis as a result of being struck by a rake of descending boxes. Clark slipped on the wet surface and fell in front of the oncoming boxes. Kaitangata Mine. —On the Ist September George O'Brien, trucker, sustained a fracture of the left clavicle. A box became derailed and threw O'Brien, who, in falling, sustained the above injuries. Benhar Mine.—On the 21st September G. Park, miner, sustained a fracture of the right clavicle as the result of being struck by a small piece of coal which fell from the lip of a pillar place. Linton No. 1 Mine. —On the 3rd October Adam Armstrong, trucker, was struck by runaway boxes from a jig head. He sustained a severely crushed right leg and foot, which resulted in the amputation of the leg above the knee. Dangerous Occurrences in Coal-mines Birchwood Mine.—On the 22nd January a minor explosion took place in a heated goaf area which was being sealed off at the time. The work of continuing the sealing-off of the area was completed late that night. However, a serious and more extensive explosion occurred about two or three hours after the area had been totally temporarily sealed off. Both explosions were caused by an accumulation of CH 4 within the goaf, coming in contact with the sealed material in the goaf. ... . . r The above chain of events, coupled with other similar events in the Ohai district, make it quite clear that following upon the sealing-off of any sealed goaf area in a gassy mine sufficient time should elapse before any men again enter the mine. Wairaki No. 1 Mine.—On the Bth May a heating occurred in the No. 6 section of the No. 1 Mine. The area was effectively sealed off. _ . Linton Mine. —On the Bth July heating occurred in the No. 8 section of the No. 1 Mine. The area was effectively sealed off Wairaki Mine. —On the 3rd August a heating occurred in the No. 2 section of the No. 1 Mine. The area was effectively sealed off. Prosecutions During the year a mine-manager was convicted with costs for a breach of section 145 (1) (c) of the Coal-mines Act, 1925. The same manager was also convicted with costs in one case, and fined 10s. and costs in a further case, for two breaches of section 129 (1) (c) of the Coal-mines Act, 1925, as amended by section 11 (4) of the Coal-mines Act, 1941. A mine-manager was convicted and fined £2 and costs in each case for breaches of Regulation 236 (1) and Regulation 189 (b) of the Coal-mines Regulations 1939.

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