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Coromandel District Yates' Lease, Coromandel. —Prospecting was done on a seam outcropping near the top of a ridge some seven miles from Coromandel on the Mercury Bay Road. Some coal had been struck here by a drive put in many years ago and appears to be of fair quality. It is intended to test the extent of the seam by boring. Rotowaro Rescue-station The number of fully trained men at the beginning of 1945 was eighty-five, all of whom were given refresher courses during the year. In addition eight new men completed training. The brigade were called out on five occasions during the year to mine fires and the re-entering of fire areas, and the value of their services has been acknowledged by the managers of the mines concerned. One of these occasions was a serious fire at the Mangapehi State Colliery, Bennevdale, where the brigade by their prompt assistance were able to relieve the mine management, who had been in serious difficulty and danger in the earlier stages of a fire which might have done considerable damage to the mine. Huntly School of Mines Classes were continued at Huntly, Ngaruawahia, and Rotowaro throughout the year. The classes were well attended and good results were obtained at the annual examinations for coal-mining certificates. A number of candidates were also given instruction in the use of the safety-lamp for gastesting certificates. Fatalities On 2nd May at McDonald Colliery a miner, Matthew Robinson, received fatal head injuries due to a small fall of coal in a pillar place 19 ft. high. He was wearing a hard hat when the fall occurred. On 31st May at Tatu State Colliery, John Cecil Coffin, a rope runner, received fatal injuries when a set of skips was derailed. The haulage road was low and the rope runner was riding between the two last skips and was unable to get clear. Serious Non-fatal Accidents At Mangapehi State Colliery on 2nd March, Ronald Henderson, a trucker, received a fracture of the skull, in addition to arm and shoulder injuries, when he was struck by a jig prop which pulled out at the foot due to floor movement having partly freed it. On 2nd November at Renown Colliery, Nicholas Urlich, a trucker, received serious injuries to his left foot and lower leg which necessitated the amputation of the leg below the knee. He was lowering a set of empty skips with a winch when the rope crossed on the drum, and received the injury when trying to free it from the front of the drum. Reports regarding Dangerous Occurrences in Mines On sth February at Mangapehi State Colliery a fire was located in a crack in coal floor at the No. 2 West air-crossing, main return. Put out by water and no recurrence. On 13th March at Mangapehi State Colliery a serious fire in the main return at No. 2 East Section was caused by accidental lighting of brattice by an open light. It was controlled and finally sealed off by the manager and mine officials with the assistance of the Rotowaro Rescue Brigade, who came from Huntly. The area is now cool. At the same time two heatings developed in loose coal in the No. 2 West pillar section. These were sealed off. On 31st March at the Alison No. 1 Colliery coal filling at a jig-head ignited. This was controlled by water and the coal filled out. On 26th April at Waro Colliery a heating developed in the waste to the east of the main haulage. Pack stoppings were built to control this. On 25th June a similar heating occurred and was dealt with in the same way. On 27th June at the Pukemiro North Colliery a brattice fire occurred, probably owing to a dropped cigarette butt, at a brattice stopping. The fire was put out and a notice put up pointing out the danger. On 16th July at Pukemiro South Mine, the manager, while walking along a roadway which was being brushed, had a narrow escape from serious injury when a shot went off in the brushing above his head. The shot-firer was prosecuted for not covering all approaches to the shot. On 10th September at Rope End Section, No. 1 Allison Colliery, a fire burnt round the side of a stopping sealing an old fire area. A partly built stopping outbye of this was completed and the area thus resealed. On 11th October at Pukemiro North Colliery a fall occurred covering a miner's tools, with which was a tin of carbide. The manager is of the opinion that the fire which occurred was due to the gas generated from the spilt carbide. Tne fire was dug out and the area cooled. At Hill 60 Section, No. 1 Rotowaro Colliery, a fire occurred on Ist November at a newly sealed off area due to a large fall going to the surface. Smoke formed was considerable and the men were withdrawn from the Callaghan's Dip Section inbye owing to the chance of smoke entering the section. The .Hill 60 area was resealed. On 19th November a small fire broke out in old workings in No. 4 Mine, Kamo Colliery, timber having caught from a gob fire. Three stoppings were built to seal the area. On 10th December at Pukemiro South Colliery an active fire was found in the Nelson's Jig Section by the examining deputy. The fire had burnt round the edge of a concrete stopping. It was controlled with sand and clay and the stopping extended to reseal the area.

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