C—2

Butler's Section. —This section was closed during the year. Clele Mine (Alborn's), Merrijigs.—Output was obtained intermittently during the year from pillar-extraction in Nos. 1 and 2 Sections. Nicholls' Mine, Capleston.—ln the rise section four men were splitting and extracting pillars. Banks' Opencast Mine (A. E. Elelund), Waitahu. —Production from this opencast was maintained throughout the year. Stripping of overburden is now accomplished hydraulieally with good results. The seam being worked is Reefton No. 4, adjacent to the Morrisvale boundary. Star Mine (Lewis and Party), Murray Greek. —Very little work was done at this mine during the year. The output was obtained by opencasting a small block of old workings in the Cement Town area. Coal up to 15 ft. thick with 20 ft. overburden was removed by mechanical and hydraulic stripping methods. Royal Goal Syndicate, Rainy Greek.—The output was won from a pair of development levels and workings to the rise in a vertical seam 5 ft. thick. Turner and Party's Opencast Mine, Murray Greek.—Coal-production from this mine is obtained from an area previously worked by underground methods. The coal is of fair quality and the method of stripping is by hydraulic means, the water being pumped from Murray Creek. W. G. Chandler's' Opencast Mine, Murray Creek.—The coal from this mine is being won from an area previously worked by underground methods and abandoned many years ago owing to fire. Stripping is done by bulldozer and filled by hand. The coal ranges in thickness from 12 ft. to 15 ft. Golden Point Mine (Blorn and Roller son), Reefton. —Output was won from a level drive to the south and by rise workings to the east towards the outcrop. Pillar-extraction was commenced during the latter part of the year with good results. The quality of the coal is poor. Btjllek. District Mitchell's Mine, Charleston.—No work was done at this mine during the year. Warne's Mine, Charleston. —No work was done at this mine during the year. Bowater and Bryan's Mines, Charleston.—Three separate mining parties operated on this lease during the year—viz., Rata Collieries, Nile Hydro Syndicate, and N. Mouat. The coal and overburden are generally removed by hydraulic means, while the coal from Mouat's Mine is loaded mechanically by steam shovel. The combined output from these mines during the year was 41,338 tons. J. Powell's Lease, Charleston. —No coal was produced from this area by the Nile Hydro Syndicate during the year. Allan's Mine, Charleston. —A very small output was won during the year. Moynihan's Mine, Charleston. —Production from this mine was obtained intermittently by the Nile Hydro Syndicate. All the coal and stripping of overburden was removed by hydraulic means. Hillside Mine (Gemmell and Bennett), Waitakere, Charleston.—A small output was obtained during the year by opencasting. Brighton Mine (Hunter's), Brighton.—The output was won by underground methods solely from development work in coal averaging 16 ft. thick. Glencrag Mine, Buller Gorge.—The output was won principally from development work. A small amount of coal was won from pillar-extraction towards the end of the year. The quality of the coal is good, the coal ranging from 9 ft. to 15 ft. thick. New bins were erected replacing the old structure. Coal Creek Mine, Seddonville. —The output was obtained from this mine by driving towards a number of pillars left by the old Mokihinui Coal Co. Several chains require to be driven before a connection with these workings is obtained. The ventilation of the mine was made by a connection with the old air-shaft in a portion of the Taipo workings. Cardiff Coal Co., Ltd., Mokihinui. —The output was won solely from pillar-extraction, the coal being mined hydraulieally. Hydro Coal-mines, Ltd., Seddonville. —The output was won entirely from pillar-extraction. Charming Greek -Westport Coal Co., Ltd., Ngakawau.—Development was continued in the north heading, Nos. 3 East and 3 West Sections. Ten pairs of colliers were constantly employed in coal 11 ft. to 20 ft. in thickness. Towards the end of the year pillar-extraction commenced on the northern boundary, where the coal thinned to 4 ft. in thickness. The average daily output was 150 tons. Towards the end of the year extensive repairs were carried out to the suspension bridge on the loco road across the Ngakawau River.

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