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ANNEXURE B QUARRIES REPORT BY THE INSPECTOR OF QUARRIES EOR THE NORTH ISLAND (R. C. Rufein) Report for the year ended 31st December, 1947, on surface and underground quarries within the North Island District. Quarries A total of 270 quarries were worked during the year 1947, being a decrease of .1 compared with last year, while the number of men employed at quarrying for the year was 1,109, an increase of 23 over the number for 1946. Outputs The total output of material quarried for the year 1947 was 1,908,698 tons, valued in the quarries at £567,167, compared with 1,641,881 tons, valued at £416,192, for 1946. There is an overall increase of 266,817 tons of material produced compared with the figures for 1946. It is noticeable that the output of agricultural lime is 12,847 tons less than that for last year, and that limestone for the manufacture of cement and mortar shows a decrease of 19,701 tons. It was apparent that the companies producing these products in the period under review were seriously handicapped in their output through the shortage of adequate labour; as time progresses this shortage of labour may assume serious proportions. The young men are not coming into the industry, and it is from the ranks of the young men trained in the industry that the managers of the near future should be drawn to relieve the older men now in charge of major works. Owing to the method adopted this year of compiling the statistics for road-metal, clay, and the like, a comparison of yearly output will not be given, but from my own observations when travelling through my district there is a marked increase in the amount of road-metal used in construction and maintenance. It should be noted, also, that large quantities are used by the Public Works Department obtained from their own sources of supply, which are other than those dealt with in this return. Underground Quarries An increase of underground work coming within the provisions of the Quarries Act, 1944, was recorded for the year. Most of the men now engaged in this class of work have gained their experience in tunnels driven by the Public Works Department. Auckland City Council. —Tunnelling under Nuffield Street, Remuera : A distance of 205 ft. was completed; the tunnel is to facilitate a storm-water relay. The work was done on contract. Auckland City Council. —Relaying of Combined Sewers underground: The tunnelling is under Parnell Road, George Street, and Maunsell Road; the work is on contract. Wellington City Council.—Karori Reservoir Tunnel, 600 ft. in length, and Maldive Street Tunnel, Khandallah, 900 ft. in length : The dimensions are 7 ft. by 7 ft. and the tunnels are timbered with three-piece sets and laths. The work is done on contract. Wanganiii County Council. —Shafts 24 ft. deep were sunk in Nixon Street. Sinking by orthodox methods is not adopted; 2 ft. 6 in. diameter reinforced-concrete pipes are jacked forward with an hydraulic jack. Auckland City Council.—Ngahui Road : A shaft was sunk in basalt to test the deposit as a quarrying proposition. Auckland City Council.—Glendowie Drainage Scheme : Shaft-sinking and tunnelling was carried out in connection with this scheme. Auckland City Council. —Titirangi Tunnel: Length of tunnel, 170 feet. The tunnel is for a pipa relay in connection with an Auckland water-supply scheme. Auckland City Council.—Mount Hobson Reservoir Reserve : Shafts were sunk at various points through clay and scoria to test bottom rock for an extension of the reservoir. Accidents Three fatal and two serious accidents happened at North Island quarries in 1947.

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