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Alison No. 1 Mine (W. Currie (First Class), Mine-manager}.—Pillar-extraction was continued throughout the year in all sections. In the No. 1 Jig Section pillar-extraction was commenced at the perimeter of Barker's Road opencast project. The North Drive workings were abandoned owing to the heavy roof and heaving floor conditions. A sytem of boreholes has proved that this area is suitable for opencast work. A number of heatings occurred during the year but none were of a serious nature. Alison No. 2 Mine (W. Currie (First Class), Mine-manager).—All coal produced from this mine, except for pillar-extraction in No. 1 Rise Panel, was from development work. No. 1 Rise 'Panel was exhausted and is now closed. The main dip headings were advanced 10 chains beyond the fault. Nos. 4 and 5 Rise Panels were further developed with coal-cutters and electric boring-machines. B Section headings were advanced 27 chains from the Main Dip haulage. Preparations are in hand for further development to the east of the Glen Afton - Huntly railway-line. B Section slope headings were advanced to a point 9J chains from B Section headings with the aid of coal-cutting machinery. Boreholes : One hundred and five rotary boreholes were put down from the surface by a Hamilton company, as follows : Rotowaro No. 2 Mine .. .. .. .. *■ ..17 Rotowaro No. 3 Mine .. .. .. .. • • • • 1 Alison No. 2 Mine .. .. .. .. . > • • .. 23 Opencast areas, Barker's .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 Road and Thompson's Farm, Smith's Farm area .. .. . • 24 105 One 8-in.-diameter borehole was put down to Rotowaro No. 3 Mine for electric cables and one at Alison No. 2 Mine for pumping purposes. An improved endless-rope haulage system was installed at Alison No. 2 Mine, eliminating the two temporary systems previously in use. A new Thermotank torpedo fan, 95 in. diameter, two stage, for 150,000 cubic feet of air per minute against 4£ in. water-gauge, was installed at Alison No. 2 Mine. At present it is running at much below its rated capacity. Mercury-arc rectifiers were installed and put into operation at the several mines to replace the old direct-current steam generating plant. One hundred and twenty-two men were employed underground and 74 on the surface. Alison Opencast Mine (W. Currie (First Class), Mine-manager).—Mining operations continued throughout the year in the Barker's Road area to the north of Alison No. 1 workings. Towards the end of the year a further area was opened up for opencasting adjacent to the north drive workings, Alison No. 1 Mine. From this latter area an output of approximately 2,000 tons was produced over the Christmas period. All coal is transported by lorry to the company's private siding. The total output from this opencast for the year was some 38,000 tons. Glen Afton No. 1 Colliery (W. C. Inglis (First Class), Mine-manager). —Coal-winning operations were continued throughout the year by 17J pairs of miners employed in L, H, and E2 Sections. In L Section 6 pairs of miners proceeded with pillar-extraction. The inbye portion of this section, lying between two faults, was exhausted, the main haulage was shortened, and pillar-extraction commenced on the outbye side of this area. Working conditions are good and clean extraction is being secured. In H Section 2£ pairs of miners proceeded with the development of a small area of solid coal between two faults. A new haulage road from E2 Section haulage to K Section haulage was completed, and work is proceeding in the driving of a return airway across the 40 ft. fault in this area. This new access to K Section haulage will provide an alternative route to pillars inbye J Hill on the main haulage road. In E2 Section 9 pairs of miners proceeded with pillar-extraction. A number of step faults in this area militated against good roof conditions, necessitating extreme care in the removal of pillars. The faulted area, however, is gradually being diminished and the workings extended into more stable ground. Owing to the structure of the coal being affected by the faulted conditions a good output has been procured. Ninety-three men were employed underground and 89 on the surface. Glen Afton No. 2 (Mac Donald Colliery) (H. Stirling (First Class), Mine-manager).—The output from this mine was won chiefly from pillar-extraction in HI Left and H2 Right Panels, E Main and Tail Sections, and No. 4 Rope End and Jig Sections, while development work was continued in J and L headings and in the formation of pillars between the First Right and First Jig Sections in No. 4 Mine. The development of J heading was hampered to some extent by the presence of several small faults, but towards the end of the year conditions improved. Water spraying to counteract the production of coal-dust at the faces was being extended, the majority of places being now so equipped. The enlarging of the bathhouse was completed, resulting in greatly improved bathing facilities for the workmen. A concrete reservoir replacing the old clay dam was built, resulting in an improved water-supply both m quality and quantity. Two hundred and thirty-three men were employed underground and 28 on the surface. Waikato Extended Opencast (Boose Shipping Co.), (E. Bond (Underviewer), Mine-manager).—The output was won from an area of opencast coal leased from the Taupiri Coal Co. Twelve men were employed.

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