C—2a

Further rise panel entries for E and F Panels were driven off No. 2 East level, but these entries encountered the same fault which cut off operations in No. 1 East level. At the time of writing this report all development in these entries has ceased. No. 3 East level has now been driven a distance of 950 ft. from the Slant Dip. The distance between the No. 3 East levels and the Main Dip is 950 ft., and a pair of headings to connect these roadways have now been driven 450 ft. Coal in the No. 3 East workingplaces is of good quality. The dip section at the end of No. 1 East has been dewatered, and it is proposed to enter this section from No. 2 East and to extract the pillars. It is proposed to extract the coal between No. 2 and No. 3 East by mechanical means and to stow hydraulically the goaf. To this end a connecting heading between the two levels has been started. This heading has been broken away 2,000 ft. along the No. 2 East and to the dip ; at the same time a rise heading has been broken away in No. 3 East to meet it. During the year a new armoured main-feeder cable was installed in the mine, and a new 300 kVA. transformer was put into use. A concrete overcast air-crossing was built at the head of No. 3 East Slant Dip, and this section is now ventilated on a separate split of air. The temporary road bridge, which was built near the mine after a washout last year, has been lifted 3 ft. and permanent concrete piles built under it. Township. —During the period the exterior painting of 13 houses and the interior decoration of 30 houses was completed. A supper-room, with kitchen attached, was built on to the public hall. It will accommodate 100 persons. Assistance was granted to the softball club, the croquet club, and the tennis club for improvements and maintenance of their respective playing-areas. Waitewhena Opencast Coal-winnirvg. —The net output for the year ending 31st March, 1950, was 39,199 tons 1 cwt., a decrease of 3,732 tons 13 cwt. Coal from two parties operating on the Waitewhena field is purchased by the Department, and the following table sets out the quantities of coal passed over the screening-plant: — Tons cwt. qr. Waitewhena Opencast .. .. .. .. 39,199 1 0 McKinley Wilson Brothers Party .. .. .. 7,900 8 0 Williams and Party .. .. .. .. 962 1 0 Gross output through screening-plant .. .. 48,061 10 0 The following statement shows details of coal disposed of during the year : Ist April, 1949 Tons cwt. qr. Tons cwt. qr. Stock in hand Add gross output .. .. 48,061 10 0 Less stock in hand 48,061 10 0 Disposals Tons cwt. qr. Railed .. .. .. .. 48,009 10 0 Workmen .. .. .. 51 0 0 Railwavs .. .. .. 10 0 48,061 10 0

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