3

C—l4a

purposes of ventilation and as a second outlet. Underground the opening-out has been vigorously pushed ahead. On the south side the coal retains a good average thickness and quality, but going north it is thinner and not so good, owing to the occurrence of bands of stone and numerous small faults, lhis latter condition causes areas of bad roof, necessitating the use of a good deal of K fl e nit a fi y P \t C6a ? are necessarily rough ; but I have no reasonable cause foi ault-findmg as regards the safety or otherwise of these places. I travelled through the entire workings and out by the old tunnel. In connection with the new tunnel there are a few conditions oi a somewhat temporary character which it would be desirable to have put on a better footinj and about which I wrote the company on the day following my visit. Mr. Mcintosh the managing director afterwards informed me, in the course of conversation, that he was attending to my wishes as quickly as circumstances would permit. (5/5/98): Mr. J C. Campbell having accepted the position as manager of the Burnwell Colliery, Lovell's Flat, is succeeded by Mr. Alexander Gillanders. (15/11/98) : I again inspected the mine, and found it splendidly ventilated. The workings have been considerably extended since my last visit, and present much the same features as before The coal vanes from 3 ft. to 9 ft. thick. j. Hayes, Inspector of Mines

Dear Sm — Office of Inspector of Mines, Dunedin, 29th September, 1899 Me ventilation of mine : If you read Wardle's book, you will find authenticated instances of increased vent lation being obtained (where the upcast has a larger area than the downcast) by Sh woniTT 7 f ?l tOP -,°i UP f CaSt - YOU mlght ** the effect Of a can ™« ng! which would close off, say, half the width of your dip at the .top set of timbers, and let me know ST\ r AT a " lm P rovement > th en you could augment it by carrying light exhauT pipes up the dip, and boxing a continuation of the haulage-road for 20 ft. to 30 ft. above top of drive, and letting your exhaust-pipes terminate in this wooden tunnel or box This and aaood trimming up of your intake air-road, should meet your needs. fe Mr. Alex. Gillanders, Allendale Colliery, Shag Point. Y ° UrS *"* j^Ha'ybs.

SlE,— T ~ ~. , office of Inspector of Mines, Dunedin, 29th September, 1899 Bft by Ift™ ] d 9 n f < m interests of general safety) that you fasten rubbing-boards,' say, Bft. by lft on the legs on each side of the rails in your main dip, and compel all persons travel hng on the incline to do so on the prpe side of middle legs. A notice £ this effect°shou?dbe posted - Yours faithfully, Mr. A. Gillanders, Allendale Colliery, Shag Point. '" HAVES ' InSpeCt ° r ° f

Extract pbom Coal-mines Beport, 1900. An 7 7/7 77- o, Mines Department, Wellington. 11th Anril 1900 Allendale Colliery, Shag Point (A. Gillanders, manager).-(19/4/99) : Con inued work in the seam proves that the coal is still variable in thickness, the minimum, so far as yet seen be' I t i m ; T Vk 6 lnaximum Sickness 8 ft. Taken as a whole, the roof is rather bad and the coJ field disturbed by numerous small faults. In the new mine the solid working arapproachL the o d mine-workings, where the coal is still standing in pillars. The ventilation is vSv ?a£ g The attention of the manager was drawn to some minor matters in connection with the working of the mine verbally, and also by letter under date of the 22nd April 1899 A fatal «nn7aJ t I '• VStaS? ° n the 13th Apn1 ' 18 "' the PartiCUkrS ° f S apVartdefrherroi (26/9/99) : There is now a considerable area of ground opened out, and the work of extncHnothe pillars near the rise of the field has commenced. A cross-measures tunnel driven from he bottom level, has cut an underlying seam 4ft 6in thick so far nq n , J7 i trom the 30ft to 40 ft. (vertical) below thVhitherto worked, td^ yet Z/iZ e f'has Ventilation very fair on the whole although near the old workings the air was sifghtty chared wi h black-damp. This was perhaps all the more noticeable on this date in consequence the ordinary work of the pit being suspended for the day owing to falling off of demand md 11 h™ Y taken of this to effect needed overhauls to the pumping-plant*. Th and as the ventilating-power is largely augmented by the heat from steam pije the , decreaS ventilation for the time being is easily understood. Mr. Gillanders subsequentlyTnformodI me fch2 he had improved the ventilation generally throughout the mine. miormed me that J. Hates, Inspecting Engineer.

Extract peom Coal-mines Eepobt, 1901. .„ J7 , r . O7 „ Office of Inspector of Mines, Dunedin, 11th March 1901 , Allendale Mine, Shag Point (A. Gillanders, manager).-(11/5/1900): The truS ro»L airways in the section worked from the bottom of the main incWe a partial creep having set in. This district is intersected by numerous small faults carrying wato'