C—3a

20

pings well attended to. (18/11/1902) : Stone-drive extension in 320 ft. to face. The drum-head-ing and north-side workings being rapidly exhausted. Brick wall cool, having recently been partly renewed with ash stopping. The main return airway to furnace in good oroer. The weight which had for some time been felt on stone drive and centre heading appears now to be settled. (19/11/1902) : Air at intake, 21,060 cubic feet per minute. No. 7 dip, started off Duncan's level, is down 120 ft. to face in good hard coal. No. 2 dip : Pump drawn and water rising slowly. The three pillars being split are well in, and nearly up to the fault. (2/12/1902) : A slight ignition of gas occurred on the 24th November at the top of No. 7 dip. Ralph Barclay, miner, was assisting his trucker, having naked light on head, when the ignition occurred. The ignition was very slight. Barclay was slightly burnt on the neck and arms; off work one week in consequence. On making inquiry into the matter, I learnt that John McCaughern, deputy, had passed Barclay into work without having previously examined the place with a safety lamp. The mine - manager subsequently took proceedings against McCaughern for breach of General Rule 40, section 33, "Coal-mines Act, 1891." Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined in the sum of £1, with costs £2 2s. McCaughern held the reputation of being a careful and reliable man. Stone-drive extension at 380 ft. struck 6 ft. seam of coal, being upper part of Shore's or 18 ft. seam, which is here split by a band of clay 6 ft. in thickness. The seam is lying at an easier angle than usual, about 1 in 6. Coal good quality. (11/12/1902) : The north side now cut off back to No. 1 heading, rails lifted, and stoppings in on level and at overcast. Stone-drive extension: The 12ft. seam forming the under-part of the 18ft. seam has been struck, and, lying at 1 in 8, is somewhat flatter than the upper portion of the seam lately cut, indicating a reversal of the general dip of the seams to the eastward of the crown of the seaward range of hills. At my suggestion the manager, Mr. Barclay, has served out copies of the pamphlets of general and special rules to all the officials at the mines, with a view to the men being examined as to their knowledge of the Act in regard to their several duties. Rules posted. Minemanager's, underviewers', deputies', and enginewright's report-books invariably well kept. An adequate supply of lamp-station notices are kept on hand and posted as required. It is to be regretted that for a considerable period notices posted in certain districts in this mine had been mutilated by some evilly disposed person or persons, and every effort has been made to discover the offender, but without success. Kaitangata Colliery, Old Mine. —(l 2/6/1902) : After being closed down for some fifteen years on account of fire, and reopened several times unsuccessfully, the old gully mine has been again reopened and black-damp drained off. The fire, long dormant, broke out afresh and fanned up on fresh air getting to it. Water having been laid on under pressure, the fire is now under control, air coursing freely and circulation good all over those parts of the mine we explored. Roof generally standing remarkably well, most of it remaining just as it had been left years ago. There appears to be a fairly large quantity of head, bottom, and pillar coal available. Timber in dry places standing good and sound, probably having been preserved in the atmosphere of C0 2 . I could find neither gas nor damp in the mine. (18/6/1902) : Between forty and fifty men now working steadily on pillars and head-coal. Air good ;no gas to be found. (6/8/1902) : Inner section : Old upcast shaft has been opened and now being used, pillars being drawn and tops dropped. Outer section : Old dip being reopened, compressed air laid in, and winch being erected for haulage. (5/9/1902) : Examined carefully, but found no trace of gas anywhere; extensive falls reaching to surface where pillars are taken out not only form vents for escaping gases, but gravel running into old bords helps to support roof and maintain roadways, and renders the work of drawing pillars more safe than would otherwise be the case. Air good. (3/10/1902) : Robbing in the old dip now finished and rails lifted. Pillars being brought rapidly back in the old workings. Several places fallen high and roof ugly-looking, but kept closely watched, and at present hard sounding. (19/10/1902) : Air dull in two of the inbye pillars, which are almost finished. Robbing has been successfully conducted, and nearly the whole of the pillars and roofcoal are being recovered. Castle Hill Mine, Kaitangata (G. H. Broome, manager). —(12/2/1902) : In Nos. 1 and 2 working-places the roof cuts up, and requires timbering to the face of every place. The main seam workings were in good order, as were the return airways to the furnace. 1 found no gas, although a little is occasionally reported as being found in No. 7 bord, No. 1 dip ; it was all clear to-day. Report-books kept up to date. (11/4/1902) : The gauge of all roadways had been recently altered from 2 ft. 2 in. to 2 ft., and endless-rope haulage extended to bottom of dip ; tension-wheel now situated at the 2,900 ft. mark. The main stone cross-measures drive—or extension,.as it is called from this point—is being driven horizontal, and pushed forward steadily by three shifts of men. Face now at 200 ft. past tension-wheel. Work in coal confined to Nos. 1 and 2 dips in 11 ft. seam. Mine in good order. Air good ; no gas. (19/6/1902) : Air at intake, 28,800 cubic feet per minute. No. 3 dip being opened in the 11 ft. seam, off north level. No gas at face, but a little in pot-holes along the roof of the level, coal from main seam now being lowered down jacky pit. The seam going south is pinching in and contracting between two faults, and, unfortunately, is not opening up the body of coal expected. The stone-drive extension at 5 chains is stopped on a blower giving off' gas and water freely, and is being allowed to bleed off before work is resumed. (3/7/1902) : Examined Nos. 1 and 2 dip workings. I found two miners named Barris and Mackie working with naked lights inbye a lamp-station notice in No. 2 dip. The face was clear of gas, but the notice had not been taken down. I drew the manager's attention to the men working inbye the notice, when they stated that the deputy had served out safety lamps in the morning and told them that they could use their naked lights after an hour's work. This statement was denied by the deputy, M. Greene, and the manager subsequently prosecuted the men for breach of Special Rule 74, when the Magistrate convicted and mulcted defendants in costs, 9s.