23

C—2

A delay of about eight weeks in crosscutting was occasioned while the electrical pumps were being installed, and the mine pumped out and crosscuts cleaned out and repaired after their submergence. A new transmission-line about one-quarter of a mile long had to be erected to carry electric current from the battery to supply the electric pumps. A steam boiler was also installed to operate the winch to handle the electric sinking-pump and prevent it being submerged in case of a failure of the electric power (and incidentally of the supply of compressed air) taking place during heavy storms, or for any reason whereby the transmission-line from Omanawa Falls might become damaged. Early in the year it was found that the supply of compressed air was insufficient, and in March last another air-compressor was installed, having a capacity of approximately 525 cubic feet of free air per minute compressed to 120 lb. pressure per square inch. The development footage for the year has been as follows : Shaft-sinking, 175 j ft.. ; crosscutting, 1,033 ft: total, 1,208J ft. Reported Gold-find, Tarawera Mountain. —On the 25th . August I visited a reported gold-find by the Natives situated in Pokohu Section No. 3b, Whakatane County, about forty miles from Matata on the eastern slope of the Tarawera Mountain. It consists of a formation about 10 ft. wide running east and west, dipping at an angle of 45 degrees, exposed in the bed of a creek, and is composed of silicified flinty quartz and country rock. Samples taken contained low values in gold and silver. Quicksilver- mines. New Zealand Quicksilver-mine, Puhipuhi.—No work has been done in this mine during the year. Mount Mitchell Mercury-mine, Puhipuhi.—Very little work has been done in this mine during the year, but I am informed by Mr. T. A. Black that four men have been engaged on the Wonder Clay Claim portion of the Mount Mitchell Block. Rising Sun, Puhipuhi.—No work has been done during the year. Oil-wells. Taranaki Oilfields (Limited). —On the 29th September, 1924, I was notified that a strong company had been formed in the State of Victoria for the purpose of testing the oilfields in Taranaki. Trained experts were engaged to examine and make a geological survey of the areas over which this company hold boring rights, who, after a thorough investigation, advised that No. 1 borehole be put down rather more tham a mile to the north and a little west of the Township of Tarata, near the north-east corner of Section 8, Block 3, Huiroa Survey Sistriet, and No. 2 borehole on the foreshore about 500 ft. south-east from the shore end of the New Plymouth Breakwater. At the time of writing No. 1 borehole had reached a depth of 1,055 ft., and No. 2 borehole, 50 ft. Standard rigs, with equipment supplied by the Oil-well Supply Company, New York, have been installed at both bores. The derricks are of Oregon pine, 82 ft. 6 in. in height above the floor and 20 ft. square at the base. The bed logs are sawn rimu, the main logs being 18 in. 18 in. The walking-beam is of steel, the bull-wheel, calf-wheel, and bandwheel being of wood. The plant is driven by a single-cylinder steam-engine, steam being supplied by a locomotive type of boiler carrying 110 lb. pressure. Several of the wells at Moturoa have been discharging petroleum intermittently during the year. No correct record has been kept of the quantity produced, but the caretaker of the wells formerly owned by the Taranaki Oil Company estimates the production of these wells during the year at 200 barrels. Experts claim that in the past the casing used in the wells drilled was too light to stand the pressure, and, to avoid this trouble in the future, the Taranaki Oilfields (Limited) have at considerable expense imported the best and strongest easing obtainable. The sizes of the casing are as follows :—*•

Two fatal accidents and two serious but non-fatal accidents occurred during the year. At about 2 o'clock on the 22nd May a fatal accident occurred in the Woodstock chamber at Karangahake whereby a young man named Richard William Ryder Hungerford, aged 23 years, was instantly killed by being struck by a heavy cast-iron air-pipe. The particulars are as follows : The deceased, in company with another worker named George Dixon, was at the time of the accident in the Woodstock chamber dismantling the air-receiver. This receiver was hung in a cradle at each end and supported by wooden trestles. Deceased was standing on the air-receiver removing bolts and nuts at the connection between the air-pipe and receiver. This air-pipe is 8 in. cast iron, and it is quite evident that he had taken out all the bolts at the connection and freed the air-pipe, which in all probability had a little strain on it, so that when it was freed from the receiver- it flew back, knocking the cradle from under the end of the receiver, causing it to tilt. As it tilted deceased fell with it, and the air-pipe, bolts, and straps supporting it also drew through the timbers to which it was suspended, and pinned diseased across the throat and. chest, fracturing his skull and his right lower jaw. It is also probable that his neck was dislocated. A fatal accident occurred at 7.40 a.m. in the compressor-house at the Ohinemuri Gold and Silver Mines, Maratoto, on the 19th August whereby the man in charge, Isaac Wade, aged 44 years, lost his life. The particulars are as follows : This air-compressor, driven by a Pelton wheel, is situated about a mile from the mine, in which two shifts are being worked. The air-compressor is stopped at midnight, and the duty of the man in charge is to keep it oiled and reduce the speed when the men in the mine have bored out the face, also to see that the air-pressure is sufficient to commence boring at 8 a.m. At 7.40 a.m. the mine-manager, J. O'Sullivon, who was standing by the pressuregauge at the mouth of the tunnel, noticed that the hands of the gauge had not moved, and in order to ascertain the cause rang on the telephone which is connected with the mine and compressor-house, but could get no reply, and assumed that the driving-belt had come off, so at once proceeded down to the compressor-house to render assistance. On entering the compressor-house the manager found deceased lying on the floor with a deep cut on his right temple which was bleeding profusely. The Pelton wheel was still running, and the pulley which drives the air-compressor was broken. This is a geared belt-driven air-compressor. The diameter of the pulley driving the air-compressor is 2 ft. 4 in., which has been in use for over three years. The main pulley on the Pelton wheel is 4 ft. 9 in., and the distance between pulleys is 16 ft. 4 in. The driving-belt and pulleys are adequately protected, also the pinion -wheels. The deceased's duties were to oil the machinery, starting, and ease down the pressure when the Pelton wheel was not required for drilling. It is very difficult to determine how this accident occurred, but it is quite evident that deceased was engaged oiling the cups on the bearings of the pulley-wheel driving the air-compressor when it broke—a piece striking him on the right temple, causing instantaneous death. Nearly half this wheel carried away, leaving the " boss " on the shaft, and the cause of it breaking was evidently a defect in the casting, which was impossible to detect. An inquiry was held at Hikutaia before Mr. F. Piatt, Coroner, who after hearing the evidence returned the following verdict : " The deceased, Isaac Wade, met his death in the compressor building of the Ohinemuri Gold and Silver Mining Company, situated at Maratoto, oil Tuesday, 19th August, 1921, caused, by being struck on the forehead by part of a pulley, in my opinion the fatality was purely accidental, there being no evidence to show that any one was to blame."

«!»„ Weight per Foot Collapsing Pressure per j ' Wral) i n .i a.*, Weight per Foot Collapsing Pressure per JNommal awe. with Collars. Square Inch, External. ' with Collars. Square Inch, External. I | fu. lb. lb. In. lb. lb. 154 70 ! 790 8 i 1 38 2.880 12J 54 I 1,210 6J 28 4,070 10 48 2,030 Accidents.