C.—2

24

A serious blasting accident occurred to Alfred Brown in the Waihi Mine in a stope on the Bull reef —above tbe Western Smithy surface level—about 9.30 a.m. on the 29th February. This stope is being worked one shift with two men—Alfred Brown and Daniel Gardiner. At knock-off time the evening before Brown spit two holes which had been charged, but only heard one report. The next morning both men entered the stope and discovered that one hole had misfired. Brown, who was nearest the face, pulled out the burnt fuse with the unexploded detonator attached ;he afterwards commenced to work down the loose ground. Gardiner filled a truck and had just reached the mouth of the tunnel when he heard an explosion. On going back into the level he found that his mate had been seriously injured in eyes, chest, and arms. An examination of the stope showed that two holes had been bored, one above the other. The bottom hole missed, whilst the top one broke its burthen, and also shattered the quartz underneath. It is difficult to explain exactly how this accident happened, especially in view of the fact that the detonator had been withdrawn, and all that one can assume is that the whole face was shaken by the top hole, and that Brown miscalculated the position of the miss-hole and drove his pick into the charge, causing it to explode. Messrs. Brown and Gardiner are both careful and confident miners with many years' experience, and this accident can only be attributed to a error of judgment on the part of Alfred Brown, the injured man. R. Wood had an arm broken whilst working in the shaft at Muir's Gold-reefs (Limited) on the 23rd June. It appears that at the time of the accident G. Hayward, L. Thompson, and R. Wood were engaged putting in a set of timber at 474 ft. below the surface. The bucket cage in the centre compartment was at the surface, the north cage being about 30 ft. above the bottom of the shaft. The lines used for plumbing the timbers are hung from a set about 30 ft. above the bottom, and required adjusting. In order to do so Wood climbed the sets in the compartment under the north cage, omitting to give the signal of eight bells, which notifies the engine-driver to hold fast and not to move the engine. While Wood was so engaged the braceman signalled the engine-driver to raise the bucket cage on the surface to enable him to draw the bucket into the winding-compartment, with the result that the north cage was lowered slowly about 10 ft. Wood, who was under this cage adjusting the plumb-lines, was struck on the right arm, sustaining a compound fracture of the radius. From the above it will be seen that this accident was due to negligence on the part of Wood in omitting to give the signal of eight bells, which notifies the engine-driver to fold fast and not to move the engine. West Coast Inspection District (J. F. Downey, Inspector of Mines). Quartz- mining. MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT. Dominion Consolidated Mine. —Towards the end of 1922 the Dominion Consolidated Mining and Development Company, which had operated the mine for some years previously, went into liquidation, and for some time work was at a standstill. During the past year, however, a syndicate, formed mainly, I understand, by the debenture-holders, took over the property and resumed active mining. A great deal of work was found to be necessary to bring both mine and plant into proper working-order again, and this prevented any crushing being done. Mr. W. L. Dutton was appointed mine-manager, and it is his intention to work the reef on the shrinkage s3?stem as practised to some extent at Waihi. The reef is not of high grade, but it is of good width, and, as it breaks well and the walls are of exceptionally good-standing character, it is suitable for shrinkage stoping. The management has good hopes that by working it on that system an economy will be effected that will enable a profit to be won. By the end of the year most of the needed repairs had been effected, and it was expected a start would shortly be made to crush. In the meantime a large tonnage of stone had already been broken in the stopes ready for transport to the mill. Eighteen men were engaged in mine and plant. REEFTON DISTRICT. Blackwater Mine. —During the year the average number of men employed remained approximately the same as last year —namely, 140. Development-work was carried on systematically, but a shortage of miners prepared to undertake winzing somewhat retarded progress. The work actually carried out consisted of 1,237j ft. of driving, 904 ft. of which was on reef averaging 17-45 dwt. over in. ; 216£ ft. of rising, 108-J ft. of which was on reef averaging 17-11 dwt. over 19 in. ; S3-J of winzing, 10 ft. of which was on reef averaging 18-1 dwt. over 18 in. ; and 16 ft. of crosscutting. The details of the work are as follows :— No. 6 north level was advanced 15 ft., without disclosing anything ; No. 8 level north advanced 222-J-ft., 209jft. on reef averaging 18-58 dwt. over 28 in. ; No. 9 level north advanced 199 ft., 158 ft. of which was on reef averaging 14-08 dwt. over 22-7 in. ; No. 9 level south advanced 14 ft. in country rock ; No. 10 level north advanced 360£ ft., 248Jft. on reef averaging 17-06 dwt. over 42-6 in. ; No. 10 level south, advanced ft., 240 ft. on reef averaging 20-55 dwt. over 16-3 in. ; No. 8 level rise at 1,470 ft. north was risen 83-J ft. on reef averaging 18-1 dwt. over 18 in. ; No. 8 level rise at 1,670 ft. north was put up 18 ft. on reef averaging 14-9 dwt. over 24 in. ; No. 9 level rise at 640 ft. south was risen 32 ft., of which only 7 ft. was on reef ; No. 10 level rise at 440 ft. north was risen 83 ft. in country rock only ; No. 7 level winze at 1,470 ft. north was sunk 53 ft., 10 ft. of which was on reef averaging 18-1 dwt. over 18 in. The total footage of development was therefore 1,553Jft., of which 1,022Jft. was on reef averaging 17-44 dwt. over 26-4 in.—viz., 908£ ft. in payable reef averaging 19-35 dwt. over 27J in., and 114 ft. on reef averaging 3-23 dwt, over 17£ in., 531 ft. being off reef. This development cannot be looked upon as otherwise than very satisfactory, the extent of reef and the values showing on No. 10 level north being particularly so. This is so far probably the best level north in the mine since No. 4, and as it is the present lowest level the development speaks well for the future life of the mine. During the year some 38,140 tons of quartz were treated, which yielded 18,550 oz. 4 dwt. gold, valued at £79,310 Bs. 4d. The crushing showed a falling-off of about 1,500 tons on the previous year, but the value received represented an increase in the same period of £3,872 7s. lOd. A new Edwards roasting plant is being erected at the battery to treat accumulated and current concentrates, which for some time past have not been sufficiently rich in gold content to warrant their being shipped to Australia or elsewhere for treatment; but by treating them, at the mine a fair margin of profit is expected to be won. The new water-race extension to the Alexander River is nearly completed, and when this water is brought in additional economies that are expected as the result of its use will probably further assist the company in its future work. North Blackivater Mine. —During the year this mine was again unwatered and put in order, but the only actual mining done was the extension of No. 6 level a further 18 ft. easterly. This work was carried out with a view to locating the upward continuation of the reef found at 220 ft. in No. 7 level crosscut, and the object was attained. The reef was cut, but it was broken and of irregular size, due no doubt to the point of intersection being in close proximity to the same fault that displaced the reef on the lower level. Once the reef was found, in this level work again ceased, pending rearrangement of its finances on the part of the company. Murray Creek Mine. —Mining operations were resumed on this property by a small syndicate which took the property over from the liquidator of the former Murray Creek Gold-mining Company. The old No. 2 (battery adit level) was cleaned out and repaired for about 2,800 ft., and the rails were relaid in it for that distance. At this point which was but a few feet from the extreme end of the adit, some work was done on a small reef-track which evidently represented the southern limit of the Victoria shoot (the most southerly of three previously worked in the mine). A leading stope was taken off, and it was found that the track opened out and carried more quartz. This sign being considered encouraging, stoping was carried out further, but no further evidence of the widening of the track occurred, and as the stone was too small and broken, to be worked profitably operations at that part were suspended. Some prospecting was then carried out at a point in the adit about 400 ft. further back towards the mouth, and here at the