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company being unable to continue producing, a new company was floated locally, and it commenced operations in April. It is pleasing to report that again the mines have been practically free from stoppage through labour troubles during the year. Mount Torlesse Mine. —Tho number of men employed at this mine being much less than formerly, and the output consequently less, a second-class certificated manager is now in charge instead of a first-class one. The back heading dip, which was stopped about a year ago, recently was extended 30 yards. As the seam was found to be pitching steeply this dip was again stopped. A rise connection was made in the main dip to the seam above. A place—broken away to the west off the back heading dip—was only driven 5 yards, as the 4 ft. seam was found to bo dipping very steeply there also. At tho face a borehole was put up, and this proved the upper seam to be. at least 6 ft. thick, with about 4 ft. of stone between the seams. An endeavour may be made to work this small area of the upper seam to the west. On the east side a couple of pillars were extracted, but as no work is now being done in that locality stoppings were put in to seal off this pillared area. There is about six months' work for two pairs of miners in the remaining east-side pillars. Austin's Claystone Mine, Sheffield. —Another level was driven to the north, but when 47 yards in the fireclay pinched out, so pillaring will soon be resumed on tho south side. About another year's pillar-work remains to be done. Springfield Mine.— Towards the end of the year a fow tons were won from the remaining coal near the surface. Homebush Mine. —The coal in the main dip and in the lower north levels becoming very inferior m quality, these places wero stopped. From near the face of the dip a place has beon driven to the south and it is now in ovor a chain, with about a couple of chains farther to go. Higher up the dip tho levels to the south cannot be driven as far. Only a small triangular aroa of solid work remains to be done ; then they will commence to extract the available pillars, which cover a little over an acre in extent. In the fireclay-mino a new dip was driven from the surfaco for 130 ft. at a grade of lin 3. The seam of fireclay then flattened, so, as an extension, a level is now being driven from the bottom of the (lip. Bush Gully Mine.— The pillars have all been extracted from the thin seam worked during 1926. They are now working another thin seam 70 ft. below the exhausted one. Three levels have been driven, the lowest one being 3-J chains in. Near tho surface this seam was 2 ft. Sin. thick, but it has thinned to 2 ft. 2 in. and contains a 2 in. band of soft stone. St. Helen* (Whitecliffs) Mine.—Only small stumps of pillars, left from former workings, were proved by the new dip drive, and these are now being won. Another endeavour will soon be made to prove if workable coal exists to the west. Steventon Valley Mine. —A new dip is being driven, at a grade of lin4, on the east side the fault. It has connected with a return airway near the fault. The dip is now down about 5 chains. The coal at the face is 7 ft. thick, with 2 ft. of stone above, then another 5 ft. of coal. The fault having veered to the west, a place has been broken away off the dip on that side. On tho east side the bottom level met a large roll when 2 chains in. It is intended to drive through this roll later on. West of the fault a prospect shaft was sunk 24 ft. down from the surface, but no coal was proven there, so the fault appears to be a large one. _ . Olearview Mine. —There still remains a little solid work to be done m splitting a large pillar to the rise and outbye from the fault. No attempt has yet been made to work the dip coal. Tripp's Mine. —Early in the year, when coming back with the tops along the main haulage-road a small section of unworked coal was found above and extended to the west. This coal soon became dirty, so the few pillars which had been formed were brought back. The tops along the main haulage-road are also nearly finished. The area beyond the opencast section proved to be a very small one remaining from old workings. A fow small lifts and somo tops are now being won from there. The miners are considering getting a small boiler, pump, and haulage-engine to continue driving the dip south of their present workings, which was stopped about two years ago. _ , , ... Burnwell Mine.— There was no output during the year from this mine. A lease, to work the silica sand, has been granted on part of this area to the Southern Cross Glass Co. of New Zealand, Ltd. Albury Mine.— Early in the year the fire at this coal-pit was checked, but it again broke out in September on the face nearest to the traffic road. lt was decided that the only means of combating it would be to flood the opencast area. The low-level drive connecting with this area was dammed, and water was pumped from a creek about 10 chains away and about 70 ft. lower levol. Fortunately heavy rains fell while pumping was being done, so the area was successfully flooded and the fire extinguished. As most of the available lignite west of the traffic-road has been won, permission was sought to drive under the road and to the woodbank area on the east side, where mining is again being done. Allanholme Mine.—No work was done at this mino during the year. Bellemore Mine.— An old miner is driving a small prospect-tunnel on freehold land west of the Bellemore Mine, and he anticipates cutting the seam which was worked in that mine. Roseneath Mine (near Wharekuri). —Thin mine is on freehold land near the east bank of the Waitaki River. A tunnel was driven almost due west 12 yards in als ft. seam of soft coal. Off this, a place was driven to the north for 30 ft., but the coal continued soft. A dip was put down to the north-west as a continuation of the main drive, and after going 15 ft. fairly hard coal was met. This is expected to continue under the traffic road and into the land north of the road held under a coal-prospecting license. Another level was driven in a lower seam, which proved very soft and dirty. This place may later be connected to the main drive and then used as a return airway. ~.,,,. Airedale Mine.— This new mine is about 10 chains from the old Prince Alfred Mino. A level tunnel was driven from a gully near the Papakaio-Airedalc traffic-road. Three seams were met, but only tho lowest, about Bft thick is being worked. Except for a thin band of stone about 3 ft. from the floor, this seam is very clean. The bottom seam is only 2 ft. thick, and the middle one, 6 ft. thick, is very soft. Four miners are now employed at this mine. ,„.,-• mi < ■ v a i Ngapara Mine.— -Two levels were recently driven to the north off a dip going east, the root m both places was very tender. Instructions were given that timber supports must be set. Shag Point Mine.— -During the early part of the year a little driving was done in the mam dip, which is now 3 chains down from the surface. Owing to tho continued wet weather, work has recently been confined to the places going north and south from near the face of the dip. The north place is now in 2 chains, but the coal at the face is very soft. The south place is in 25 yards in clean hard coal. Haulage up the dip is still being done by horse, as the trade is rather dull and the owner will not incur the expense of an electric haulagePoint Coal-mining Co.'s Mine.—On. the east side of Hancock's dip (the one driven from near tho bottom of the main haulage-road) three levels are now being worked in coal 2 ft. Bm. thick. The lowest place on the west side is in 7 chains, and has reachod the large upthrow fault. The dip itself was not extended during the year. From the main west level a place driven into the upthrow fault provod it had 38 ft. displacement there. A bore was put down, but proved no workable seam below. An inclined stone tunnel at a grade of 1 in 3* was driven across the fault. Four places are now being worked in that section in coal 7 ft. high containing" a stone band 18 in. thick. The level in the middle west section off the long crosscut and going towards the Allandale old workings is now about 5 chains off these old workings and in coal only 2 it. thick. This place may soon bo stopped. In the top west section off the crosscut no places are now being worked, but five pillar places are being worked in the top east section.