C.—2.

GREY District. Liverpool State Colliery, Rewanui.—'Two seams are still being developed at this colliery. Morgan Seam : In this seam all workings are to the rise and, with the exception of a small area in the .No. a west section which is being developed, the output from this seam was obtained from pillar-extraction the straight-line systeml being used A barrier from If chains to 2 chains in width was left to protect these creeks^overhead 1 nP " Severa l pillars were left behind to protect the workings from Kimbell Seam : Operations m this seam consisted of development work in the Anderson dip section and JNo. 8 bank Kunbell east section, and also the extraction of pillars from three rise sections. In all places worked in JSo. 8 bank, Kimbell east section, the seam became intersected with stone and dirt bands. DevelopScellentquaUty 6 SOn P sect i°n proceeded in a satisfactory manner, the coal produced therefrom being of James , State Colliery, Rapahoe.—Development operations at this mine during the year consisted of openine up a new dip section m the crosscut area situated on the northern side of the crosscut dip, a barrier of coal t£ chains m width separating the two sections. At the initial stage of development work in the new dip section, the seam was inclined to be soft and friable, but, as the workings were extended, it improved considerably m quality, and towa.rds the end of the year clean hard coal, up to 7 ft. in thickness, was beins worked in the places. In the remaining section coal was won from pillar-extraction. The underground conditions were ideal for this class of work, the roof being exceptionally hard. In the west section tie work of coal-wmnmg being completed, the pillared area was sealed off by means of concrete stopping. Prospecting : Work under this head was confined to drilling by means of a diamond" drilling plant on the State Reserve between the .Nine-mile and Kiwi Creeks. During the year three holes were drilled, the total depth of which amounted to 1,530 ft. In each of the three holes drilled, two seams were cut, varying in thickness from 11 ft. to 23 ft. .Drilling operations were then suspended. Blackball Coal-mines Pty., Ltd., Blackball.—All coal produced was recovered from former abandoned workings more particularly m the neighbourhood of the old No. 18 bank, where a dip was jiut down and pillars extracted from the old Ao. 1 level section. The stone drive was continued to the dip a distance of 9 chain* fL c point was turned north-west and driven level. Coal was struck about 4 chains along the level on the 18th September The seam struck was lying at a very high angle and necessitated some alteration in grading before any effective work could be carried on. This regrading was Hearing completion at the end of the year, and coal should be produced from the area early in 1935. Blackball Creek Coal Co., Ltd., Blackball.—The, work of extracting coal from the top seam in the areas already opened up was continued throughout the year. No new work of any kind was attempted. Bnandale Collieries, Ltd., Ten-mile.—Development work in No. I aerial section was completed, and pillarextraotion was commenced. In No. 2 section development work was carried out in three working-faces between two parallel fault-lines running on a bearing of 33°, the coal varying in thickness from 5 ft. to 7 ft. Prospecting : Towards the end of the year, drilling operations were commenced, but were not sufficientlv advanced tor any results to be obtained. Boring is to be continued during 1935 Wallsend Colliery (Brunner Collieries, Ltd.), Brunner.—The driving of the main headings on three shifts was continued the mam roads were brushed and regraded where necessary and heavy rails laid throughout The mam west levels were advanced a total distance of 30 chains from, 'the bottom of the main stone tunnel J>uring the last 10 chains of driving, the grade eased somewhat, while the seam thinned to approximately bit. with very uniform conditions and a good roof. Adjacent to the heading face, a fourth rise panel was opened out The third rise panel was well developed, but here a cross intrusion, with a thinning of the seam inferior coal, and at times a, troublesome roof were encountered. A somewhat similar zone was met in the initial stages of the second rise panel. After this was pierced, coal of very good, quality, with fairly uniform conditions, was encountered generally. The first rise panel yielded splendid coal throughout, although the roof generally was not as good as m the other sections. Development here advanced to the end of the intended panel m a northerly direction, and the section is being worked towards the fault which bears off considerably towards the east The first pair of rise headings is Hearing the boundary, but, as the Kimberlv fault-line is ?!?• « ,1 ™' , 18 m , t . ended to advance these headings with a view to proving the existence or variation of this iault._ The slant dip was advanced a distance of 17 chains and the first dip panel is being opened out the coal m the dip was of good quality, 12 ft. in thickness, conditions generally being fairly uniform. During tion yar a n6W motor (ISO horse-power no-lag motor) was installed with a view to improving the ventilaD °^ son Mine (Grey Valley Collieries, Ltd.), Dobson.- As the result of the explosion on the sth January 1934, it, was found necessary to seal off 25 acres of pillar coal in the east and Buane's sections. The work of sealing off prevented the resumption of coal-production until the 6th March, 1934. During the year the output 0 ... . e F™® T as won from development workings. In the No. 2 west-level section, the main level is within If chains of the boundary on the. western side of the lease. Ten chains from the dip to No. 2 west section, another set of levels, known as No. 3 west, are being driven. Prom these levels a panel of working % m course of development to the dip. A farther 10 chains from No. 3 west levels another set of developing levels has been set awav. These being at the 1,000 yards mark down No. 1 main dip, will constitute a main f ,lr general laying-out of the mine. It is proposed to install an endless rope haulage to operate this lift ot yards. the extent of normal working man easterly direction was curtailed due to the existence of a severe anticline, the effect of which was to alter the level countour to a direction approximately parallel with the main JNo 1 dip. Levelling records show that workings in the easterly direction will require to be laid having a gradient varying from 1 in 2 to 1 in Is. A pair of prospecting" levels, known as No. 3 east, have been commenced and follow the level course contour of the anticline. To the dip of No. 3 east a panel of workings is in course of development. The dip drive opening up this area struck a downthrow fault of about Bft displacement. This proved rather difficult to negotiate, the grade having to be made much steeper to drive across the fault. Ihe ISio. 3 east levels were broken away from No. 1 dip opposite No. 3 west. A further pair ot levels was broken awav at a point coincident with No. 4 west, known as No. 4 east. For the vear the mine worked 126 days on a greatly reduced output. ', Tyneside Collieries Ltd., Brunner.—This mine remained closed throughout the year. Paparoa Colliery, Roa.—Coal-winning operations were carried out in both the aerial and west sect ; ons durins? the year. ® In the west-level section the main development places going north-easterly were stopped near the outcrop and the work of cutting up a block of coal 9 chains by 5 chains into pillars was commenced. In No 1 panel development work was continued throughout the year. In the No. 2 panel, the main level going north-westerly was stopped on a tauit near the outcrop, no development work being undertaken since the explosion in November 1933 In the aerial section the work of splitting and extracting pillars was carried on. United Brunner Mines, Ltd., Brunner.—Very little work was done during the year. A small amount of coal was won from pillars left behind in the working of the old Brunner Mine. Considerable quantities of blackworkings, caused a suspension of mining operations until ventilation appliances had Co-operative Mines in Grey District. Spark and Party's Mine, Rewwnui.—Development work during the year consisted of driving a pair of levels ? n a northerly direction in coal 7 ft. in thickness. The pillars formed are slightly in excess of one chain square in ■'•rea. Dirt bands from 8 in. to 15 in. in thickness made their appearance in the coal-seam.

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