c.—2.

Low Level Mine, OogUan'a Freehold, Capleston.—One man was again employed on development work in No. 2 seam to the dip of Coghlan's Mine. The total distance advanced in coal in the main level is 5 chains. Waitahu Mine (A. I). Williams), Reefton. —Top Mine : The output was obtained from development of the main level and two rise headings advancing towards the eastern boundary of the mine. The distance advanced in the main levels during the year was 3 chains, while the headings advanced 5 chains. A section of the seam in the present workings is as follows : Top coal, 8 ft.; stone band, 3 ft.; bottom coal, 5 ft. McKinlay's Mine : Operations in this mine were confined to driving the main levels, which have now reached a point 22| chains from the surface. The coal is of good quality with an average height of 6 ft. Lewis and Party's Mine.—The right to operate a portion of Waitahu top seam on which Williams' old mine is located was obtained by this party, and in August the old dip heading in Williams' Mine was dewatered and operations commenced in an area of solid coal to the north of the old mine workings. The original dip heading has been retimbered and a main rope haulage, 6 chains in length, has been installed. Pyramid Mine, Reefton. —Extraction of pillars continued throughout the year in the top and mid sections of this mine. For the purpose of operating the seam at a lower level a drive was completed and development of a block of coal below the mid-level was proceeding at the end of the year. The coal is of good quality and has an average height of 10 ft. Burke's Creek Collieries, Ltd., Reefton. —The output for the year was obtained from pillar-extraction in No. 3 panel and the further development of two levels to the south of the main dip extension. Extraction of pillars in No. 3 panel was pushed rapidly during the year and the area is now almost worked out. Peerless Mine (Williams and Party), Burke's Creek Lease, Reefton. —All coal was extracted from this mine, and operations ceased in October. Burnwell Coal Co., Reefton. —Operations during the year consisted of driving the rise companion level, and two main headings have been advanced in a southerly direction for a distance of 3 chains. A new return airway was completed and essential repairs and improvements carried out in the main level. Terrace Mine, Reefton. —Early in the year operations ceased in the top workings of the mine, and the seam was tapped by a stone drive 470 ft. in length at a point 65 ft. below the level of the original mine entrance. The main level at the inbye side of the stone drive was advanced in good coal approximately 120 ft. and two headings connected with the upper main level, which now forms the main return airway. The estimated thickness of the seam is 40 ft., the lower 9 ft. of which is being operated through the new stone tunnel. Venus Mine, Murray Creek. —All available coal was won from this mine, and the mine was abandoned early in the year. Defiance Mine (McClatchie and Co., Ltd., Christchurch ), Murray Creek.—During the year extraction of pillars was completed in the Waterfall and McKenzie's sections. Development of the top level area was carried forward to the north-eastern boundary of the lease, and pillar extraction commenced on the line of outcrop near the boundary. At the inbye side of the main dip, approximately 9J chains from the top level, a small amount of development work was carried out in the dip extension, and a main level has been opened out on the northern side of the dip. The coal in this area is of good quality with an average height of 5 ft. Clele Mine, Merrijigs.—The output for the year was secured from pillar-extraction in No. 1 mine. All development work in this area has been completed, and extraction of pillars was proceeding near fault lines on the eastern and western sides of the main level. White Rose Mine, Merrijigs.—Most of the output was obtained from partial extraction of a strip of outcrop coal left behind when operations were abandoned several years ago. In the latter half of the year the main portion of the seam was intercepted by a short stone tunnel at a lower level. Bullish District. Mitchell's Mine, Charleston.—Opencast mining was carried on during the year in the upper 8 ft. of the coal-seam. Warne's Mine, Bowater and Bryan's Mine, and Powell's and Price's Mines, Charleston. —These mines did not operate during the vear. Brighton Coal-mines, Ltd., Brighton.—A small quantity of coal was won from development to meet local requirements. Rockland's Mine (J. F. Burley), Butter Gorge.—All available coal was extracted from this mine, and the mine abandoned in December. Olencrag Mine (Forsyth and Bateson), Butter Gorge.—The output was obtained from development/work in the main level and a small amount of pillar-extraction carried out in the vicinity of the northern fault line. Coal Creek Mine (McGwire and Party), Seddonville. —The output was obtained from development work in the top mine and the reopening of the old working in the Lawrence section of the Mokibinui Mine. The coal in the latter area is of good quality, with an average height of 20 ft. Cardiff Coal Co., Ltd., Mokihinui. —During most of the year operations were confined to the clearing and repairing of roadways in the old Cardilf Bridge Mine, and the driving of a ventilation shaft, through 60 ft. of stone, at the inbye side of the workings. A small amount of coal was won from pillar-extraction near the fault on the northern side of the mine. Hydro Coal-mines, Ltd., Seddonville. —All development work has been completed, and extraction of pillars was commenced in low west and top east sections during December. Charming Creek-Westport Coal Co., Ltd., Ngakawau.—The output during the first half of the year was won entirely from development work in the south jig section. Dirty coal and a thinning of the seam were then encountered, and consequently development work was stopped and the extraction of pillars commenced. In the south-eastern area of the mine, development work was advanced with a view to opening up an area of coal proved by several boreholes put down during 1940. Westport-Cascade Mine, Cascade Creek.— The output was obtained from three separate areas as follows :— Moynihan's Section : Extraction of pillars was continued throughout the year in excellent coal approximately 30 ft. thick. O'Brien's Section: Pillar-extraction was carried towards the outcrop early in the year, but as a result of the reduction in height of the overburden near the outcrop the opencast method of mining was introduced. Durkin's South Section : Five solid places, situated on the upthrow side of a fault with a good displacement of 25 ft., were advanced towards the outcrop. Wesport Coal Co., Ltd., Denniston Mines. —Ironbridge Mine : The whole of the output was again won from pillarextraction. Coalbrookdale Mine : M ost of the output was obtained from pillar-extraction in the Whareatea Extended, Waterloo, Cascade, and Forsyth's sections, all of which, with the exception of Forsyth's section where some panels have yet to be completed, have beeh fully developed and a retreating system of pillar-extraction is carried on. The ratio of pillar coal to solid coal won from development was approximately 90 per cent, and 10 per cent, respectively. Boring operations in the area adjacent to Forsyth's section have been almost completed. Westport Coal Co., Ltd., Millerton Mine.—Mine Creek Section: The output was again obtained from partial extraction of pillars and top coal in the third and sixth west sections. All available coal was extracted from No. 5 west section, and the area was sealed off in the early part of the year. Mangatini Area : Operations consisted of the total extraction of pillars as far as conditions permitted. Old Dip Area : Extraction of pillars was continued at the inbye side of the area during the year. The seam here varies from 15 ft. to 30 ft. in thickness, and on account of the liability of spontaneous combustion developing in the coal the area has been blocked into small panels by artificial barriers formed by the coal-pillars and substantial concrete stoppings. During the year evidence of heating was observed in the goaf area behind the working pillars —the area was immediately sealed off by closing two doorways in a line of stoppings previously prepared for such an emergency. Westport-Stockton Coat Co., Ltd., Ngakawau— Operations have been confined mainly to development in the East, Straight, MeCabe's Jig, and Main South'areas. In McCabe's Jig area the main headings advanced a further 10 chains in excellent coal, which unfortunately is inclined very steeply and has caused some serious transport Considerable trouble was also experienced in this area by inflows of water from the surface, caused by breaks and fissures in the thin overburden.

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