C.—2

ANNEXURE A

SUMMARY OF REPORTS BY INSPECTORS OF COAL-MINES NORTHERN INSPECTION DISTRICT (R. H. Schoen, Inspector of Coal-mines Summary of Operations of each Colliery for the Year 1943 North Auckland District Kamo Colliery.—No. 3 Mine: The greater part of the development of this mine during 1943 has been due' to the extension of the No. 2 east (slant dip) development headings for a distance of 9 chains into the coalfield to the north-east. The coal dips in this direction at an average grade of 1 in 5, and the face is now standing on a small upthrow fault at a distance of 37 chains from the main dip. The coal is of good quality 8 ft. thick. As the main drive has not been extended during the year, these headings have become the main development headings of the mine, and it seems likely that a fairly large field of workable coal will be proved in this direction. Development is proceeding to north and south of the headings, and to provide for increased output a larger winch has been installed during the year for direct haulage from these workings. No. 1 East Section: A fault, which crosses the main drive at the junction with the No. 1 east section, has been pierced by a stone drive which has been continued in coal to hole into the end of the first level north of the No. 2 east headings at a distance of 12 chains from the main It is intended to continue a' pair of development headings in the seam in this direction with the idea of opening up further panels to the north on the lower side of the fault which cut off the original No. 1 east headings. N,o. 2 West Section: Development has been continued to the south-west of the Railway Reserve toi a distance of 6 chains, the coal continuing to be of good quality. At this point, a pair of development headings were turned off to the west, and have been driven 8 chains with the intention of connecting to No. 1 west section, leaving a strong barrier of- coal against the eastern edge of the old Harrison Mine workings. , . No. 4 Mine: Pillaring of the Whangarei Colliery area was completed during the year, and work has been continued on pillar-extraction of a small area north of Meldrum Street. The coal is of good quality, and a small but steady output is being maintained by two pairs of miners. Waro Colliery, Hikwrangi.—No extension of the main drive was made during the year. A small output has been maintained from low workings to the east of the main drive, where the 'mit o development has been reached at 12 chains. The seam here has been consistently thin, in general A ft. 6 in. to 4 ft., and ventilation and haulage difficulties have been great. Splitting of the P lUa J' s this section, to the south-east of the main drive, was commenced in October. Development of the No. o slope to the west of the main drive has been hindered by frequent faults which culminated m the seam dipping at a grade of 1 in 2 to the west. Although the coal here is up to (i ft. thick and the quality is good, owing to frequent disturbances it is unlikely that any development of value can be expected. Ketenikau Colliery (Pollock and Party).—Owing to the thinning of the seam and the exhaustion of the coal which could be reached from their drives, this party ceased work and the drives were sealed in September. . , , . Avoca Colliery (Foot and Party).—Work at this mine was resumed in June and continued during the remainder of the year. A small block of coal left to protect the old mine entrance is being extracted by pillaring methods. „. , . . . , , . Kiripaka Fireclay-mine.•—Four men have been employed fairly steadily at this mine thioughout the year. Robbing of the fireclay pillars was continued until November, when underground work was stopped owing to the difficulty of maintaining the timbering. Work has since continued on the surface, the face worked being 20 ft. high. fVaikato District Botowaro Collieries (Tcmpiri Coal-mines, Ltd.). —No. 1 Mine: Pillar-extraction was continued throughout the year in No. 4 east and Hill 60 right sections. In the New Haulage section, extraction was continued' until August, when, owing to heating at the rope-end pillars, the section was closed, the number of places left making it impracticable to operate the haulage economically. Hill <>0 pillar section which had been closed owing to heating since August, 1940, was reopened and pillar-extraction continued. Callaahan's Dip Section (Bottom Scam): Development has continued throughout the year, the mam development headings being extended to 44 chains from the No. 1 Mine haulage m a south-east direction, two sets of headings for panel development being staited to the west. No. 4 panel has been developed by machine-cutting almost to its limit, and pillar-extraction should No. 3 dip section is' being opened up to the west of the main haulages. Machine bords are being driven at 49 ft. 6 in. centres, leaving 12-yard-square pillars to support the overlaying creek and swamp area A permanent endless-rope haulage was installed in August to handle the increased output from the Callaghan's dip section, and the rope has been extended close up to the mam heading face. No 4 Mine: Pillar-extraction of the remaining roadside pillars has continued throughout the year. No'. 3 Mine: Pillar-extraction continued in Brown's Jig, Moodie's Jig, Wilkie s Dip, and B section, while in October a section was opened up opposite A section in a small block .of coal previously unworked. 41 ison Colliery.—No. 1 Mine: Pillar-extraction continued during the year m No. 1 panel, Nos. I and 2 dips, and at the rope-end pillars, and towards the end of the year extraction commenced of pillars below the fault in No. 2 panel. Development of Nos. 1a and 2a panels was continued, and at th" end of the year the bords in both these areas were nearing the barriers. No 2 Mine- The main dip headings were driven to a distance of 15 chains north-east iiom the main haulage in good hard coal 20 ft. thick. Development was carried out in No. 1 rise panel and k'" B ' Early'' in the year twenty new cottages were completed at Rotowaro Township, and twelve more No 1 Mine: Pillar-extraction at this mine, which has been continued throughout the war still gives employment to ten pairs of miners. The working-face at the end of the year was 13 chains from the entrance, and as the unworked coal is nowhere more than 6 chains wide, this mi e sjhnnld bo worked out in some three months. , No 2 Mine- Pillar-extraction from the fault in the main drive proceeded during the year to a point' 17 chains from the mine entrance. Some development in No. 2 dip was also carried out towards the b °^ ai^. ne; During the year the east section headings were driven 16 chains from the entrance, the coal between there and the outcrop, 6 chains to the east, being developed as a panel. Ihe coal has been of good quality, 6 ft. to 7 ft. high, and easily worked. About half of this panel has been extracted and very little coal has been lost.

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