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December, 1,520 ft. of blast-hole drilling was done to assist with the shooting of overburden at the opencast. A new 56b blast-hole drill has been ordered for this class of work and should be in operation early in the next year. Plateau Area, Denniston. —Seventeen bores, totalling 2,554 ft., were drilled on this area to try and define an area likely to contain low-sulphur coal. The drilling was most encouraging and this area will be opened up in the near future. Southern District Wangaloa.— -During the previous year a deep bore was drilled to 834 ft., and was completed this year to 1,092 ft. The drilling on this area was most difficult because of the alternating hardness and looseness of the quartz material to be drilled through. The results from the bore were not encouraging and it was decided to abandon the work meantime. Wangaloa Opencast. —Six bores, totalling 535 ft., were drilled near the present Wangaloa Opencast to prove the thickness of cover on a likely extension. Wangaloa Coal Company.—To prove whether an area owned by the above company could be worked by opencast methods, the Mines Department drilled twenty-three bores, totalling 1,121 ft., during the year, and from the results of these bores a decision will be made early in the New Year as to the potential opencast value. New Brighton, Ohai.—Five bores, totalling 251 ft., were drilled on a small area in this locality to see if suitable for a small party. The results were negative. Star Opencast. —To prove the likely extent of coal which could be won opencast on this area, fifty-three bores, totalling 2,544 ft., were drilled. The area is now being stripped and some coal was won during the Christmas period. Wairaki, Birchwood, and Star, Ohai- -Nine bores, totalling 4,172 ft., were drilled on these areas as part of the general deep-drilling programme in the Ohai district. Very encouraging results are being obtained in Ohai generally and large blocks of more or less undisturbed coal are being found. Summary of Bores Drilled Ft. Harrison and party . . . . . . . . 1 7G Stuart and party .. .. .. ..5 515 Mount Davy .. . . . . . . .. 2 610 Spark and party . , .. .. .. 2 360 Strongman Colliery .. .. .. .. 6 585 Dobson Colliery . . .. . . . . 1 110 Wangaloa . . . . .. .. .. 1 258 Wangaloa Opencast ~ .. .. .. 6 535 Wangaloa Coal Co. .. .. .. ..23 1,121 New Brighton .. .. .. .. ..5 4,170 Star Opencast .. .. .. .. ..53 2,544 Star .. .. . . . . .. ..3 1,496 Wairaki . . . . . . .. . , 1 77 Birchwood .. .. .. .. .. 5 2,599 Kimihia Opencast . . . . . . . . 17 819 Devlin and Bell .. .. .. .. 5 222 Thompson and party . . . . . . . . 2 171 Wilton Opencast . . . . .. ... 45 2,607 Stockton Area .. .. .. ..35 4,078 Denniston Area .. .. .. .17 2,554 Burke's Creek, Keefton . . . . . . 1 310 236 21,898 Blast-holes, Stockton Opencast .. .. .... 1,520 23,418

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