C—2

Acheron No. 2 (Anthracite) (J. W. Marsh (Deputy), Manager).—This mine is operating in a small way on a block of very limited area, with the seam 7 ft. in thickness. Development has been by a dip 1 in 4 grade for 3 chains and a pair of levels to the south, which met trouble after advancing 100 ft. while the seam thinned rapidly. To the north, levels met dolerite towards the fringe of the terrace after 40 ft. of driving, proving the block to be limited to approximately 3,500 tons of good-quality anthracite, and further development is very doubtful. The area, a low flat gravel terrace, adjacent to the stream has shallow cover, but the places 5 ft. wide and arched, by 6 ft. high, stand well and good extraction should be made. Bonanza Mine (D. McQueen (Deputy), Manager).—Development in the new tunnel has been by a pair of levels 4 chains in length, the seam being struck after driving a well-timbered adit about a chain in length. The seam is of good coal, 5 ft. in thickness at 24 degrees inclination, with a fairly good roof, and the mine is contiguous to the Sheftield-Coalgate Road. The concern has not been worked to the extent one would expect for a new mine, and appears to be developed as a sales prospect rather than with the object of production, this aspect, with frequent changes of ownership, being too prevalent in the district, but the new Coal Act, 1948, will assure better control of such leases. Victory Mine (V. L. Davies (Deputy), Manager).—The dip has been extended a further 80 ft. and another level opened out to the north-east and south-west of this haulage road. The seam, 10 ft. in thickness, of good quality is highly inclined, 60-70 degrees. New bins and a screening plant are being erected, with elevated tramway from the portal, and it is intended to install a coal-crusher to meet the demand for special grades of coal, also to replace the present steam traction-engine by a Diesel engine, with a compressor for underground pumping. Malvern Mine (A. Taylor (Underviewer), Manager).—-Following a short period of development in the two seams, 6 ft. and 4 ft. pillaring of the section to the rise of the new adit level commenced, and excellent extraction was obtained by special methods and using chutes in this highly inclined seam, 70 degrees. It was decided to abandon the idea of recovery of the lower section of the dip roadway from the present adit, and to approach this by means of a new dip from the opposite side of the hill. Simultaneous with this decision, development in the 6 ft. and 4 ft. seams ceased, and pillar work has been concentrated on while the new dip development commenced. This dip, which struck the seam (6 ft.) after a half chain of driving from the surface, is being driven at a grade of 1 in 3 with firm sandstone for hanging and footwalls, and as it will be water-free until the level of the adit is reached, good progress is being made. The coal is good hard quality with well-defined backs, and produces a high percentage of round coal. By crosscutting at the desired point, the 4 ft. and also the 14 ft. seam, the latter so far untouched, can be developed through the new dip roadway, and the decision to adopt this development programme was a wise one. Arrangements are in hand to install a D.C. Diesel-powered generator and motor-driven winch, as prospects of electric power being made avaiable are doubtful. Manuka Point Mine (O. McQueen (Permit), Manager).—-Two men are engaged developing a pair of levels in a block to the rise of the old Victory Mine. The seam is 4 ft. 6 in. in thickness with good sandstone roof and lies at an inclination of 50-60 degrees. The pair of levels, with separate portals which deliver to a chute and screen on the hillside, have now passed the fringe of the old mine workings, but the rise area to outcrop is limited to the projection of this pair of levels. The old Victory workings are of small extent, and the proper development course to adopt would be from the Victory drive at road-level, which is well timbered and should be a simple matter to recondition, while a small elevator to give screening height would have been less costly than the chute and screen erected on the hillside slope. Burnt Hill Mine (0. McQueen (Permit), Manager).—This small concern is operated by Mcßae Bros., and development is by a pair of levels, the seam being 5 ft. in thickness and lying at an inclination of 50-60 degrees. - The seam is generally of good coal, but at intervals the texture is somewhat shaken, but the roof of firm sandstone stands well. Initially loading was by chute-screen, but a screen and staging are in the course of erection. Klondyke Mine (A. Nimmo (Second Class), Manager).—Development has been to the south with the bottom and companion levels, but later the advancement of levels Nos. 3 and 4 recommenced in a southerly direction, to fit in with the proposed development programme, to furnish a new haulage raodway. This new roadway will be established from the chosen point inbye on the lowest south level by a series of rise splits, and a surface approach to suit the banking layout, and is for the purpose of offsetting fault encroachment cutting diagonally across the north levels and in advance of the present dip-face.

3—C 3

65