C—3a.

wire rope for dip haulage is passed. A vertical 8-horse-power engine and boiler (combined) is in position at the top of the shaft, with drum and signal-wires complete. An upper seam 6 ft. in thickness to the rear of the boiler conveniently supplies fuel for steam-raising. In the old mine pillars continue to be carefully withdrawn, timber being freely used. Air good. An old minelnouth has been reopened, which makes a new upcast and second outlet. Eleven men employed underground. St. Helen's Colliery, Whitecliffs (H. Levick, permit).—(l 3/11/1901) : Five water-free tunnels have been driven at various points ; balance of coal to the rise now almost extracted. Air dull at three of the working-faces, ends not up to level above, and damp squeezing out from waste. A new level is in 40 yards, and the coal should be struck at 60 yards; but Mr. Levick maintains that the seams worked (three) do not continue to the dip, being cut off by faulted and disturbed ground. Hartley Colliery, Whitecliffs.— (l3/11/1901) : Still nothing doing here. Brcckley Pit, Glenroy (Henry Lee, permit).—(l 3/11/1901): A cross-measures drive is in 80 yards to a vertical seam of coal 3 ft. 6 in. in thickness. Levels are driven north and south, about 1 chain on each side. Timber well put in, but too light to withstand the pressure that may ultimately be expected as the levels advance and coal is extracted. A wooden tramway 8 chains in length is laid from the mine to the district road, from which point the coal is carted nine miles to Glentunnel Eailway-station. It is expected that the principal market for the coal will be found in Christchurch City. Five men employed. Snowdon Coal-pit, Bakaia Gorge (G. Gerard).—(l6/11/1901) : An old mine, on north bank of Kakaia Biver. A level drive in 5 chains, which, with the back level, is all the work done in this seam. The upcast shaft is also used for landing the bags of coal on the terrace. A new mine is oeing opened up on three parallel seams of superior brown coal, lying at an angle of 1 in I*, which outcrop on a conglomerate underlying the terrace-formation of the river-bank A crossmeasures drive is being put in to prove the seams, when the work can be laid off to the best advantage. CraigieburnPit, West Coast Boad (D. Manson).—(l9/11/1901): Several thin surface seams, from 1 ft. to 2 ft. in thickness, have been worked out on the breast of a steep face. It is proposed to open a mine on the opposite side of the stream, where outcrops of coal are known to exist in more solid country. Mount Somers Coal-mines, Mount Somers (William Harris, permit).—(B/8/1901): The bank above mine-mouth requires more batter. Development-work conducted in a haphazard manner, and too much robbing being done towards the outcrop to avoid pumping. The dip drive is not on the bottom of the seam, but is carried in at water-level. The new mine is now producing coal 80 chains of level tramway, with a "jig-brow" 37 chains in length, at 1 in 5, connects the mine with the Belwyn County tramway. Two parallel drives are in 2 chains to face. The coal from this mine is said to be superior to the old-mine coal, and commands a higher price on the market. Butherford's Mine, Albury (J. M. Willetts).—(2l/11/1901) : The workings are well opened up and the mine is in good working-order. Elephant Hill Pit, Waihao Doiv?is (Louis Matthias).—(6/12/1901) : Mouth of drive rather too perpendicular for safety. The main level is kept in good order. Timber used where required Air good. Not being worked at present. Waihao Pit, Waihao Forks (late Studholme's, Stony Creek), (A. Adamson, permit).—(6/12/1901): The level face is 4 chains in from the mouth. The opening into the old mine for air-return and second outlet requires to be enlarged. An outcrop on the face of the terrace at another part of the lease has been driven on 40 ft., and found to be a seam of coal 4 ft. thick underlying 2i ft. of shale similar to that in McPherson's pit, from which it is distant about a quarter of a Waihao Forks Mine, Waihao Forks.— (6/12/1901) : Messrs. Ward and Morgan have obtained the right to mine coal and shale from Mr. McPherson. The old mine-mouth has fallen in and is now abandoned. A new mine opened on the south branch of the Waihao Eiver is in about 30 ft to the face. 3 ft. of light shale is seen to overlie 3 ft. of coal at this point, but no sinking or other prospecting or development work has been done to prove the continuance of the shale and coal which appear to underlie the terrace lying between the north and south branches of the Waihao Kiver. Ihe shale m appearance very much resembles that found in White's pit, Ida Valley Central Otago. J ' Dalgety or Hakataramea Mine, Hakataramea (D. MacFarlane).—(7/12/1901) : The mine is now fallen m and abandoned. Mr. MacFarlane, manager of the Morven Hills Station, informed me that about 100 tons per annum for the last twenty years had been produced for station requirements only. Rocky Point Pit, Hakataramea (D. MacFarlane).—(7/12/1901): This mine was opened up about eighteen years ago by Henderson and Morton, who were flooded out at that time by the river rising. The water has been recently taken out, and Mr. MacFarlane proposes to open up the mine for his own use in place of the Dalgety Mine. Noeth Otago. Pit, Kurow (H. J. Porter).-(31/10/1901) : Apparently nothing doing here for some Sutherland andShanks's Pit, Wharekuri (A. Shanks).—(2B/6/1901): Only one man getting coal. An old drive is being repaired. The seam is nearly vertical, with fireclay walls All the sets of timber in the drive were crushed and broken. I found the return airway blocked by a fall of sand. Mr. bhanks s attention was drawn to the state of the pit, and I subsequently wrote him

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