394 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



SKILLED FOREMEN. 



In boring operations with any class of machine, an important 

 factor of success is the skill of the foreman. To' work on the percus- 

 sion system a man must be trained to the business, just like the trade 

 of a carpenter or blacksmith, and the foreman in charge of a diamond 

 drill must have been trained first as mechanic, and afterwards in- 

 structed in the manipulation of the machine for a long period before 

 he can become competent to be entrusted with such delicate and 

 valuable tools as those used with it. The work of boring is of such 

 a nature that delays and accidents are unavoidable, and it is only 

 by the employment of the best machinery and skilled men of exper- 

 ience that they can be minimised. 



PLANT AND MACHINERY. 



The boring machines used by this Government are of the follow- 

 ing types and sizes : — 



(i) Steam-power Sullivan Diamond Drill, capable of boring a 

 2^" hole to a depth of 3,000 feet; a ;^l" to a depth of 

 2,000 feet; or a 4I" hole to a depth of 1,000 feet. 



(2) Steam-power Diamond Drill, capable of boring in solid 



rock to a depth of 600 feet a 2J" or 3^" hole, which can 

 be reamed out to 4^" if required. 



(3) Hand or Horse-power Diamond Drill, capable of boring, to 



a depth of not more than 400 feet, a 2 J" hole, which 

 can be reamed out to 3". 



(4) Combined Percussion and Hand-power Diamond Drill, 



boring, in loose formations, to a depth of about 300 feet, 

 holes from 2" to 6" in diameter. 



(5) Steam-power Percussion Drill, capable of sinking, in softer 



formations, a 6" hole to a depth of 400 feet. 



No. (i) is a powerful plant, consisting of a boring machine, line 

 of rods, hauling gear, force pump, engine, boiler, and derrick 60 

 feet high. An important feature is the hydraulic apparatus for regu 

 lating the feed down, or rate of cutting of the diamond tool. The 

 boiler is 15 horse-power, and the vertical engines, boring machine, 

 feed gear, and hoisting apparatus are comprised in one machine, but 

 each can be operated separately. The steam pump is of necessity 

 separate, but stands beside the machine, and is connected with the 

 hydraulic feed, as well as the boring rods. The machiner}- stands 

 directly beneath the derrick, the four legs of which enclose a 

 galvanised iron house, to protect it from the weather. Although the 

 plant weighs 21 tons in all, it is fairly portable, and can be moved 

 from place to place with ease, but as the deep holes for which this 

 apparatus is employed take some time to drill there is no necessity 

 to shift it often, 



Noi (2) is a much smaller steam plant, consisting of a boring 

 machine, force pump, derrick, and line of rods. The engine is 



