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59. Bannochburn Coal-mine, Cromwell. —Examined on the 24th August, 1886, when only one man was at work. The mine seems safe ; report kept somewhat irregularly. 60. Kawarau Goal-mine, Cromwell (24th August, 1886). —Only one man at work; mine in very good order, but Mr. Pryde, the owner, was away, so I could not inquire how far the Act was kept. Certainly in his absence nothing was apparent. 61. Clyde Coal-mine, Clyde. —Visited 24th August, 1886. No Act kept. Ladders down the shaft very badly constructed. As a fire had recently taken place in the mine the workings were closed. 62. Dairy Creek Coal-mine, Clyde {formerly known as Clyde Coal-mine). — Visited on the same date as the above, which it adjoins, being, however, worked by a dip-drive instead of a shaft. The workings were in good order, but the details required by the Act entirely neglected. 63. Earnscleugh Goal-mine, Clyde (23rd August, 1886.—The mine was in pretty good order, though the steep seam and crushed coal are not conducive to safety. Mr. Buckley had kept a report. 64. Gibbston Coal-mine, Gibbston. —On the 28th August, when I was at this mine, only one man was working at the coal, on an open face, Mr. Owens having abandoned the old workings and put in a tunnel 373 ft. in length, which was expected to reach the coal at 395 ft. The ground, being mostly moist clay, proved very troublesome and expensive, and required very close timbering. No report had been kept. 65. Robertson's Lignite-mine, Roxburgh, and 66. Jones's Lignite-mine, Roxburgh, are both open-work, and were visited on the 19th August. The former is under rather heavy cover, and Mr. Eobertson had some idea of mining. 68. Green Island Colliery, Green Island. —Inspected on the 23rd June, finding Mr. D. Marshall in charge. Weekly report kept, very few men at work, but the the air exceedingly bad, as the airway had fallen in. Plan kept, and mine otherwise in pretty good order. The manager in charge seemed to know nothing about the requirements of the Act, but " supposed a copy was at the office." On the 29th June Mr. D. Eichardson called and stated that Marshall was not manager, and on the Ist July I received a letter from Messrs. Smith and Fotheringham, the owners, stating that Marshall was only deputy-manager, Eichardson being manager and visiting the mine three times a week; also that every effort was being made to observe the Act. It will be noted that in more than one case there was an indefmiteness as to who was really manager of a mine, and it is easy to see how easily this might become a source of danger. Under the existing Act this cannot occur, owners being compelled to nominate a manager in writing. 69. Saddle Hill Coal-mine (Christie's), Saddle Hill. —On the 18th September I called at this mine with the object of seeing in how far the regulations for safety-cages, &c, could be adopted without serious difficulty. As, however, the head-gear is very low, and the arrangements generally are not laid out with any surplus of strength, it would have been necessary to put up new headgear, and spend, probably, more money than the mine was worth. As will be seen in the report for 1887, this difficulty has been satisfactorily arranged. 72. Walton Park Colliery, Green Island. —On the 30th June, 1886, I inspected the underground workings and overground arrangements at this colliery, finding that, as usual, they were in good order. Eeport kept, also register of boys; plan, dated April, 1886; air mostly good. On the 17th July John McLean was injured by a fall of coal, which was reported by Mr. London on the 19th. Subsequently I called at McLean's house, and, although he was absent, obtained information indicating that the management was not to blame for the accident. On the 18th September I made an overground inspection with a view to introducing the recently-passed Coal Mines Act. 75. Bruce Coal-mine, Milton (7th May, 1886). —The only fault to be found with this mine was that too much slack was left. In other respects the Act was not perfectly observed, there being no general rules up, and the report being somewhat backward. On the Bth June I wrote to Mr. Hardwick about the slack. 76. Real Mackay Coal-mine, Milton. —When I called at this mine in May, 1886, nobody was about. 77. Fortification Goal-mine, Milton (7th May, 1886). —The larger part of this mine had fallen in on account of an excessive proportion of coal having been extracted. A good deal of timber had been set but, of course, uselessly. I advised Mr. Eeid to leave a good large rib, for the purpose of protecting any new workings from the weight. Eules were exhibited, but the weekly report not kept at the mine. I addressed a letter on these subjects to Mr. Eeid. 78. Gannon's Lignite-mine, Lovell's Flat; 79. Paskell's Lignite-mine, Adams's Flat ; and 80. Adams's Flat Lignite-mine, Adams's Flat, were all visited on the 19th May, and found to be still worked opencast. 81. Evans's Flat Goal-mine, Lawrence. —On the 22nd December I visited this mine, which had been at work for six months, and which was immediately afterwards closed. Mr. Buchanan, the owner, informs me that operations will not be resumed during this year. This seam, which was discovered approximately twenty years ago, is 12ft. in thickness, and dips at an angle of 25°, in a northerly direction, under the auriferous gravels of Evans's Flat. Six feet is worked, a dip drive with lateral levels having been driven for a distance of 160 ft. on the full dip. Hauling is performed by a 6ft. over-shot water-wheel, which also actuates the pumps. 82. Benhar Goal-mine, Bdlclntha, has been visited, since my last report and during 1886, on two occasions—viz., the 21st May and the 18th August. At the former date the plan was nearly two years in arrear, and no general rules were exhibited. The dip-drive was at that time being continued to the dip. On the 6th August William Pringle, a miner, was injured by a piece of coal which struck him on the leg, without breaking any bones. Mr. Nelson's letter informing me of the accident was dated the 7th, but not posted until the 10th. Pringle was off work for a fortnight.