7

C.—4

26. Ilomcbush Coal-mine, Glentunnel. —Visited the 12th August, 1887, at which date there were only eight men below and one above. The ventilation of the rise-workings was very deficient, being due to natural causes, and entirely unguided. Mr. Brown, the mine manager, had no approved lamp, but had kept a daily report. The plan had not been made up for sixteen months. There was no copy of the Act at the mine. 27. Dalethorpe Goal-mine, Springfield, is now closed. On the 10th August the mine was in tolerably good order, but the Act unknown. As the pit was on the point of closing I did not think it worth while to introduce any formalities. In case, however, of a possible continuation I sent a copy of the Act, and notices of various points. On the 10th September working ceased, and due notice was subsequently seni to me. 28. Brockfield Goal-mine (formerly Hartley). —ln July, 1887, Mr. Ferguson wrote complaining that I had published his output for the previous year as 2,682 tons instead of 5,219 tons 19 cwt., as shown in his press copy. On my next visit, therefore, in August, I took the original return, signed by himself, and stating 2,682 tons. Mr. Ferguson has spent a good deal of time and money prospecting and driving in somewhat crushed ground. One dip-drive was, Mr. Ferguson informs me, 6J- chains down, and had cut a 16ft. seam of brown coal, when it unfortunately collapsed. 29. St. Helens No. 2 Coal-mine, Whitecliffs. —Messrs. Smart and Gundry gave up possession of this at the end of 1886, and during 1887 a party of miners, of whom Mr. John Bayles was manager, took charge. In August, 1887, the lower drive was in tolerable order, but the upper crushed and working. I explained, the Act to Mr. Bayles, and on the Ist September wrote to him. The place was not revisited before the end of the year, when Mr. Bayles gave it up. 30. Snowdon Goal-mine, Balcaia Gorge, and 81. Acheron Goal-mine, Acheron, have not been revisited. 32. Slobivood Colliery, Bockivood. —Visited on the 11th August, 1887. Mr. Nimmo had, he informed me, no copy of the Act. A weekly report was kept. A very interesting washout has been passed through, which cuts out the coal. An air-shaft had been sunk. On the 2nd September I sent a copy of the Act, and a letter calling attention to the requisite portions. The mine was in excellent order. 33.- Whitecliffs Coal-mine, Whitecliffs. —On the 11th August, Mr. Leeming had not attended so well to the regulations as he ought to have done. The working-place was not well aired, no safety lamp used, though a daily report (unsigned, however) was kept. There was no copy of the Act exhibited. The plan was made up to June. Since then, Mr. Leeming, who appears anxious to do what is correct, has written to me stating that the various points referred to have received attention. 84. Mount Somers Goal-mine, Mount Somers. —As intimated last year, the open-work mining has now been abandoned, and the coal is worked by a drive. On the 16th August two men were employed, Mr. D. Jebson being in charge. The powder magazine consisted of a hole in the coal, just outside the mine, with a piece of sacking hung in front of the aperture. A tramway to the mine was then being constructed by the County Council; when finished it was to be eight miles and a half in length, and was to cost £4,000. Mr. Wright, the owner of this mine, has leased the tramway for a term of years. On the 2nd September, 1887, I sent a copy of the Act to Mr. Jebson requiring his compliance therewith. 35. Wharekuri Coal-mine, Wharekuri. —During 1887 very little was done on account of a fire in the mine. On the 27th December a couple of men were sinking a shaft about 75ft. from the entrance to the mine. The old works were all closed. A weekly report was kept, but somewhat late ; no Act up ; no safety-lamp. 37. Prince Alfred No. 1 Coal-mine, Papakaio. —On the 18th August the workings were in good order, and a report kept. No Act up and no safety-lamp, so I wrote to Mr. Willetts on these points. 38. Prince Alfred No. 2 Goal-mine,, Papakaio. —ln August two men were working back a pillar, and the air was good, but the same points were neglected as in the case of the preceding mine, which belongs to the same owner as this. 39. St. Andrew's Coal-mine, Papakaio. —Visited 18th August, 1887. Although the mine was in excellent order, the Act was not perfectly observed; Mr. Nimmo stating, in explanation, that he had not received a copy. The old special and general rules wore exhibited with the names duly attached. Plan kept, and mine ventilated by a furnace. 40. Ngapara Goal-mine, Ngct/para. —lnspected 6th December, 1887. No approved lamp on the ground, and report written only once a week, instead of daily. A Clanny lamp was on the premises, but was not used. I informed Mr. Nimmo that it would be necessary to procure one of an approved type, and make a daily use of it. 41. Shag Point Colliery, Palmer stem. —On the 4th July, 1887, work was being carried on in both divisions of the main seam. The air was warm, but not excessively so. Cage-cover opening from within, but not made of Jin. iron; the cage was not fitted with safety-catches, but the apparatus was being constructed in Dunedin ; detaching-hooks had, of course, been fixed long ago. The ropes had been, on the 18th April, tested up to 5 tons, the ordinary load being 2 tons. The pit-bank was not covered, and the shaft for a second outlet was progressing very slowly. In the old (main) shaft Mr. Williams was driving through a very hard quartzose conglomerate for the purpose of catching the lower seams. On the 13th July a letter was addressed to Mr. Williams, requesting his attention to (1) pit-bank cover, and (2) cage cover; and on the 3rd August a reply was received that these were attended to 42. Allandale Coal-mine, Palmerston. —This is a new coal-mine, near Shag Point, commenced towards the end of 1887 by Mr. A. Mclntosh, who was connected in the early days with the Shag Point Mine. 44. McLean's Lignite Mine, Idaburn. —An open-work lignite-mine, visited on the 24th November, 1887.