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90. Lesmahagow Coal-mine, Whang aha. —lnspected the sth October, 1887, In good order, but the Act disregarded, except for a weekly report. 91. Bonnie View Goal-mine, Whangaloa, was commenced near the sea-coast, in a nice seam of coal, and visited in October, 1887. Is now stopped. 92. Crofthead Goal-mine, Kaitangata, is situated near the crown of the ridge on the new road from Kaitangata to the coast. The mine was on the sth October, 1887, carefully worked, and before the end of the year Mr. Mackie obtained an approved lamp, and sent me the name of the manager. 93. Hui Head Goal-mine, Kaitangata, is situated a little to the north-east of the last. The owner did not succeed in proving a good seam, so the works were stopped. 95. Parratt's Lignite-mine, Wyndham. —In April, 1887, when I was here, no work was going on except a tail-race, which was in process of construction for drainage purposes. 96. Menzie's Ferry Lignite-mine, Wyndham. —On the 25th April, 1887, I had occasion to draw Mr. Morris's attention to section 20 of "The Coal-mines Act, 1886." 97. Smyth's Lignite-mine, Gore : 98. Lieza's Lignite-mine, Gore; 99. McKinnon's Lignite-mine, Gore; and 100. Ghittoch's Lignite-mine, Gore. —All open-work, and have been visited since my last report. 101. Gore Lignite-mine, Gore. —On the 3rd April, 1887, the owners of the mine Messrs. Tweedie and Hunter, sent mo notice of commencement, and on the 20th of that month I paid them a visit. The mine offered no particular subject for remark, being carried on in a seam of lignite, 7ft. 6in. thick, with a 9in. band of dirt in the middle. I requested the owners to procure a safety-lamp (approved), and subsequently sent them a copy of the Act. 102. Hefferman's Lignite-mine, Gore; 103. Ghatton Lignite-mine (Lacey), Ghatton; and 104. Ghatton Lignite-mine (Pemble), Ghatton. —Open-work lignite-mines, only the first of which was visited in 1887. 105. Mapp and McEenzie's Lignite-mine, Puherau. —An open-work lignite-mine, visited on the 22nd September, 1887. 106. Pukerau Lignite-mine, Pukerau. —On the 22nd September, 1887, I found the Act very imperfectly attended to at this mine. No safety-lamp used; iron prickers employed; no copy of the Act up. A daily report was kept, however, and the mine in good order. On the 28th September I wrote giving Mr. McKenzie notice to observe the law. 108. Mataura Lignite-mine (Beattie's), Mataura, and 109. Mataura Lignite-mine (Town's), Mataura, are both worked open-east, and were visited on the 17th April, 1887. 110. Sleeman's Lignite-mine, Mataura, and 111. Townshend's Lignite-mine, Mataura, have not yet been visited. They are both open-cast The same remarks apply to 112. Edge's Lignite-mine, Waikaka; 113. No. 14 Lignite-mine, Waikaka; and 114. Sarginson's Lignite-mine, Gore. 115. Nightcaps No. 1 Goal-mine, Nightcaps. —These thin seam-workings were in good order in April, 1887 ; only one man was at work. The workings were examined every morning with asafetylamp ; not, however, one of an approved pattern. 116. Nightcaps No. 2 Goal-mine, Nightcaps. —This is the thick seam. On the 27th April, 1887,1 measured the ventilation, which was 5,320 cublic feet per minute. Eleven men were at work, and the air and timber good. Eeports kept, and a safety-lamp—not an approved one—used for the morning examination. I explained to Mr. Lloyd that it was'necessary to use a certain type. 117. Nightcaps No. 3 Goal-mine, Nightcaps. —Open-work. 118. Wairio Coal-mine, Nightcaps. —At the date of my visit in April, 1887, the coal was got entirely from the open-cast workings. The owner, Mr. Knight, had shortly before been injured by a dray, and was then in hospital. It appeared that on the 7th April a miner named John Dempster was working in the drive, when a piece of coal fell on him. I visited the injured man in the Eiverton Hospital. 119. Morley Village Coal-mine (Alley's), Nightcaps.- —An open-work mine; well laid out and worked. There is only 3ft. of coal, with 7ft. to Bft. feet of cover. 120. Beed's Goal-mine, Nightcaps, and 121. Morley Village Coal-mine (Lamont's), Nightcaps, are open-work, and were visited in April, 1887. 122. Hokonui Coal-mine, Winton, was commenced towards the end of 1887, and was not visited in that year. 123. Fairfax Lignite-mine, Fairfax, is still open-cast, and was visited on the 26th April, 1887. 124. McDowall's Lignite-mine, Fairfax. —Worked by adit and one excessively wide drive. Heavily timbered. Found a keg nearly full of powder in the mine. The Act was not observed. 125. Isla Bank Lignite-mine, Fairfax. —Open-work. Inspected 26th April, 1887. 126. Orepuki Coal- and Shale-mine, Orepuki. —On the 23rd April, 1887,1 made an examination of this mine, which has, since that date, been abandoned. At that time the manager was about to fit up detaching-hooks, manufactured and patented in the colony. The design was, in the main, good; but, instead of the copper pin usually employed to prevent accidental separation of the plates, there was a brass Jin. bolt, bevelled at the point, and fitting into a hole counter-sunk barely -Jin. into the inner plate. The head of this bolt projected ITVm.l T Vm. from the face, and was totally unchecked or fastened. I did not consider it safe, and had no hesitation in declining to approve it; but subsequently Mr. Ford, the patentee, arranged to insert a copper pin with a good head at each end, immediately below the collar, to act as a check in case the brass bolt should come out. Ira-