I.—f).

tralia, where they carry the low-grade silver-lead ores at a much lower rate. They carry these lowgrade ores from Cockburn, South Australia, to Dry Creek, near Adelaide, a distance of over 280 miles, at 18s. a ton ; for the high-grade ore they charge rate and a half. 1420. Mr. Withy.] With regard to the soft coal or crushed coal: is that coal which is crushed in the formation ? —lt is a slipped coal, and comes down to very great fineness, some of it being as fine almost as soot. It has no commercial value whatever except for our purposes. 1421. Does that apply to the new mine, the Ngakawau?—No ; only to the Albion section of it. It is not a question of small coal. This is not small coal; it is a crushed coal, which has no other value except for our purposes. As a matter of fact, there never has been any traffic in this crushed coal. 1422. What do you suggest should be the difference in the rate?—l think one-third would not be an unfair difference. 1423. Mr. Turnbull.] Does it take more labour to load this soft coal? —There is not much difference ; it may be rather more. But I would remind the Committee that unless this soft coal is utilised for coke-making it would be wholly lost to the Government : if it were not employed for the purpose for which we propose to use it, it would remain valueless to the country. 1424. The Chairman.] Here the haulage is 2s. for eight miles ? —That is a monstrous rate. 1425. Mr. Turnbull.] I think I understood you to say that it was a part of your scheme to put up smelting-works at Westport ?—The whole matter is purely a question of freight : upon this depends whether we put them up here. That is, it entirely depends upon the arrangements we can make with the railway and the shipping people ; and this latter again depends upon whether we can build our smelting-works here. If so, we can get full ships, and a consequent reduction on freights, both ways. Of course we must see all these things clear before we can go into such a large work. 1426. Mr. Fish.] There is no difficulty in building the works if the other conditions are satisfactory ?—None whatever. 1427. Have you had any communication with the Minister of Mines on the subject?—l wrote to him the other day. I only got back to town yesterday. I will probably see him to-day. 1428. Does it rest with the Government whether you will build these smelting-works?—The question of the royalty charged is a very important element, as is also the question of railway carriage. We expect to use up some 80,000 tons of coal a year. A concession of 3d. a ton upon that would mean £1,000. 1429. And that 80,000 tons would be increased year by year ? —No doubt it would; but that is what may be consumed right away.

Tuesday, 6th August, 1889. George J. Binns, examination continued. 1430. The Chairman.] I think when we left off your examination-in-chief you were on the subject of the danger pending in reference to two or three mines on the West Coast, Mr. Binns?—l do not exactly follow you. I was requested to get some particulars of death-rates. 1431. About not having power to take legal proceedings against owners of certain mines which were irregularly worked ?—I wrote in my report to Parliament regarding that. 1432. I want you to state to the Committee more fully what irregularities you more particularly refer to?-—I think what I was referring to at that moment was the Boatman's and Burke's coalmines, two small mines on the West Coast, with one or two men in each, which are unsafe. 1433. Explain fully in what manner they are unsafe ?—lt was not so much a matter of unsafety as affecting the mines, but the owner has persistently, for some years, neglected to take any notice of warnings written to him ; and I have represented to the Under-Secretary of the Mines Department that it is a waste of time for me to examine these mines any longer if legal proceedings are not taken, which I am not authorised to take without authority. 1434. How long is it since you made representations to the Under-Secretary —the last occassion ? —My last representation was on the 7th June this year. If you will allow me I will read what I said: "On the 7th January last I wrote to the owner of these two mines regarding his continued opposition to the law, and have since received no answer, and must therefore recommend that, in the event of no improvement being evident at my next visit, legal proceedings betaken." 1435. Were legal proceedings taken?—No ; although legal proceedings were not refused. 1436. How do you mean refused? —By the department. 1437. Do you mean to say the department interferes with you in the discharge of your duty?— I do, sir : I am sorry to have to say a thing of this sort. 1438. You say legal proceedings were not refused in that case, though they were not taken? —Yes. 1439. What do you mean by not being refused ?—I did not make deliberate application to the Under-Secretary for authority to prosecute. 1440. Let the Committee understand this : Have legal proceedings ever been taken on your recommendation ?—Yes. I will give you another example : On the 26th April, 1888, a joint telegrain was sent by Mr. Gow and myself from Greymouth recommending that the managers of the Wallsend and Coal-pit Heath Collieries should receive notice to comply, within two weeks, with certain provisions of the Act. Perhaps I had better read the telegram: "H.J. H. Eliott, Esq., Under-Secretary of Mines, Wellington.—ln spite of repeated warnings on the part of Inspectors, and promises from the management, the Westport Coal Company have not yet fitted safety-cages to the Wallsend and Coal-pit Heath shafts. We therefore beg to recommend that notice should be given to the manager of these mines that, in the event of his not complying with the Act within two weeks from date, legal proceedings will be taken. As it is impossible to give such notice with-

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