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Accident List. 1. On the Bth January, 1891, at the Brunner Colliery, one of the new hands, named Thomas Kennedy, employed as a miner, having changed places with a trucker named Nuttall, placed a prop the wrong way in a truck, so that it came in contact with the roof, breaking the chain. There was ample room for Kennedy to stand clear, but he appears to have made a spring down the incline, and was run over by the truck. He died immediately afterwards. He had previously been employed as trucker, but Nufctall had no right to change places with him. 2. On the 9th February, at the Waimangaroa Mine, a miner named John Hollows got burned by a slight explosion. He was working with a safety-lamp, but had left a candle in the level, at which the gas ignited. The place hadbeen inspected before he entered it, and found clear. 3. On the 6th June, in the Brunner Mine, John Henderson left his place to borrow an axe, and in going up an incline got crushed about the hips by a passing truck. Fortunately it did not turn out a serious accident. 4. On the 20th July Henry Jones was killed in the Ironbridge section of the Coalbrookdale Mine by a truck running away through a chain breaking. The truck was being lowered at the time, so he should have been standing clear. As I was absent at Mahakipawa, the inquest was attended by the constable on behalf of the Mines Department. 5. On the 3rd August a miner named Eichard Mackie received a scalp-wound when taking down head-coal in the Ironbridge section of the Coalbrookdale Mine. 6. On the 7th October a miner named Henry Dillnot had his leg broken when taking down some loose coal, after firing a shot, in the Ironbridge section of Coalbrookdale Mine. 7. On the first December a miner named William Dixon was killed by a fall of coal in the Coal-pit Heath Mine. He was going for a crowbar to prize down some coal which had been loosened by a shot, and passed close by it, when it came away and crushed him. There was plenty of room to pass clear, but he had taken the shortest road. 8. On the 15th December, at Coalbrookdale Mine, two miners named Charles Prince and Edward Wrixon having lighted their fuse and retired, on hearing a report returned to their face, when the charge went off, burning Prince on the face and arm and Wrixon slightly on the forehead. They state they were not attempting to draw a shot which had missed fire, so they must either have mistaken another shot for theirs, or been careless in ramming. Remarks on Accidents. With the number of inexperienced miners employed it is only surprising that more accidents have not occurred. Probably the increased number of Deputies has had a beneficial effect. In addition to the mining accidents, the following occurred above-ground at Coalbrookdale : (1.) On the 18th March Edward Phillips, when freeing a chain at a tension-pulley, got his head bruised and arm broken. The rope was stopped, but he had not counted on its being under tension. (2.) On the 21st March William Sneddon, a hooker-on at Denniston screens, in spragging a truck, which was no part of his work, fell, and the tub passed over his arm. (3.) On the Bth April Vincent Jones, in recovering the lid of his oil-kettle, which had dropped unler one of the corner pulleys, got his arm bruised at the shoulder. He ought to have signalled the rope to remain stopped. (4.) On the 3rd August John Bell, aged eleven years, was injured on the Westport Company's incline by a passing truck. He was not employed by the company, and ought not to have been on the line, but had been sent with his brother's tea. I have, &c, N. D. Cochbane, Inspector of Mines. The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington.

No. 4. Mr. John Gow, Inspector of Mines, to the Undee-Seceetaey of Mines, Wellington. Sic,— Dunedin, 31st March, 1892. I have the honour, in compliance with section 67 of "The Coal-mines Act, 1891," to report as follows for the information of the Hon. the Minister of Mines. Canteebuey Coal-mines. Springfield Colliery (6th March). —I examined the working faces—'there are only two just now —one of these I fancied was a little warm, through the want of a better current of air through this part of the mine; Mr. Lindop pointed out to me that he was preparing to make an airway so as to increase the current of air. There is very little coal being hewn just now. Canterbury Mine, Sheffield (Bth March). —The men were not working on the day of my visit. I examined the workings, and found the air very sluggish at some distance from the shaft; Mr. Austin accounted for the bad ventilation by the mine not having been working for the previous three days. He, however, promised to improve the air-current before the men were again put in to work. I called his attention to the fact that he had not yet paid any money into the Sick and Accident Fund. He promised to do so at once. Homebush, South Malvem (10th March). —I examined all the working-faces and the brakegear in the mine and found them in good order. There has been very little done in the mine since my previous visit. The strike, twenty months or two years ago, nearly stopped all coal-mining, since which time very little appears to have been done to revive the trade. The air is good throughout the workings, and the Act is well observed. Snowdon, Bakaia Gorge (7th March). —This mine was not being worked on the day of my visit. J think the principal consumer is probably the owner, Mr. Gerard. It appears there were only 50