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1894. NEW ZEALAND.

INSPECTION OF COAL-MINES REPORT.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Mr. H. A. Goedon, E.G.S., to the Undee-Seceetaby of Mines. g IR Mines Department, Wellington, sth July, 1894. I have the honour to submit you a covering report on the coal-mining industry for the year ending the 31st December, 1893. _ The total output from all the mines in the colony last year was 691,548 tons; of this, 380,901 tons was bituminous coal, 131,071 tons of pitch-coal, 156,154 tons of brown coal, and 23,422 tons of lignite. There are 153 mines in which coal-mining operations are carried on, and 1,888 men employed. During the past year there were twenty-two accidents in the mines ;of these, five terminated fatally, four resulted in severe injuries, and thirteen were not serious cases. I have, &c, Heney A. Goedon, M.A.Inst.M.E., Inspecting Engineer.

No. 2. Mr. Geoege Wilson, Inspector of Mines, to the Undee-Seceetaey of Mines, Wellington. gIE _ Inspector of Mines' Office, Thames, sth May, 1894. I have the honour to transmit to the Hon. the Minister of Mines the following report on coal-mines in the Auckland District, made in compliance with section 67 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1891" :— Kawakawa Disteict. 1 Kawakawa Mine. —The new incline mentioned in my last report was driven, and all available pillars worked out down to water-level. Another level was commenced in the gully further to the southward, and a further discovery made of a pillar of considerable extent which had been left during McLeod's time of working the mine, and which was not shown on the plan kept by the Bay of Islands Company. There is, therefore, every prospect that a considerable output of coal will continue from the mines. The work of taking out the pillars has been carefully carried out. The output for the year was 10,950 tons. Twelve men on the surface and eighteen men below were employed. Hikueangi Disteict. 2. West Bryans Mine. —The output of coal from this mine was 357 tons, chiefly house-coal. A tramway about half a mile in length is made from the mine to the railway, and hoppers erected, so that when the line is open for traffic the output can be largely increased. Three men were employed on the surface and below. The seams of coal adjacent to the railway are of easy access and of considerable extent, so that there will be no difficulty in maintaining a large output from this district when the Hikurangi Coal Company make a start to supply coal. Whangaeei Disteict. 3 Karno Mine.—A large output of c0a1—20,682 tons—was made from this mine during the year. Twelve men above and thirty-seven below were employed. At the end of December the owners resolved to shut down the mine. Ngungueu Disteict. 4 Eiripaka Mine.— -The new heading driven on the seam was continued for a distance of 2 chains when the coal dipped, and the seam became irregular; a slant in the heading was then made to the northward, and about 4 chains further were driven. The output for the year was 2,697 tons Fifteen men were employed on the surface and thirteen below. The manager, in the endeavour to keep up the supply of coal before the mine was opened up, worked out portions of the seam which should have been left standing. A stoppage was made m November, but a fresh manager has been appointed, and work is going on satisfactorily, and the output increasing. I—C 3b.