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C—3b

Mokihinui Colliery. —(24/10/93) : A new main roadway has been driven which will do away with the curves, and this is at present being well timbered with heavy sets. Air-current fairly fresh, but too small in quantity for the number of men, even although gas has not been seen, and next to no powder is used. On drawing Mr. Straw's attention to this he at once had the furnace improved, and the upcast-shaft chimney or cupola heightened, so that ample air was provided. The coal appears to maintain its thickness of 30ft., and a coal roof is usually left, which is often very soft, but timbering is done where required. The rules, with names, were posted, and the reportbook of the examinations of the workings duly kept. At the above date two shifts were at work, employing in all forty miners and truckers, but all mining was stopped a few days later. This was said to be on account of want of orders for the coal. The contracts which have since been secured by this company ought to insure more regular work in the future. The company's railway has been much improved for traffic at considerable expense during the year, and bins have been constructed at the end of the tramway, about half a mile from the mine, which are capable of holding about 1,000 tons. Westport Cardiff Coal-mine. —A company having been floated to work the coal in Bayfield's lease, a deposit of £2,000 was required to be made with the Public Trustee to insure bond fide working of the mine. This amount was repayable in monthly sums of £250, on my certificate that work to that amount had been done in opening up the coalfield ; hence my visits have been very frequent. Work was gone on with rapidly; surveys were made of the lines for the railway-sidings and tramway, which are now constructed and nearly in working order; a good deal of boring was done, also prospecting of the outcrops ; No. 4. outcrop opened up by drives ; large roofed-in bins constructed ; and workshops, &c, erected. The deposit was fully reclaimed before the end of the year. Messrs. Broome and Elliott are respectively engineer and manager. The coal seam where opened at No. 4 outcrop showed a fine face of coal, but when driven on under the hill a parting in the centre of the seam thickened and split the seam in two. Further driving requires to be done, as the seams thinned down rapidly. The main area of workings, however, is intended to be more in the direction of the Amy Hector outcrop, where the bores showed a considerable extent of coal-bearing ground. This district, at date of writing, has been opened up by an adit, which is an extension of the tram-line. Two or three faults have been cut, and the coal shows signs of movement, but is a thick seam and of good quality. Granity Greek Coal-mine. —(lB/2/93): The land at the foot of the incline was inspected in connection with an application of the Westport Coal Company for an area of 12 acres for workshops. It appeared a large area for the purpose stated, and included the site of the house and garden of one of the company's workmen. An application has since been made for a smaller area. (6/6/93): Special and general rules posted at mine mouth with names. Mr. Murray is minemanager. A short drive runs south, ventilated by an air-shaft which gives sufficient air at present. Another drive running east is in a distance of 10 chains. Air is led in in pipes, some of the joints of which were requiring to be seen to. Drew manager's attention to some flakes in the roof. Both these Mr. Murray at once agreed to attend to. Eight men in all were employed, in two shifts. During the year considerable progress has been made with the works for opening up this coalfield, and Mr. Brown informs me that on these and stores over £16,000 have been expended. At date of writing, this lower coal-area, which was formerly thought to be of little value, is turning out well, the coal away from the gullies and a few small faults being of good quality. Both tunnels, 660 ft. and 787 ft. respectively in length, for lowering the coal on the incline have been put through. The second was considered necessary for the successful working of the proposed endlessrope system, which would otherwise almost certainly have proved a failure. The undulations also on the lower portion of the incline have been largely done away with by cutting and filling. The low ground adjoining the main line of railway has been filled in for sidings, and well equipped workshops have been erected. A locomotive line has been surveyed to run from the top of the incline to near the mine mouth, and this will be gone on with whenever the reserve is granted. Coalbrookdale Colliery. —(l 7/2/93) : In the Coalbrookdale section the roof appeared better than it had been, though still far from good. Plenty of timber. Spragging fairly well observed. Air in the aggregate sufficient. In the Cascade section the dip-headings are now in the lower seam, which is about 20ft. thick, and are down a distance of 19 chains. Coal roof and floor. Water drained by three-plunger pump, driven by endless rope from surface. Very good current of air. In the Ironbridge section pillar-work is going on at four places, employing eight of the sixtytwo men. Air fresh. Plenty of timber set, and the roof, as a rule good. The freedom from serious accidents, which was so marked last year, has not continued, no less than three fatal accidents having occurred. All these were carefully investigated by me. On the Ist of May a miner named John Pollock was killed by a large block of stone dropping out of the roof without warning. He had been cutting off a corner of coal which had evidently been supporting it. The place had been sounded by the Deputy that morning, and then had been found safe. On the 18th of May, Mark Dixon, miner, received injuries from a fall of stone and prop, from which he died two days later. I saw him the day after the accident, and he blamed no one. On the 3rd of July a miner named Alexander Hunter received injuries from a runaway truck, from which he died the following day. The horse drawing the truck had been fiery, and the driver having got slightly hurt, another took his place, with whom the horse bolted, and in plunging uncoupled the truck, with the result stated. If a " devil " had been attached to the truck this accident should not have happened. It is the custom to have such attached, but Hopkins, the mate of deceased/had told the new driver not to use it. There was ample room for keeping clear of the runaway truck.