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building erected over them, which work, in addition to the fixing of the new pump in the shaft, has very much allayed the fear in the mining camp a short time ago, that the pit was just on the brink of being closed. I examined the books of the manager and foreman, and find no report of any gas or black-damp having been found in the mine. 19. Allandale Mine, Shag Point. —(s/7/95): Went down the dip-drive into the workings and then on to the air-shaft, where I measured the air-current, and found 7,700 cubic feet per minute passing through the mine. Examined the old workings on the north and south sides of the air-shaft and found them in good condition. Preparations are being made to take out a portion of the old pillars, and work back towards the air-shaft and main dip-drive. I then went into No. 2 seam, and travelled north-east, to No. 1 seam, which is a fine body of clean coal 9ft. thick. 1 then passed through a stone drive a chain in length, which cuts into No. 2 seam, where it is 7ft. thick, all clean coal. I followed this to the north-east a distance of 9 chains, where I found some of the men taking out pillars. The work was apparently being carefully done, and the roof was settling down very nicely. I again went into No. 1 seam and travelled 13 chains south-west, to where the bulk of the men were working in 9ft. of clean coal. This work is to be continued in the same direction a further distance of 14 chains, which distance has been tested from an upper level. I also examined No. 3 seam (4ft.), which I reached through a stone drive. This coal is 45ft. below the lowest level of any previously worked. I found all the mine-workings in good order and very dry. The air is good. Otago South. 20. Fernhill Mine, Abbotsford. —(22/7/95) : The present working-places are on the north-east and north side of the old workings, on what is shown in plan to be solid and unworked country. A prospecting drive some distance to the westward of the old workings is now in the solid, after having passed through a considerable body of soft coal. The hard coal is about 6ft. thick on a floor dipping to the north-west and north. If this drive can be conveniently extended to the 6ft. outcrop in a gully in that direction it would act as a drain to a large area on that side of the old workings, where there is a probability of marketable coal being got in paying quantity for some years to come. Mr. Gray during last year lost much of his trade by the action of some persons connected with the branch railway to the pit. I fear he cannot now hope to recover the trade of his late customers, since there are so many local pits competing for the small trade to be done. 21. Freeman's Mine, Abbotsford. —(14/8/95): The work now going on is the removal of pillars in the old working of ten years ago in the north side of the present engine-plane, where the coal is of very good quality, as much as 18ft. thick in places. The floor of the old bords in many places is now up to the roof, which enables the miners to remove the pillars with the loss of very little timber and perfect safety to themselves where ordinary care is taken. The main level tunnel is in places very much crushed as usual, and requires considerable attention to keep it so as to admit of the boxes travelling through. There does not appear to me any danger of a sudden collapse of any part of the travelling roads. It is intended at an early date to extend the engine-plane following the dip of the coal to the east or south-east, in which direction there is supposed to be a large field of coal yet untouched. A new duplex Tangye pump is already on the ground ready to be fixed in position when required. The miners, first-class picked men, are now hewing the coal at a daily wage of 95., which I understand is very satisfactory to men and manager of the mine. 22. Walton Park Mine. —(6/12/95): Accompanied by the manager, Mr. Pollock, all the workingplaces were inspected, and found in good order. The main dip-drive to the south-east is now of considerable length. The working-places on either side are generally level, following the floor, but in one or two places northward the floor rises rapidly. In most places the coal chips up in the roof to a very narrow groove, so much so that it has to be timbered in places to prevent the chipping continuing up to the fine sand and water only a short distance overhead. To avoid timbering as much as possible, the bords are being made for the time being very narrow. Notwithstanding the working-places appearing generally very dry, it is said the drainage has been very heavy for some time past. A small steam-pump works near the bottom of the dip, forcing the water to a similar pump of larger size fixed in the main heading at a higher level and nearer the shaft. From this all the drainage is forced to the surface. These pumps are so far from the boilers where the steam is generated as to cause a great waste of steam by condensation in the pipes. Much has been done to minimise this loss since it became a difficult matter for the stokers to keep the steam up to the pressure to do the pumping and winding. Quite lately two new steel flat winding-ropes have been put into use, and the old ones laid to one side. 23. Saddle Hill, Green Island. —(l 3/8/95): This mine is in the 3ame good order and condition as in the past. One man is going back on some of the old workings, hewing down about sft. of headings where the coal is 26ft. thick. I do not know of a spot in this mine where the roof has caved in, or chipped sufficiently to remove the original pick-marks. At the time of my previous visit a dip-drive was being driven to a new lease—the adjoining ground on the south side—which Mr. Christie had lately acquired. The coal in the new lease proves to be of equal quantity and quality to that in his old mine. The new workings are well laid-out, and the coal-roof is in splendid order. There is no timber used in the mine. The workings are dry and the air is good. 24. Burnwell Mine, Green Island.— (l 3/8/95): All the workings are in good order, and the coal is very solid. There is a considerable body of coal left overhead, in order to be sure of a good roof. The drainage is very light, and is hoisted in a tank up the incline by a horse, who has his walk on the surface. The adjoining mine-workings on the north side have been, by some blundering on the part of the owner, carried across the county road, and into Harris's lease, from which a considerable quantity of coal has been illegally removed. The opening made from one mine to the other will always give good ventilation. 25. Glenochiel Mine, Green Island. —(l 3/8/95): All the workings were examined, and found in safe condition. The coal-heaving is confined to the south-east side of the incline-tunnel. Since