C.—3

100

John Dabb was injured in the Talisman Mine on Ist July, 1896. Dabb was picking the mullock thrown by a shot when a slight explosion occurred, injuring him in the face and eyes. Joseph Develin was killed in the Waihi-Silverton Mine on the 14th August, 1896, whilst drilling a hole in which there was an unexploded charge of gelignite. Andrew Douglas was severely cut about on the head in the Crown Mine, Karangahake, on the 18th September, 1896. A charge of gelignite was exploded, but he did not get out of the way in time. Thomas Mulholland was attending a winch at Preece's Point Mine, Coromandel, when he lost three fingers through his right hand coming in contact with the teeth of the winch. John Terrill had his leg broken on the 17th March, 1897, through a piece of stone falling on him in the Whangamata Mine. Machinery. It will be seen from the following enumeration of machinery supplied and erected by one engineering firm alone that great expenditure is necessary in connection with the mines throughout the district:— Kauri Gold Estates, Whangapoua: Small prospecting plant, for sinking shaft, &c, usually supplied for this purpose ; a pair of winding-engines, 5 in. by 10 in., complete, with all pit-head gear ; a Tangye vertical sinking-pump, with rubber disc-valves, to throw 3,200 gallons per hour 250 ft. vertical, the same driven by a Tangye colonial pattern tubular boiler of 12-horse power. Dacre's Freehold (Henry Green), Coromandel: A plant similar to above, but a 12-horse-power boiler. Hauraki South Gold-mining Company, Coromandel: A plant similar to above, but a 14-horse-power boiler, now being completed. Zealandia Gold-mining Company, Coromandel: A plant similar to above, but with a 12-horse-power boiler. Kathleen Gold-mining Company, Coromandel: Prospecting plant, for shaft sinking, with all gear belonging to same, to enable the shaft to be sunk while main plant is being erected, with pumps to deliver 8,000 gallons per hour ; permanent plant consisting of two 25-horse-power Tangye Cornish boilers, one pair Tangye's improved forward-geared winding-engines, with two drums, cylinders 10 in. by 22 in. ; main pumping-engine, compound coupled non-condensing —low-pressure cylinder 24 in. by 30in., high-pressure cylinder 16 in. diameter, fly-wheel 13 ft. diameter by 22 in. on face, with Meyer's patent expansion-valve, &c.; Cornish pumps and all pit-work complete; poppet-legs and gear, with buildings. Hauraki Main Lodes (Limited), Coromandel: A small plant complete for shaft sinking, as previously mentioned. Permanent plant is now in course of erection. This will be a duplicate of the Kathleen Company's. The Tangye pumps now in use will lift 10,000 gallons per hour. The permanent pumps will lift 500,000 gallons per day, which is now being done by the Kathleen, with valve only open fin. The Hauraki Golden Shore have ordered a small pumping and winding plant similar to the Hauraki Main Lodes. The Britannia Company have replaced their small boiler with a 20-horse-power colonial pattern, built in, and have increased the pumping power. The Waihi Gold-mining Company have put down a pair of Tangye winding-engines, 10 in. by 22 in., same size and pattern as the Kathleen Company's. Waihi Union Company : A pair of Tangye winding-engines, same size and pattern as Waihi Company's. The Waitekauri Company have also put down a pair of winding-engines similar to the above. The Waihi Extended have ordered a small pumping and winding plant similar to others, but have delayed erection. Waitekauri United Gold-mining Company: We have supplied this company with air-com-pressing plant, consisting of an Hirnant air-compressor, 12 in cylinders, three rock-drills, &c, driven by a 25-horse-power Tangye under-fired tubular boiler. Waihi Gold-mining Company, Waihi: We have supplied this company with al4 in. Hirnant air-compressor complete, for driving Tangye pumps, &c. Waihi Union Company, Waihi: We supplied this company with a duplicate to above. Waitekauri Company, Waitekauri: We have supplied this company with alO in. Hirnant aircompressor, with pulleys, &c, for belt-driving (water-power); also a 12 in. compressor for steam, same pattern as above. Waihi Consolidated Company : This company has put down a Tangye winding-engine, pair of 10 in. by 18 in. cylinders. Waihi South Gold-mining Company, Waihi: This mine has added to its plant a 12-horse-power colonial-pattern boiler and a Tangye pump to lift 7,200 gallons per hour. These are the principal items supplied and erected. There has been a great number of pumps and general machinery supplied to companies, with the erecting of which the firm had nothing to do. The Crown Company, Karangahake, has been fitted up with a complete installation of electric lighting. Woodstock Gold-mining Company, Karangahake : We have fitted up the battery, &c, with an electric-light installation complete. Waihi Gold-mining Company : This battery has been also fitted up with an electric-light installation, driven by a Victor turbine. The new battery for the Waihi Company is also being fitted up with a complete electric-light installation. The following table shows the number of tons of stone and mullock crushed, and the yield of gold from the northern goldfields, since the returns have been supplied to the Mines Department. The Thames returns include the Ohinemuri district up to 1886-87 : —