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the head-gear. He was conveyed to the hospital. Mortification subsequently set in, and he died on the 21st May. Walton Park Colliery, Green Island. —David Gillies, fifty-nine years of age, engineer and engine-driver at this mine, was killed by falling down the shaft on Monday, the 18th October. On the previous day, when winding water, the spur wheel of the winding-drum broke. The pumps with which the winding-engine can be connected were set to work. One of the pipes was leaky, and the deceased volunteered to repair it. He went down about 80 ft. (where the leak was) on the shaft-buntons, saw what was wanted to effect repairs, and came up to make preparations. On again descending (immediately in front of another man) he is reported to have given a heavy sigh and then fell. He may have missed his footing, or it is possible failure of the heart's action may have taken place, brought about by excitement, and the exertion of climbing by the buntons. In the absence of & post-mortem examination it is difficult to say with certainty, but I think this was very probable. Kaitangata Colliery, Kaitangata. —Thomas Dixon and John Brown were injured on the 16th November. The men were working at a pillar between two levels near the edge of the goaf. The coal was quite soft. Dixon was working coal out of a lower division of the seam, when a piece of the upper soft coal shook down, falling on Dixon, and injuring his leg. It is stated that Dixon, in falling down, knocked Brown down with him, and that Brown, in falling across a tram-rail, injured his ankle. No blame is attributable. Shag Point Colliery. —A miner named James Foster had his right arm broken at the wrist by a fall of coal on the 25th February. This was prior to my taking duty. On the Ist July a young man named William Boddy, who works at this colliery with his father, had a narrow escape of being killed by a fall of stone. He was severely bruised, and off work for a few weeks. I investigated the case, and found no blame attached to any one. Nightcaps Colliery, Nightcaps. —William O'Brien was permanently lamed by a fall of earth at some opencast work on his property on the 6th January. As this was some time previous to my taking up my present duties I am unable to report on the matter. Some other accidents have occurred at the mines, but all of a trifling character, and incidental to the work of coal-mining. General. I am sorry to have to record the fact that considerable difficulty is experienced in obtaining the statutory returns of output, &c, from the owners of several small coal-mines. In one case proceedings were instituted, and a conviction obtained, for neglecting to make returns, and to pay the required contribution to the Coal-miners' Belief Fund. Several people who were in arreai with their contributions have paid up, and, as better means for collection have been adopted, I do not anticipate much further trouble in this direction in the future. I have, &c, John Hates, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Acting Inspector of Mines.

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