C—4

48

38. What is the size of the pillars ?—2O yards by 10 yards. 39. How do you purpose taking the pillars out? —Taking the lifts off. 40. How often do you propose to split it ? —Only once. 41. How much coal do you think you will lose in taking out the pillars ?—Not much. 42. What thickness do you propose to leave in the roof? —3ft. 43. Do you think the timber you set in that mine is strong enough for the weight it has to carry ?—Yes. 44. You have seen no gas in the mine ?—None at all. 45. Mr. Proud.] I think you said you got about 90 per cent, of the coal? —Yes. 46. Have you any other minerals except coal ?—We have fireclay in places. 47. Any limestone? —No. 48. You do not make bricks ? —No. Samuel Moreland, Miner, examined. 1. The Chairman.} You are a miner employed in the Kiripaka Coal Company's mine ? —Yes. 2. How long have you been working there ?—A little over twelve months. 3. You and your friend here represent the working miners in the mine ? —Yes. 4. Do you wish to bring before this Commission any particular matter? —No, not that I am aware of. 5. Are you able to make fair wages? —Yes. 6. Are you quite satisfied that all things necessary for your safety are done ?—Yes. 7. Are you able to inform us of the quantity of coal there is here?—l have never made any calculation. As a rule miners do not interfere with that sort of thing. 8. Is the mine inspected every morning before you go in ?—Yes. 9. Are you kept waiting until the report is made ?—The manager comes out before we enter the mine and lets us know when to go in. 10. Have you any suggestions to make as to waste, &c. ? —No ; there have been no pillars taken out. . 11. Mr. Lomas.] In your opinion, would it increase the danger of working the pillars owing to the bords being so high ?—Looking at it from one point of view it would, providing you took out the same amount of coal at the finish. There is sufficient coal left overhead to keep up the roof, and, if the pillars are taken out, I suppose the management will work the pillars according to the 12. In taking out a pillar 10 ft. high, the bord being 13 ft. high, would it not increase the danger to the men, owing to one side of the coal being loose ? —Yes, it would. 13 Would it be safer to work the coal at a reasonable height in the bords and work out the pillars at the same height? Would the road itself be safer at 10 ft. than 13 ft. high when taking out the pillars ?—Yes. 14. Very much, do you think ? —Yes. 15. The ventilation "is all that you could desire ?—Yes. 16. There is no fan : it is natural ventilation ?—Yes. 17. Does it ever get warm when you are working through the stentons? —We drive 30 ft. before putting a crosscut in, and then 24ft. through the crosscut. 18. That is 54 ft. ?—Yes. 19. Has it been customary to work 50 ft. without carrying the air to the face —without bratticing?—ln some mines it is necessary to do so, but with the ventilation we have here Ido not think bratticing is necessary. _ 20. Mr. Proud.} Do you think any danger arising out of working the pillars could be provided for by systematic timbering?—lt depends upon the principle adopted. Michael McCormack, Miner, examined. 1. The Chairman.} You are one of those chosen to represent the miners here ?—Yes. 2. You have been present during the examination of the last witness? —Yes. 3. Do you agree with the evidence he has given ? —Yes. 4. Can you add anything to it ?—No. William Callaghan examined. 1. The Chairman.] You are one of the directors of the Kiripaka Coal Company (Limited) ?— Yes. '2. The capital of the company consists of how much ?—lO,OOO shares of £1 each. 3! Is any of it considered to be paid up ?—ln the first instance, myself, my brother, and Mr. Clemo formed a syndicate. We started to get all the permanent-way here, and after completing that part of it we found we required more capital to go on with the working of the mine, and took in five Auckland people, who put £500 into it. After that we turned it into a company with a capital of 10,000 shares. 4 How many shares did you take?—4,ooo shares were taken by the three of us. We understood that our shares were to be considered fully paid up, but in forming the company there was some misunderstanding, and it appeared that without all the money was paid up they would not allow it. There is now a 15s. call upon them. 5 You got nothing except the 1,300 shares paid up to ss. ?—Yes. In the first place, 1 and my brother owned the mine. We took Clemo in and he paid about £300, which was expended on opening the mine. „,,-,,., it. 6. Do you own any of those barges and scows ?—Yes, and the steam-launch.