A.—sa.

Coal-mines.

Vertical shafts to underground furnaces.

Wilful damage.

Protection of abandoned shafts.

Water and boreholes.

Mines liable to flood to be provided with esoape- drives.

Ladders to be provided in upcasts.

Manager in charge of mine to inspect.

boiler shall be subjected to an hydraulic test; and the date and full description of every such test and cleansing shall be entered in a book to be kept by the mine-manager or other person in charge of the mine, and the entries in such book shall, on demand, be open to the perusal of any 5 Inspector under this Act or under " The Inspection of Machinery Act, 1902." (33.) The smoke from every boiler for generating steam, and from every furnace used in any part of the underground workings of a mine, shall not be allowed to escape into 10 any part of such workings, nor in any manner other than by means of an air-tight flue conducting such smoke directly from the boiler or furnace into a vertical shaft cut in the rock up to the surface of the ground to the open air, or built up to the surface as aforesaid with bricks and 16 cement, in manner as to' be completely airtight. (34.) No person shall wilfully damage, or without proper authority remove or render useless, any fencing, casing, lining, guide, means of signalling, signal, cover, chain, flange, horn, brake, indicator, ladder, platform, steam-gauge, 20 water-gauge, safety valve, or other appliance or thing provided in any mine in compliance with this Act. (35.) No person shall, after any shaft has become disused for mining purposes, wilfully damage or render useless such shaft by the removal of any fencing, covering, casing, 25 lining, ladder, platform, or other appliance provided in such shaft, without the consent of the Minister. (36.) Where a place is likely to contain a dangerous accumulation of water, the working approaching such place shall not exceed eight feet in width, and there shall be con- 30 stantly kept, at a sufficient distance, not being less than twenty feet in advance, at least one borehole near the centre of the working, and flank boreholes shall be put in not more than fifteen feet apart on each side. (37.) In every mine which in the opinion of an Inspector is 35 liable to an inundation or inburst of water, such additional rises, chambers, drives, and other workings, or any of them, shall be constructed as may seem necessary and as may be prescribed by the Minister for the escape of workmen from the lower workings, or to insure their 40 safety in every such mine during the period of any inundation or inburst of water in such mine. (38.) Ladders (and, when necessary, convenient platforms connected therewith) shall be provided in each rise, upcast, or passage giving access to workings at a higher level in 45 a mine, and a notice shall be posted at the foot of each such rise, upcast, or passage stating the height of such rise, upcast, or passage to the chamber or drive above. (39.) The manager of every mine, or other competent person or persons appointed for such purpose, shall once at 50 least in every twenty-four hours examine the state of all safety appliances or gear connected with the cages,

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