C— 2.

During February the top coal around a partially completed stopping in the No. 2 dip section of the Millerton Mine was found to be on fire. New sites were chosen for the stoppings, and the area successfully sealed off. On the 4th May, 1932, a shot-firer in the Wallsend Mine blew through into the old workings. Owing to the presence of black-damp, the men were withdrawn. Later, a stopping was erected to seal off the old workings. On the 13th May, 1932, fire fumes from Kruger's fire percolated through old workings into the Bluff section of the Ironbridge, Denniston Mine. The workmen were withdrawn and concrete stoppings were erected to control the fire fumes. This trouble was intermittently encountered at various times during the year. During May, 1932, a fire was discovered in the No. 4 seam on Crown lands near the Waitahu Mine, Reefton. A trench was cut and the fire controlled. Between the 10th and 12th December, 1932, an inrush of water through the waste in Coghlan's Colliery, at Capleston, occurred. About 40 tons of silt was deposited along the main roadways. No persons were Working in the mine at the time. On the 13th December, 1932, the men were withdrawn from the Bluff section in the Ironbridge Mine due to the prevalence of noxious gases. Fatal Accidents. Eight fatal accidents occurred during the year. On the 11th June, 1932, William Lowden, mine-manager, old dip section, Millerton Mine, and Joseph Pfeffer, mine-manager, Mine Creek section, Millerton Mine, lost their lives in the old dip section by gas poisoning. Lowden entered a dam in order to block two holes which had been left to drain off the water during the building of the dam. He was immediately overcome by hydrogen sulphide. Pfeffer went to his assistance, but was also overcome by the gas. On the 28th September, 1932, Carl August Svenson, mine-manager, Hopeful Mine, Reefton, was killed by a fall of stone and coal. On the 18th October, 1932, John Robert Meagher, miner, Dobson Mine, was killed by a fall of stone in the East Level section. On the 18th October, 1932, Charles Collins, miner, Millerton Mine, was killed by a fall of coal in No. 3 west middle section, Mine Creek. On the 4th November, 1932, William Partington, miner, Liverpool Colliery, was killed by a runaway truck. On the 11th November, 1932, Robert Sydney Gore, miner, Braehead Mine, was killed by a fall"of roof stone. On the 14th November, 1932, James Devlin, miner, Braehead Mine, died as a result of injuries received by a fall of roof stone on the 11th November. Serious Non-fatal Accidents. Ten serious accidents were notified during the year. On the 9th February, 1932, Michael William "Rogers, miner, St. Helen's Mine, Seddonville, whilst working under the aerial rope-road, was struck by a truck and sustained severe crushing and bruising of the thighs. On the Bth March, 1932, Charles Johnston, miner, Cardiff Bridge Mine, Seddonville, lost his left "arm. He was filling a truck of coal and had his left arm over the edge of the truck when a fall of coal from the' roof occurred, completely severing his arm about 4 in. from the shoulder. On the 11th May, 1932, James Robertson, blacksmith, Wallsend Mine, sustained a fracture of the right forearm. Believing the drilling-machine to be out of gear, he firmly gripped the counter-shaft belt and pulled, with the result that the machine started suddenly and threw Robertson off his balance, his arm being broken over the upper shaft. On the 29th June, 1932, A. McKenzie, miner, Burke's Creek Colliery, Reefton, was engaged trimming down top coal when a lump of coal fell. In getting clear of the falling coal he slipped and fell, fracturing three ribs. On the 14th September, 1932, Thomas Morgan, carpenter, Wallsend Mine, was struck by a piece of falling stone and his left leg fractured above the ankle. On the 11th October, 1932, William Dutton, deputy, Liverpool Mine, was caught by a fall of coal and received injuries to his back and shoulders. On the 20th October, 1932, Campbell Miller, trucker, Stockton Mine, sustained a simple fracture of the left leg through being crushed between two trucks. On the 27th October, 1932, William Quate, horse-driver, Liverpool Mine, was knocked under a truck by a horse and sustained a broken leg. On the 2nd December, 1932, James May, miner, Millerton Mine, was struck by a fall of roof coal and sustained a fractured right arm. On the 15th December, 1932, M. O'Flaherty, miner, Blackball Mine, had his leg fractured by a fall of coal in the main level. Prosecutions. There were twenty-one informations laid during the year. Two were withdrawn, one was dismissed, and eighteen convictions recorded. For failing to keep detonators in a tin, as provided by Regulation 224 (5) (6) of the Coal-mines Act, a deputy was convicted and fined £1 and costs. A second charge for breach of Regulation 224 (1) was withdrawn. For failing to set a sufficient number of sprags, as provided for by section 117 (1) of the Coal-mines Act' two miners were each convicted and fined £1 and costs. Two coal-hewers were each convicted and fined £1 and costs for failing to set timber, as required bisection 118 of the Coal-mines Act. The manager of a mine was also convicted and fined £2 for failing to see that the provisions of the Coal-mines Act were carried out. A deputy of a coal-mine was fined £2 and costs for failure to enter in a report-book kept for the purpose the withdrawal of workmen, as provided by section 131 (3) of the Coal-mines Act. For failing to examine all accessible places with a locked safety-lamp before firing a shot, a shot-firer was fined £2 and costs. (Regulation 234 (a) (i) (ii) of Coal-mines Act.) For failure to inspect with a locked safety-lamp a working-place in which work was temporarily stopped in a ventilation district, as required by section 128 (1) of the Coal-mines Act, a deputy was convicted and fined £2 and costs. For failure to see that the provisions of the Coal-mines Act were carried out in conformity with section 198 (2) of the Coal-mines Act, a manager was convicted and fined £10 and costs. For failing to examine a safety-lamp before using same, a deputy of a mine, who also acted as minemanager, was fined £3 and costs. (Section 97 (a) of the Coal-mines Act.) For failure to install a mechanical ventilation appliance when same was deemed necessary by the Inspector in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 180, a mine-owner was convicted and fined £2 and costs. A similar charge laid against the mine-manager was withdrawn.

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