H.—lB.

Mr Inspector Bnnsrs to Undee-Secretaet for Mines. (Telegram ) Dunedin, 23rd June, 1880. UHttENT. — O Wakefield, Esq., Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington.—l have no further information re Sha<>- Point Colliery than that in my last report. I had heard since my arrival here of had ventilation there. Will investigate when relieved from Fernhill case.—G. J. Binss, Inspector of Mines.

llxdee-Secretaey for Mines to Mr. Inspector Binns. (Telegram ) Wellington, 30th June, 1880. To Mr Inspectoh Binns, Dunedin.—As soon as you have completed investigation of reports as to Shag Point Mine, and thoroughly inspected if, report whether ventilation and condition of mine satisfactory.—Olivice Wakefielp, U.S. Mines.

Report on Shag Point Coal Mine. Mr. Inspector Brass to the Under-Seceetap.y for Mixes. g _ Dunedin, sth July, 1880. I have the honor to make the following report on the Shag Point Mine, and to transmit a copy of my last letter to Mr. Williams :— _ • . 'She mine is ventilated by a furnace which is large enough in itself, but is placed on the surface, and fed with fresh air so that the ventilating column is only 30 feet in height, and the intake from the outside atmosphere must be more than enough for the contracted orifice of the chimney which measures only 2 feet (J inches by 2 feet 6 inches. The airways in the mine are much contracted, and a steam pump is situated in the" main intake in addition to the feed pipe, which is by no means well connected and is also insufficiently covered to prevent the radiation of heat. Thus every principle ot ventilation is disregarded, and the men are not supplied with cool and wholesome air. In addition to this the quantity of air on the 2nd instant in the main return airway was only 3,600 cubic feet per minute about half enough for the ordinary number of mem employed. The ventilation is to a certain extent 'dependent on a large screw on the surface to the east of the intake, thus bringing the atmospheric current into requisition. ~,,,,,. , ■, <• There are at present only about 10 men in the mine, the others being on strike for an increase in g6On the 2nd instant, I had an interview with Messrs. Strode, Williams, and Eowley, directors of the Sha" Point Colliery Company, who expressed a unanimous wish to do anything required for the purposed remedying the defective ventilation, and putting the mine m order. Prom the accompanyin^ cony of my letter you will see what my recommendations are; and these will be carried out as auicl-ly as possible You will readily understand, however, that it must be some time before the new shaft can be made available. For the present, I think the temporary expedients will result in considerable improvement. ~..,, -j.l -J x T 1- -L With reference to this subject I may, perhaps, point out that, with a resident Inspector such a state of things could not have occurred, and that, at all events, it shall not be repeated after I have taken charge of my district Mr. Williams complains that the number of men employed was the result of an effort to obligo the Government railway authorities, who wished for a larger supply of coal very suddenly Still this does not explain the fact of there not being sufficient air tor 35 men, without b fire 'iave > &Cl > S° "'The Undersecretary for Mines, George J. Bnnrs, Wellington. Inspector of Mines. Postscript to Report on Shag Point Mine.— Another great drawback to the ventilation is the existence of a cob fire in the old workings : and this is the cause of the illness of the men, which gave rise to the recent reports about men being carried 'out. These fires are about the most difficult things to deal with and are less understood than any phenomenon connected with mining. One has existed in the Shae Point Mine for many years, and, as mentioned in former reports, an effort has been made to put it out by pumping in the sea. As predicted, this attempt has failed. Unfortunately, this fire has been allowed to communicate with the present workings, and the " stink " has come off to such an extent as to incapacitate some of the men from work. tS produces nausea, violent head-ache (as I can testify from experience in England, as also on the 25th ultimo), vomiting, and total prostration On my last visit it seemed to be more effectually shut off. There is no danger of explosion. The only ascertained wiv to cure these fires is by application of carbonic acid gas, manufactured either by the fire itself, or by the ordinary method, and pumped in. If this one is not effectually shut off, it will be a neverending cause of trouble and annoyance.— Geoege J. Binns.

Additional Report on Shag Point Coal Mine. Mr. Inspector Binns to the Undee-Seceetakt for Mines. __ Wellington, 15th July, 1880. With reference to my report, dated the sth instant, on the Shag Point Coal Mine, 1 have the honor to inform you that I fell into an error with regard to the relative positions of the furnace and the upcast shaft The air from the mine (as explained to me in a letter from Mr. Williams, dated 9th Tnlv 1880) passes over the furnace, and not as stated in my report. On the occasion of my visit to the furnace I was accompanied hy the Colliery bookkeeper—both the manager and underviewer being ensraeed at the Resident Magistrate's Court; and, as the fact is not readily apparent from the outside, and I was in great haste, owing to short leave of absence from the Compensation Court, Dunedin, I made a mistake which; in justice to Mr. Williams, I hasten to acknowledge. This does not, however affect the fact that the ventilation was defective. I have Ac, The Undersecretary for Mines, Geoege J. Brass, Wellington. Inspector of Mines. 3— H. 18.

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