16

H.—l4,

for some years. Formerly a drive was put in, but this is now discontinued, and at the above date coal was being worked open-cast. 44. Idaburn (6th April, 1881) : 46. Dunsmuir's (sth April, 1881) : 49. Crosum s (6th April, 1881) : and 50. Cambrian's (sth April, 1881) have all been visited. Being open-work they call for no remark. 51. Mount Ida Coal Mine (Ist April, 1881). —Very little has been done here; only two drives, which were quite safe. The seam is nearly vertical. No plan is required. Special Rules have been supplied. 52. Swineburn Coal Mine (3Lst March, 1881). —No work at all done. I visited the mine at the request of Mr. McAra, who had not enough work open to show me even a sample of coal. 53. Coal Creek, Waihemo. —When I was at Goal Creek (Bth April, 1881), no work was being carried on. 54. Alexandra Coal Mine (25th May, 1881). —The old shaft requires a little timber at the top, and a platform in, as the ladders are vertical, and the shaft more than 30 feet in depth. The present winding shaft also requires a platform, and fencing at the sides of the pit-mouth. The workings are in very good order. Special Rules have been gazetted, but none distributed or exhibited. No weekly report is made. I have not required a plan 55. ManuheriJcia Coal Mine (24th May, 1881).- —Nothing done to observe the Act. No Special Rules sent up, although Mr. Jackson was supplied with a draft copy in October, 1880. New ladders have been put in, in a slightly overhanging position. The shaft is not fenced ;no weekly report is made ; the old shaft is filled in, but not up to the surface level. A new shaft was sunk to a depth of 50 feet, but was abandoned on account of water. 1 have warned Mr. Jackson that I shall be compelled to take legal action in case of his continued neglect to observe the Act. I have not required a plan. 56. Cromwell Coal Mine is now abandoned. (See under " New mines.") 57 Bannockburn Coal Mine (21st May, 1881).' —Special Rules have been gazetted, but are not hung up or distributed. The old workings have fallen in; air good ; two outlets, one of which (a shaft) requires fencing. No weekly report. Plan kept. Present workings are in good order. 58. Kawarau Coal Mine (21st Majr, 1881).' —Special Rules were supplied to the owner of this mine on Bth October, 1880, but have not been sent up for approval. A dip drive has been started. The one man at work was very short of air, though it would have been perfectly easy to make another outlet into the old workings overhead. The Act is disregarded, and I have warned Mr. Prydc, but have not required a plan. 59. Clyde Coal Mine (23rd May, 1881). —This mine, belonging to Mr. Collins (whose name appeared in last year's report as C. T. Marie), is still worked as badly as ever. The Act is not observed in any way, but the report-book is said to have been burnt in a recent fire. And this cause is also assigned for the neglect to exhibit or distribute Special and General Rules. As men are now occasionally employed below ground I have given the owner notice to work his mine properly I have not as yet enforced section 17, requiring a plan to be kept, but, failing a great improvement in the condition of the mine, shall have to do so as a preliminary step. 60. Clyde Coal Mine (23rd May, 1881).—This old shaft required better fencing, which I have pointed out to Mr. Holt, the owner. 65. Earnsclongli Coal Mine (23rd May, 1881). —This colliery shows a marked improvement on its condition as described iv my former report. No boys are employed below ground, and the workings are pretty well ventilated. Men descend by the old dip-drive, and down the lower portion of a new (6ft. x 4ft.) shaft to the two lower workings. All these are in the same seam, which dips very fast. The ladders in the bottom portion of the shaft are vertical; but, at my suggestion, Mr. Buckley has agreed to make a communication between all the workings, putting in cloths or doors to guide the air, thus providing for a second outlet, and for ventilation at the same time. The shaft is unfenced, both at the top and intermediate entrances, and no weekly report is made. Special Rules were sent up to me on 11th March, but I returned them on the 16th, in order that they might be sent to the proper quarter. No plan is required. The mines in the Cromwell and Clyde Districts, though none of them, except Collins's, badly worked, have had very little attention paid to them, hence the Act is by no means so well observed as in other districts. I have written in each case, pointing out what requires amendment, and the penalties attached, which in one case of a mine where one Chinaman forms the sole staff, amount to a sum not exceeding £160. 72. Hurdstone Goal Mine (17th May, 1881). —This mine has been again taken in hand, this time by Mr. Poster, late manager at Marshall's Coal Mine. The workings, which are of very small area, are in good order, there being a good parting and coal roof. A new shaft is being sunk to form a second communication. I have put Mr. Poster in the way of observing the Act, and supplied him with Special Eules. 78 and 79. Cannon's and Bryce's Lignite Mines (18th April, 1881). —These are still worked opencast, the latter very irregularly; and there'is nothing new to report. 83. Wanr/aloa Coal Mine (24th January, 188 L). —A small mine near Kaitangata. I introduced the Act, and supplied a draft copy of Special Rules. No plan required. 86. Johnston Coal Mine (30th May, 1881). —Work has been recommenced here. The drive is too wide; but the mine is held from month to month, so the lessees naturally work it for their own immediate advantage. The entrance requires a set of timber, which I have requested the manager to set. No plan required. Special Rules supplied. Special RtrjVES. Special Rules have now been gazetted for thirty-seven coal mines (one of which, Phcenix Coal Mine; is no longer ou the list), one has been sent up, but returned (Barnsclough) ; twenty-six mines are openwork, thirteen temporarily abandoned, six prospecting, and the owners of twenty mines have been sup-