H.—l3

1882. NEW ZEALAND.

CONTROL AND INSPECTION OF MINES (REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

To the Honorable William Rolleston, Minister of Mines. Sir, —■ Mines Department, Wellington, 10th June, 1882. I have the honor to forward for your information the following general report (being the fourth since the Act was brought into operation) upon the official control and inspection of mines under " The Regulation of Mines Act, 1874," showing what has been done in accordance with the Act since my last general report of the 20th of June, 1881; with an appendix containing the reports of inspections of mines during the year, and statistical tables giving particulars in detail of the coal mines, and of accidents in them, and showing the imports and exports of coal. I have, &c, Oliver Wakefield, Under Secretary for Mines.

REPORT. Inspections and their effect, Reports, &c, West Coast Quartz Mines. The past year's transactions in this branch of the Mines Department have again been progressive, and, judging by results, the object of bringing the Regulation of Mines Act into force appears to a large extent to have been attained, and it is to be hoped that increased experience and knowledge of the mines, and of all matters affecting their safe working, and the removal of causes of danger, may lead to a continuation of the success which has so far attended the efforts of this department, assisted in many cases by the hearty co-operation of owners and officers of mines, to secure, as far as possible, immunity from accidents in the prosecution of an industry surrounded by a variety of peculiar dangers. All the coal mines of any importance have been inspected during the year, and those demanding special attention have been frequently visited by Messrs. McLaren and Binns, who have reported all circumstances requiring particular action, and whose interim and annual reports will be found in the appendix. Mr. Cox has also recently made an inspection of all the principal coal mines, partly in the course of geological business, and his reports of these inspections are included with the others.