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1883. NEW ZEALAND.

CONTROL AND INSPECTION OF MINES (REPORT ON).

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

To the Honourable William Eolleston, Minister of Mines. Sic, — Mines Department, Wellington, 25th June, 1883. I have the honour to forward for your information the usual general report (being the fifth since the Act was brought into force) upon the official control and inspection of mines, under " The Eegulation of Mines Act, 1874," showing the work of this department under the Act, &c, since my last general report of the 10th of June, 1882 ; with an Appendix, containing the reports of inspections of mines, and tables giving particulars of the coal mines, of accidents in them, and of imports and exports of coal into and from the colony. I have, &c.-, Olivee Wakefield, Under-Secretary for Mines.

EEPOET. Inspections of Coal Mines and Quaetz Mines. The operations of this department during the year, under the Eegulation of Mines Act, are indicative of still further progress in establishing a system by which our mines shall be worked with due regard to safety, and, again judging by results, after a trial of nearly four years and a half, there appears now to be no room for doubt that this branch of the Mines Department, has so far successfully fulfilled its mission, and that its efforts —generally coincident, I am glad to say, with the efforts of those who are most immediately interested in this matter — have contributed very largely to the satisfactory condition of the mines with regard to the small number of accidents which have occurred since the Act was brought into operation. All the principal coal mines, and nearly all the others, have been carefully inspected during the year, Mr. Binns especially having made frequent visits and paid particular attention to some of the larger mines in the Middle Island, the circumstances of which rendered this action necessary. Mr. McLaren has, as usual, made periodical inspections of the North Island mines ; and Mr. Cox has this year paid a special visit to all the principal coal mines in both Islands. The reports of these various inspections will be found in the Appendix. Frequent inspections have been made of the Brunner and Coalpit-heath Coal mines during the year, and at the request of the latter company Mr. Binns was directed to inquire into a question of drainage between these mines, which is referred to more particularly in his report. It will be seen that the Shag Point mine has again^ demanded much attention, especially with regard to ventilation, and the question of the safety of the submarine workings, of which the inspector was authorized to obtain an accurate survey, soundings above also being taken by the Public Works Department, with the result that these workings were I—H. 11.