H.—ll

8

knew it would give plenty of warning, and I had every confidence Mr. Kerr would act wisely, as he did by strengthening his main levels as far as possible, withdrawing the men from the mine, and waiting for some weeks till everything had settled that was going to do so. As regards the thrust it only appears to come from a few feet overhead; there is no appearance anywhere of its coming from the surface. As regards the main levels and also the pillars he is drawing in the rise, he is doing everything that can be done with timber to insure safety. The shaft for the new mine is down about 100 feet, the engines, boilers, and poppet-legs are being erected. The whole of this work is of the most solid description.* 5. Eawakawa Colliery. —There has been a considerable reduction in the output of this mine, being 50,227 tons in 1881 and only 41,484 tons in 1882. This is to be accounted for by the seam running thin in the dip, where the seam also turned into a very hard coal, preventing the same quantities being got out. The workings are kept in good order, also the ventilation is good. At one part of the long-wall workings, though the roof was very good, I considered there was rather much ground being left open. Mr. Moody was, however, just starting to put this right when I arrived. The prospecting work (boring and driving) still continues. I have, &c, James M. McLaben, The Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Inspector of Mines.

No. 3. ANNUAL REPORT UPON INSPECTION OF COAL MINES, SOUTH ISLAND DISTRICTS. Mr. Inspector Binns to the Undeb-Secbetaby for Mines. Sib,— Dnnedin, 26th May, 1883. I have the honour, in accordance with section 40 of " The Regulation of Mines Act, 1874," to make the following report for the information of his Excellency the Governor: — Having sent in on the 18th January a report (as required by law), which was of a purely formal character, and did not enter into details, there remains for this occasion an account of my proceedings since the Ist January, 1882. During this period, except for five days in last August, during which, though attending the office, I was practically incapacitated from work by the results of a severe cold, caught while travelling, my time has been taken up by departmental work, partly under this Act, for both coal and quartz mines, and partly under " The Westland and Nelson Coal Fields Administration Act, 1877," which has taken up & good deal of time; so much so, in fact, that, finding it impossible to do justice to the whole of the duties of my position, I was reluctantly compelled to represent the matter in my letter of the 22nd March. This resulted in my being relieved of the inspection of quartz mines by your letter of the 7th April, which will enable some of the coal mines, which have been to a certain extent neglected, to receive more attention. Attached are tables of statistics and accidents. The former refer to the year 1882, with this exception: that the date of inspection in some cases refers to this year. My thanks are due to those managers and owners who have assisted me with particulars of output, &c. The following is a rSsume of the work done in connection with each mine :— Pelobus Disteict. 6. Picton Goal Mine. —(l3th December, 1882.) —A company has been formed to work this mine, and operations have in consequence been carried on more energetically than when the property was in private hands. At the above time a shaft was being sunk, and was 55 feet deep in very hard measures. The Act was not observed. On the 30th January a copy was sent and the ordinary notice. On the 20th February heard from Mr. Hutcheson that he was observing the particulars pointed out, except with regard to special rules, which I had omitted to send. 7. Picton and Shakespeare Bay Goal Mine. —(l3th December, 1882.) —This mine is still carrying on prospecting works. Two men were driving a level, without having arrived at anything definite. There was no air. 8. Queen Charlotte Sound Goal Mine. —This is another prospecting drive, belonging to the Queen Charlotte Sound Coal-Mining Company (Limited), of which Mr. R. Reeves is secretary. The site of present operations is on the other side of the saddle, west of Mr. Weston's house, and at my visit in December there was no coal, though a seam has, it is said, been found on the east side. Copies of the Act were sent to Mr. Adams, mine manager, and to Mr. Reeves. West Wangakui Disteict. 9. Wallsend Coal Mine, Gollingwood. —ln May, 1882, Mr. J. R. Rees, M.1.C.8., wrote that he had bought the mine, and would like me to inspect the works (which, it may be remembered, were in a very bad state) after he had put everything in thorough working order. As Mr. Cox was going into that district I gave him the correspondence, and have not visited the mine. Westpoet Disteict. 10. Koranui Coal Mine, Westport. —My fears as to the backward state of the prospecting works appear to have been too .well founded. In April, 1883, I was at the office, but did not go up the incline, as no work was going on. In December the tunnel had been abandoned, and a new one driven. In April last I was informed that, in its turn, this had been abandoned, and a third was to be undertaken. The system of haulage partakes of the nature of tail-rope, the principle being that a set of boxes is fastened on to aii endless-rope and run down. In my opinion the ordinary endless-

* It will be seen from Mr. Cox's report that special directions have been given with regard to the working of this mine.—O. W.