H.—ll

12

36. Black Point Goal Mine, Duntroon. —This mine was brought under my notice by Mr. Weldon, Inspector of Police, who had received a report from the constable at Duntroon that it was unsafe. It would be a great assistance if other constables would report new mines. I inspected it on the 18th May, 1882, and found a couple of men working in a prospecting drive, apparently safe. A copy of the Act and a draft set of special rules were sent, but, in reply to a question as to why the latter had not been sent up for approval, received a notice that the place was abandoned. 37. Prince Alfred (No. 1) Goal Mine, Papakaio. —Very nearly worked out. Mr. Henderson does not keep the Act, and I shall be compelled to take action against him. Air very good. 38. Pvince Alfred (No. 2) Coal Mine, Papakaio. —Special rules (but not general) were enhibited. Weekly report a little late. The old mine is worked out and a new one commenced. 39. St. Andrews Coal Mine, Papakaio. —Now closed. 40. Ngapara Colliery, Ngapara. —Might serve as a model for many larger mines. A drive has feeen taken perfectly straight for nearly 1,700 feet. Air good, and mine all right; but unfortunately there is very little trade. 41. Glenfield Colliery, Herbert. —Another well-managed little mine, but is now closed, as there was not sufficient trade. Eeport kept. General rules, accompanied by a copy of the Ngapara special rules, exhibited. 42. Shag Point Colliery, Paimerston.—ln the first place I will describe the condition of the mine during 1882, and will then deal with a question that has occupied a great deal of attention during the present year. The workings have been opened out partly below high-water mark in the dip-drive, and partly in a lower seam at the shaft. In the former work no bore-holes were taken in advance, which seemed advisable, as the rock might contain fissures. Spoke to Mr. Williams about this on the 25th April. On the sth September the air in the dip would have been good had it not been too much scattered. An apprehension had arisen among the men that the sea might break in, and in consequence the south side was very heavily timbered. At the shaft there was no fence ) the staging also requires a handrail. The air was bad in some places. On the 30th September the anemometer would not turn in the north intake to the pit-workings, though the place was only 29-J feet area. Bight men were on this side. The return also failed to give any revolutions, though only 21-J- feet in area. In fact, the air generally was very bad. Subsequently this was explained by the fact that the engineer had one of the upcast doors off, and had not reported it. There were two accidents in 1882, which will be found in the accident report. During 1883 I have spent a great deal of time at this mine. On the 24th January the air was badly guided in the dip, the bottom bord on the south side having an intake of 1,500 cubic feet per minute, and a return of only 750 cubic feet per minute by the proper air-way. Mr. Williams had in September pointed out that the plan was inaccurate, but at this visit I was astonished to find that the pillars were, in many cases, utterly inadequate; one (shown on plan 20 feet) being only 6 feet, while the bords were immensely wider than the plan would indicate. On the other hand some of the places marked were nonexistent : one pillar on the north side was 1 foot 6 inches in thickness. The power under which this part of the field is worked is a license from the Government. This license is revocable at will, and I suggested that the licensees should be informed that the mine was to be worked to the satisfaction of a Government official. Having this duty placed in my hands, the first step was to have an accurate plan made, and Mr. Twining made a very careful survey and plan for the department. The result was to convince me that, unless very grave risk was to be run, it would be absolutely necessary to close the whole of these workings. The danger was not only to the twenty men working in the dip, but to twenty-four more in the rise-workings of the shaft, into which there was communication-by a drive in the upper seam. The cover of the submarine area was from 99 to 160 feet; the average thickness of thirty pillars, not counting those contiguous to the main roads, was 10*296 feet, and the average of thirty-five bords was 13*79 feet. Thus, nearly 57 per cent, of the coal was got, without reckoning bolt-holes. The roof is bad, and I did not consider it safe ; so was obliged to take steps which —and the reason for which—were detailed in my report dated the 20th March, 1883, to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Otago. The future operations of this company, if below the sea, will be carried on under not less than 180 feet of cover (excepting roadways, which may be driven under not less than 100 feet), and on an approved system. Dams are to be put in between the subaqueous area and the shaft-workings. These are now being constructed, and the submarine work is stopped. These operations of the department have been carried on independently of the Act in compliance with which this report is written, but they have the same object; and therefore, although a somewhat detailed report on this subject has already been sent in, I have recurred to the subject. One fatal accident has occurred during this year at Shag Point, and has been investigated by Mr. Cox. Through delay in delivery of the letter I did not hear of the man's death till the day after he was buried; and as Mr. Cox was to be at Shag Point on the day following I left the inquiry in his able hands. Mr. A. W. D. Bell, of the Public Works Department, has just finished a very complete marine survey of Shag Point. This plan, which is very detailed, shows that the sea-bottom has a gradual slope and is free from holes. My thanks are due to the Public Works Department and to Mr. Bell. 43 to 60. All in the interior of Otago. They have not been revisited. Eight are opened, and the remaining ten employ a total of twenty men. 61. Fernhill Colliery, Green Island. —Visited twice during 1882, during the last two months of which it was closed, awaiting the completion of a branch railway, which this company has, with great enterprise, decided .£>n constructing : this line is now nearly finished. On the 29th May, 1882, the plan had been recently made up by Mr. Shaw. Beports kept. The dip-drive under the waterrace was standing well. Air pretty good. One place required timber. On the 31st August a boy, aged thirteen, was in the mine without the manager's knowledge: his father had brought him in. On the 28th March, 1883, the mine was not working. The old level, which is 800 feet in length, has been cleaned out and retimbered in a substantial manner. It is now laid with 15-lb. iron rails, having a dip of 14 inches per 100 feet, The loaded tubs come out by themselves in less than one minute,