G.—l

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57. Clyde Goal Mine, Clyde. —2oth March, 1884. Another new mine, the old one having fired shortly after my last visit (I noted at the time, " Slack heating a little .... warned the man") : only a dip drive into a thick seam. In answer to a letter from me re observance of Act, Mr. Marie answered that he had lost the Act and rules, and wished to know where to obtain copies, as he was " only too anxious to comply with the conditions of the Act." 58. Clyde Goal Mine, Clyde. —2oth March, 1884. The 1882 report on this mine was anything but satisfactory, and on the above date things were better ; but there was still a good deal of room for improvement. Neither shaft was fenced. An incline had been driven on a very steep angle, terminating in a shaft at a point 30ft. from the bottom. This incline is very slippery, and any one losing his foothold would inevitably fall down the-shaft. Mr. Hall promised to put a fence up. The workings do not seem in bad order ; but the Agt is not observed. Wrote to owner. 59. Earnscleugh Coal Mine, Clyde.— "2oth March, 1884. The old workings have fallen in, and a new tunnel was in use, which has since been flooded out. Air-shaft not fenced, and air not guided ; slack is left in too large quantities ; report-book kept, but a little late ; rules up ; Mr. Buckley seema to pay considerable attention to the provisions of the Act. 60. Gibbston Goal Mine, Gibbston. —22nd March, 1884. This is an old mine; visited on the above date for the first time. The seam is said to be 80ft. thick ; I saw half that quantity. Sometimes the coal is mined, but it was then being worked opencast —at least, the place had recently been on fire, large slips had occurred, and the mine was in a bad state for purposes of working. Wrote_ to owner, sending Act, &c. 61. MoPherson's; 62. Low and Robertson's; and 63. Crossan's. —Lignite mines. Are all openwork, and were visited in March, 1884. 64. Fernhill Colliery, Green Island. —2Bth April, 1884. Has, since being reopened, been carefully worked. The railway now reaches the mine, and the new furnace arrangements give a splendid ventilation, which measured, on the 19th October, 1883, 98,000 cubic feet per minute. 65. Green Island Colliery, Green Island. —loth April, 1884. The workings were taken carefully under the railway, and the bords are now all on the west side, with a new tunnel. On the 15th November, 1883, the plan was behind time. On the Bth February, 1881, the rules had not been moved from their former position in the abandoned workings, consequently they were not properly exhibited. Cv the 31st March a boy was not registered; the plan was thirteen months old, but was made upon the 10th April; and the report was late. 66. Saddle Hill Colliery, Green Island.— loth March, 1884. On the 6th August, 1883, the main return was 8,190 cubic feet per minute for eight men, and was distributed; plan at mine; report kept. On the Bth November, main return was 11,375 cubic feet per minute ; no register of boys. On the 10th March, 1884, everything was right, except the register; mine generally carefully worked on a small scale. 67. Glenochiel Coal Mine, Green Island. —l6th April, 1884. The owners have at length been induced to keep the Act. A second outlet has been made to an old shaft. 68. Walton Park Colliery, Green Island. —loth April, 1884. The total return by furnace shaft was 13,538 cubic feet per minute. This mine is in good order, and gives no trouble, except on the above date, when the mine manager wanted to descend the shaft with me in a tub on the cage. This is contrary to Special Rule No. 45. On the 16th ultimo a man had his leg broken at this mine. 69. Abbotsroyd Colliery, Green Island. —28th April, 1884. On the 28th May, 1883, I found that boys were being worked illegally on Saturdays : Mr. Freeman promised he would put a stop to it. On the 31st March, 1884, found that a place approaching a body of water was not properly protected by boreholes, though Mr. Cox had given warning about a fortnight before ; and on the 28th April the same offence was committed. Also, a boy of fourteen was employed without being put on the register or supplied with the rules. Wrote to owner. 71. Bruce Coal Mine, Milton. — 29th October, 1883. This mine is well worked and aired, and the Act moderately well observed. 72. Real Mackay Goal Mine, Milton. —7th March, 1884. Has changed hands again. Pillars too small, and too much slack. One man ; sometimes two. Act not kept. Warned manager. 73. Gannon's; and 69. Bryce's Lignite Mines, Lovell's Flat. —Are both openwork, and have been visited. 75. Paskell's Lignite Mine, Glenore. —An openwork lignite mine, at which the owner was killed in 1882. On the 31st December, 1883, I found a boy, who said he was "goingon for ten," working alone, and in a face 10ft. or lift, high, with a vertical crack running behind an overhanging piece. He was in a very dangerous position, and I had to talk seriously to his elder brother. 76. Benhar Coal Mine, Balclutha. —2nd February, 1884. Visited three times in 1883, and once, so far, in 1884. On the 10th July, 1883, air was slack, and powder smoke not cleared out quickly enough ; ventilating arrangements defective ; stoppings bad. On the 15th October, 1883, the furnace was out; no rules up. The owner of this mine has not paid as much attention to the Act as he ought. 77 and 78. Kaitangat'a Railway and Goal Company's Mine, Kaitangata. —loth May, 1884. These may be conveniently reported on together. On the 14th June, 1883, found no gas in the old workings; the difficulty about employment of boys was got over by sending them in an hour later; and the register was duly kept. On the 31st October, 1883, the chimney at the upcast shaft had been burnt down —consequently the furnace was put out, and all the men were out of the dip that day; reports kept. The method of ventilation was as follows: The air descended the shaft,-and was split, half going up each side. This portion was coursed along the levels, and back through the slits ; but it was proposed to shorten the route. Top coal was being got in the dip. On the 19th November, 1883, the following amounts of ventilation were registered: Intake to dip, 10,887 cubic feet per minute; intake to No. 7 flat (south side), 3,744 cubic feet per minute; intake to No. 6 (south side), 4,488 cubic feet per minute; intake to No. 5 (south side), 2,255 cubic feet per minute,