13

a—4c

the face was bad. On the 8th January I wrote to the legal and mining managers, calling attention to the neglect, and requesting that Special Rules might be sent up, as noue had been gazetted since the reconstitution of the company. 15. Caledonian Quartz-mine.' —-Not at work. 16. United Alpine Quartz-mine. —Visited the 21st November, 1885, at which time there was very little fault to find, except that dynamite was taken in in 5-pound packages. The reef is very wide, but securely timbered and filled in. Forty men were employed below and eleven above-ground. The company propose putting in another level 260ft. below the present one, of which the length will be 2,000ft. 17. United Victory Quartz-mine. —Not at work. 18. Phcsnix Quartz-mine. —Not at work. 19. Inglewood Extended Quartz-mine. —Visited 29th November. No plan of the mine was kept at the works, and no weekly report kept. Dynamite was taken below-ground in a tin containing 51b., which is too much. Twelve men were working below-ground and two above. The south end of the 100-feet level had been connected with the upper level by a winze, which is used as a travelling-road, thus avoiding the exceedingly inconvenient ladders. Special llules were exhibited and distributed. On 5th January, 1886, I wrote to the managers. 20. Inkermann Quartz-mine. —I was informed that this mine was being filled in, so did not inspect it on this occasion. 21 and 22. Deep-level Tunnel, Reef ton, and Beep-level Tunnel, Boatman's, were not visited. 23. Specimen Hill, Quartz-mine. —Not at work. 24. lied Queen Quartz-mine, Mokihinui. —As a copy of " The Regulation of Mines Act, 1874," was suppled to Mr. Home (legal manager) by Mr. Gordon, who at the same time wrote requesting that rules might be forwarded, &c, it might have been expected that something would have been done to observe the law. Such, however, was not the case. The mine was in good order, but the requirements of the Act no better observed than at my former visit. I have therefore written to Mr. Home requiring his attention. 25. Maruia Quartz-mine, Lyell. —This claim, which was visited on the 7th December, had recently been bought by a party of working-miners. It did not, therefore, seem to me necessary to introduce the Act. 26. Tyrconnell Quartz-mine, Lyell. —The ventilation difficulty mentioned in my last report has been overcome by connecting the workings with No. 4 Level. The Act was not observed; but no notice had been given : so on the 8th January I wrote to the legal and mining managers, and, having no copies of the Act, asked you to be good enough to send one. The mine appeared to be safely worked and explosives to be carefully used. 27. Croesus Quartz-mine, Lyell.—The remarks in my last report apply equally this time, except that the mine appeared in a little better order. Seven men were employed. On the 8th January I wrote to the managers, and requested the head office of this department to send a copy of the Act. 28. Venus Quartz-mine. —As only surface-works were going on this claim was not visited in December. On the 8th January I wrote to the managers giving them notice to observe the Act. 29. Fiery Cross Extended Tribute. —This tribute-party are now working off No. 6 Level of the Welcome Mine. I inspected the workings, which are very limited, on the 24th November. New Mine. 30. Great Republic Quartz-mine, Westport. —This mine employs twelve men below-ground. The country is very loose and broken, but the mine-manager secures the ground very well. The stone is carried by an aerial tramway to the battery, a distance of a mile and a half. The crushing-plant consists of ten heads of stampers, driven by a 6-feet Pelton turbine. The reef varies in thickness from 3ft. at the north end to 7ft. at the south. It also underlies very capriciously, the angle being at the north side of the creek westward at 45°, and on the south side eastward at a similar inclination. No explosives were used. I went over the provisions of the Act with the mine-manager, and on the 7th January wrote to him, as well as to the legal manager (to whom Mr. Gordon had previously written), giving them notice to observe the law. General Remarks. General llules appeared to have escaped the notice of the mining-managers, as few or none of them had paid attention to their exhibition or distribution. I therefore pointed out the necessity for this course to all the managers. I have, &c, Geokge J. Binns, The Under-Secretary of Mines, Wellington. Inspector of Mines.