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but he appears disposed to sink one or more shallow shafts on the opposite side of the stream, with a view of finding a continuation of the present seam going southward. Duke has started to burn limestone within a few hundred feet of the coal-pit. Otago Noeth. 9. Wade's Awakino Mine. —(23/11/95): This mine is still being worked on the old adit-level, level with the-flat. At the extreme north end of this level, where the seam pinches out, the top coal is being stoped out to the next level workings. At a spot a short distance back from the present working-place the stoping will be extended upward to the next old level overhead, so as to remove as much coal as possible before abandoning that part of the mine. Scott, the manager, thinks there is another seam of coal a short distance on the south side of, and standing parallel with, the one now being worked. He is, therefore, driving a small tunnel in that direction in solid, hard-sand country, to prove the existence or otherwise of a second workable coal-seam. 10. Phillips's Kurow. —(23/11/93): Mr. Caffrey is now working this mine, and is at present on the top level, driving on the coal toward the bed of the Awakino Creek, in which direction the quality of the coal is said to be better than it is in the opposite direction under the terrace, where, after driving some distance, he found the coal had been much disturbed and crushed. The present working-place is narrow and shallow, and also wet overhead. The low levels have not been worked for some time, and are now filled with water. The drainage into the pit is heavy. The little water-wheel and new pump are said to be more than equal to the work to be done if kept constantly going. 11. Wharikuri and Kurow Mines. —(23/11/95) : The Kurow Mine at the time of my previous visit, was full of water to the level of the creek close by, and nothing was being done to get the water out, or to stop its inflow through the creek-wash covering the mouth of the old dip-tunnel to the workings. Quite lately a fresh start was made, and with the aid of two portable steam-engines attached to a large centrifugal-pump, the water was got out. Some puddling was then done, which, although not stopping all the water, has lessened very much the quantity of water to be now pumped out by the old water-wheel. At time of flood the mine is still liable to be filled with water, which was the case at the time of my visit. A new dip-drive has been put down to the coal at the side of the old workings some distance back from the creek; but at the time of my visit, the mine was full of water, the late heavy rains having increased the drainage so much as to be more than the little water-wheel could cope with. I did not see the workings. Wharikuri Mine. —(2s/11/95): This pit has not been working for some months past, in consequence of the old top workings getting on fire. Mr. Cairns is at present working at the Kurow Mine. 12. Collins's Wharikuri Mine. —(2s/11/95): No coal is being got out of this mine at present, Mr. Collins has been from home some time past, and has.no one employed to get out coal. I, however, inspected the workings, and found them somewhat out of order. I learned from Mrs. Collins that there was a possibility of the pit being put in good order, and mining resumed at some future date. 13. St. Andrew's Mine, Papakaio. —(27/11/96): Since my previous visit a dip-drive has been put down to the coal a short distance to the east of the old workings, and an air-way between the two places is now being driven. The thickness of seam and the quality of coal is much the same in both places. The roof in the old pit is much better than it was two years ago, and all the workingplaces are in good order. 14. Prince Alfred Mine. —(27/11/95) : Some solid hard coal is still being found in " bunches" many yards apart, the intervening coal being generally soft, small, and of no use whatever. There is therefore still a great amount of labour expended for a small quantity of marketable coal. There is really nothing in the mine to indicate a change for the better. When a " bunch "of good coal is found it is generally very good, but never large enough to yield a fair remuneration for the labour expended to find it. They are not found in any regular line or at regular intervals through the pit The method of working is constant driving about in search of hard coal, and when found, to take it out on a face. The roof on top of the hard coal is always good, and will keep in good condition after the coal has been removed to a considerable width. The mine is in good order. 15. Ngapara, Ngapara. —(2B/11/95) : Examined all the workings and found them in good order. The mine has a coal roof of from 12ft. to 13ft., and the thickness of coal hewn is generally about Bft. This leaves sft. of coal under foot. The mine is very dry and the air is good. There are only two men working. 16. Rosebery Mine, Otepopo. —(29/11/95) : I think this mine is worked out. The face of the hill over the old workings has caved in very much. I think Philip Mathews must have taken out most of the pillars before he abandoned it. 17. Early Bank, Herbert. —(29/11/95) : It was in this mine Philip Mathews was killed on the 29th of last month. After abandoning the Eosebury Mine he started work in this, but had worked only a few days when he was killed. I called to see the owner of the pit, Mr. Frame, but he was away from home. 18. Shag Point Mine, Shag Point. —(4/7/95): Some of the present workings in No. 3 Seam—■ the 450 ft. level —-are seaward, and on the north side of the main level, which heads to the eastward. This seam is from 3ft. 6in. to 4ft. thick, and is 400 ft. below the bottom of the sea. The roof in the workings is fine conglomerate, which appears to stand very well. On the south side of the shaft the No. 5 seam is being worked, where the coal is generally from 2ft. 6in. to 2ft. 9in. thick, and of excellent quality. These workings are inland, a short distance from the sea-shore. The new pump has been some time fixed in position at the bottom of the shaft, and works about sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. Since my previous visit the three new boilers have had a new

2—C. 3b.