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434. Can you tell the Commission if you noticed anything unusual in the management of the mine ? —Not from what came under my knowledge. 435. I think you have told us that you found everything in its place and under proper regulations ?—There is one thing I must qualify in regard to my previous answer—that is, in respect to the safefy-lamps found in Brislane's bord, when they were using naked lights in the next. Mr. Cochrane explained it by saying that Mr. Bishop ordered the safety-lamps in Brislane's bord as a further precaution. 436. Then I suppose the safety-lamps were only used as a further precaution ?—So I understood Mr. Cochrane. That is the only thing unusual I saw about the mine. 437. I think you have already stated that the return-airway was perfectly sufficient?— Having been through the airway I can say it was quite sufficient. Of course, it was simply a matter of engine-power to get a further quantity of air through. 438. Coming to the scene of the explosion, would it have been possible to have made the mine any safer ?—I do not quite understand you. 439. Taking the position of the men when they were found, we find that some had travelled a good distance : would it have been possible, supposing there had been a gas-explosion, for those men to have had the time to travel to where they were found ? —I do not think have had any time to travel the distance some of them did. Indeed, I think they must have had some warning of the advancing disaster. 440. You have heard Mr. Cochrane's evidence. Do you corroborate it ?—Yes, so far as I have given evidence myself. 441. What should you say was the cause of that blown-out shot ?—I should say it was a blown-out shot wrongly put into the solid, and which, on exploding, took the line of least resistance, hitting itself on the floor of the bord, and stirring up and igniting the dust. This bord would be a little dusty, as it had probably been standing twelve months. 442. Would you say, from the appearances, that there had been no that the shot had not been properly prepared ? Looking at the position of that hole, would you say that it had been drilled and put in under proper management ?—Certainly not; no good miner would put in a shot like that. 442 a. With regard to the return-airway, you say that in only one place was there any difficulty in getting through ?—Yes. 443. And in that place it was quite sufficient for a man to pass through with a lamp in each hand ?—Yes; I had two lamps with me—both my hands were occupied. 444. And you can say, after examining the mine, that it was not a fiery mine ?—I should say not. 445. Would you say that it was a dry or dusty mine ? —'No. 446. You think, from its appearance, that it had been reasonably well managed so farjas the coal-dust was concerned? —Oh, yes. Of course, a few days after the explosion it was very dry and dusty. You could not look inside the mine without meeting a very fine dust. It percolated through your coat and drawers to the bare skin. 447. Was that fine dust raised or caused by the explosion ?—lt has been since the explosion. Before the explosion I could not speak to, as I was not in the mine. 448. You saw no dangerous accumulation of coal-dust, or nothing more than might usually be expected in mines of this description ?—No. I am speaking of the bords on the west level. 449. Have you read of the Blackwell and Albion explosions ?—No. I have read Hall's report and his experiments. 450. There was a question asked of Mr. Cochrane by Mr. Joyce with regard to the air-shaft and another return-airway. What is your opinion ? Would you say if there had been more air that it would have been the means of saving life ?—I do not see how it could. You see you have got the foul air coming in this direction [indicated], and even if you had two shafts I do not see how you could have prevented the men being killed. The foul air had to go to the mouth of the mine, and, consequently, had to return over the men. 451. Then your opinion as an expert is, that the mere fact of putting down another shaft or return-airway would not have been the means of preventing the loss of life ?—I do not see how it could unless you had a separate intake and outlet for each individual section of the mine. At present, the foul air is drawn up to the mouth of the mine through the return by one fan. 452. Mr. Joyce.] What is the distance you generally put in the drill-holes for your shots ?— About 4ft. 453. So that really there was 2ft., less lin., of the hole blown away?—l am not going to say that, but that would be the inference. 454. I think it is a pretty straight face ?—lt is pretty well straight. 455. Do you think there is sufficient coal lying below the shot-hole to account for the blown-out shot ?—I would not like to say that, because there are pieces of coal in other parts of the bord that may have come from the shot. The shot did not strike straight out when it was blown out, as you can see where there has been a fracture. 456. Would you be certain that the hole was not blown out at the time it was made?—l am certain it was not. 457. What are your reasons for saying that?— From everything pointing to the opposite. 458. The only points are the facts that the roof has been charred. That seems to be the commencement of the explosion ?—That is everything, I think. 459. Could you not have had an explosion in Worthley's bord?—l do not think so; I paid a good deal of attention to that bord. 460. Say, for instance, you had an accumulation of gas there, would it not have been the commencing point of the explosion ? —Yes ; but it would have developed itself equally in all directions from,Worthley's bord, if it had taken place there.