a—3b

4

15th March.—Taupiri Extended : John Kay sprained his ankle. 25th March.—Taupiri Eeserve : George Waugh had his eye injured by a piece of coal. 30th March.—Ngunguru Mine: John Rivers had his fingers injured—crushed by a piece of coal falling on them. Ist April.—Taupiri Eeserve : Eichard Johnstone had his fingers injured by being caught in the coupling-chain of the mine-trucks. 4th April.—Taupiri Eeserve : George Pearce had his fingers injured whilst spragging a truck. 11th April.—Taupiri Reserve : James Hardwick wrenched himself in lifting a loaded truck on the road. 3rd May.—Taupiri Reserve : Nesbitt Mackie received an injury to his face and arms by a slight explosion of powder caused by his lamp falling down when he was making a cartridge; a spark flew and ignited the powder. sth May.—Taupiri Reserve : Arthur Neil injured his hand whilst in the act of driving a wedge in the handle of the pick. 2nd June. —Taupiri Extended : Samuel Taylor received an injury to his eye by a piece of coal. 3rd June.—Taupiri Extended : William Brocklebank received an injury to his hand ; only three days oft, 11th June.—Taupiri Extended : Francis Murray had his hand injured by a jar. 2nd July.—Hikurangi Coal-mine : J. W. Shoadley had his eye injured by a piece of coal. 11th July.—Kiripaka Mine : George Climo had his wrist injured. 12th July.—Taupiri Extended : Joseph Shore was, with others, sending trucks down a selfacting incline when some of them neglected to couple the trucks. Eour of the trucks ran down the incline and came in collision with the empty truck at the bottom, which was attached to the hauling-rope, which had the effect of tightening the rope, which sprang up and struck Shore, breaking his arm between the shoulder and the elbow. 27th July.—Kiripaka Mine : C. Rider slipped and twisted his knee. 6th August.—Taupiri Extended : Thomas May had his knee slightly injured. 12th August.—Ralph's Taupiri Mine : James Evans had his hand jarred. 6th September.—Waikato Mine : J. Green, jun., was slightly injured by a little loose powder that ignited, no doubt through carelessness. 11th October.—Waikato Mine : W. Wallace, jun., had his fingers slightly crushed. 23rd October.—Waikato Mine : G. Watkins strained his back lifting a truck on the road. 9th November.—Taupiri Extended: Thomas McQuillan received a bruise by being knocked over with the horse in the mine. 23rd November. —Taupiri Extended : William Smith met with an accident which appeared not to be of a serious nature at first, but it has laid him up for sixty-nine days, and he has not recovered yet. His mate and himself had been working in the face of their bord too close together, when by some means his mate struck him by accident with his pick on the knee. There were twenty-six accidents reported during the year, but none fatal, nor yet any of a very serious character. Bemabks. The output of coal from the mines in this district amounted to 148,390 tons, an increase of 8,383 more than the previous year. Output for Output for T 1898. 1897. Increase. North of Auckland ... ... ... 74,140 70,734 3,406 South of Auckland ... ... ... 74,250 69,273 4,977 As the railway has now been opened to the Thames the output of coal from the Waikato mines should be considerably increased in 1899. I have, &c, Jambs Coutts, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Inspector of Mines.

No. 3. Mr. Eobbet Tennent, Inspector of Mines, Westport, to the Under-Secretary for Mikes. Sir, — Inspector of Mines' Office, Westport, 31st March, 1899. I have the honour, in compliance with section 67 of "The Coal-mines Act, 1891," to report as follows on the West Coast coal-mines for the year ending 31st December, 1898 : — Puponga Coal-mine, Golli'iigwood. — (10/1/99) : The formation of a surface tramway is the only work in progress, and it will take a considerable time to complete. The neglected condition of the mine shows that no work has been done in that direction. Near the entrance of the mine the timber is broken down, thus cutting off all means of egress. Outcrops on the opposite side of the creek are exposed at two places, but from what can be seen they are simply parcels of coal slipped away from a higher elevation. When visited there was no person at the mine, but on my return Mr. Taylor was met. The prospects of this mine must be in the far future. Paka/ivau Goal-mine. —(10/1/99) : Work has ceased at this mine, in view of laying down a surface tramway to convey the coal from the present binns to the loading-station at the ocean-beach. The coal has been mined from two levels running at about right angles to each other, but not connected. The property bears the marks of neglect, and the mines are unfit for any person to travel into. Owing to the broken-down state of the face no accurate data of the coal could be got. When visited there was no person on the property.