7

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A locomotive has been purchased for running between the railway-station and the foot of the hill, to which the coal will be lowered down a self-acting incline from the mine. Sixteen men are employed about the mine in addition to the contractors. A fair amount of prospecting for coal in various parts of this district was done'in'the'early part of the year, but I have not heard of any important discoveries having been made. The total output of coal from all the mines in the district was 242,517 tons, an increase of 32,722 tons as compared with the previous year. Non-fatal Accidents in Coal-mines. The following are the names of persons injured in the mines in the Auckland district who sent in claims to be'placed on " The Coal-miners' Accident Relief Fund," the number of days they were absent from work, and the amount of money received : 25th January, Henry Scotman, Ngunguru, arm injured, 7 days, 14s. 7d. ; 6th February, Samuel Neil, Kawakawa, arm injured, 69 days, £7 3s. 9d. ; 7th March, John Mulgrove, Northern Colliery, finger injured, 16 days, £1 13s. 4d. ; 21st March, D. Fitzgibbon, Ngunguru, ankle injured, 27 days, £2 16s. 3d. ; 24th May, B. Fabris, Phoenix, leg broken, 109 days, £11 7s. Id. ; 27th May, James Neil, Union Collieries, finger injured, 12 days, £1 ss. ; 4th June, Richard Predo, Ngunguru, head injured, 13 days, £1 7s. Id. ; 13th June, James McCormick, Ngunguru, arm injured, 11 days, £1 2s. lid. ; 4th July, E. Preston, Kiripaka, finger injured, 17 days, £1 15s. sd. ; 20th July, James H. Arthur, Union Collieries, foot injured, 19 days, £1 19s. 7d. ; 17th August, John Trotter, Hikurangi, shoulder dislocated, 25 days, £2 12s. Id. ; 15th McEwen, Phoenix, face burned, 16 days, £1 13s. 4d. ; 7th November, David Cockburn, Mokau, hand injured, 66 days,. £6 17s. 6d. ; 21st November, Samuel Moreland, Phoenix, body burned, 122 days, £12 14s. 2d. ; 25th November, Robert Richards, Hikurangi, leg burned, 116 days, £12 Is. Bd. ; 14th December, Hy. Crossey Drury, foot injured, 11 days, £1 2s. lid. Totals, 656 days, £68 6s. Bd. The total number of days men were off work who were injured in the Taupiri Coal-mines and received the usual weekly allowance through " The Waikato Medical and Accident Society, Huntly 964 days, £100 Bs. 4d. William Wilson, in satisfaction of all claims for injuries received, £50. Total, £150 Bs. 4d. I have, &c, James Coutts, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Inspector of Mines.

No. 3. Mr. Robert Tennent, Inspector of Mines, Westport, to the Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Sir, — Inspector of Mines Office, Westport, 24th March, 1905. 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 endingl?3lst December, 1904 : — Enner Glynn Coal-mine. —Prospecting has attained no further headway in the vicinity of the old mine. Prospecting at Belgrove. —Mr. Morrison his attention to the better cultivation of his farm, and ceased prospecting for coal. Motupipi Coal-mine. —Messrs. Gilmer and Nalder have recently commenced to extend an old drive formerly opened by Thomas Nalder on the west bank of the Motupipi River. The coal (brown) —so far driven on the level course —is parted in the centre by a stone band 15 in. in thickness, giving a total working-height of 5 ft. 6 in. The drive is securely timbered for a distance of 157 ft., and, should the quality and working-conditions of the seam meet anticipations, connection by road and sea are factors which will not entail extraordinary expenditure. FSix men employed—two in each of the three shifts. The prospecting party are not over sanguine of success, but consider the prospect is worthy of a fair trial. Shakespeare Bay. —Prospecting in this locality has not yet been productive of any discovery of commercial value, and operations are now stopped. Puponga Colliery : (owners, Puponga Coal and Gold-mining Company (Limited)). —Mr. Sidney George Hayward, attorney for the company, has recently acquired all legal rights in connection with the leasehold formerly held by the Cape Coal-prospecting Company (Limited). The erection of the oading-jetty, storage-bins, and construction of the 24-in. gauge tram-line for locomotive traffic (referred to in my report of last year) are now satisfactorily completed and operative, as also the mechanical appliances for screening, sorting, and haulage, while the output has steadily increased during the current year to 12,430 tons. Working westward to the rise from the level near the top of the dip haulage road, considerable faulting was met and dealt with, and the increased thickness of the middle band stone has meanwhile necessitated temporary suspension of operations in that direction, pending prospecting developments now in active progress. In extending operations to the dip, quality and thickness of the coal-seam are fully maintained, affording favourable promise of an average coalfield, the coal commanding a ready market for household and steaming purposes at fairly remunerative prices. Sinking the dip incline is suspended at present in view of carrying out the work on more effective and economical lines. The old system will be abandoned and a steam-driven pump will shortly be installed. The attention of the manager having been directed to the ventilation, arrangements are now completed for the adoption of a fan. Improved facilities for shipment are also receiving expert attention. With respect to the provisions prescribed under the Coal-mines Act, including timbering, spragging,Jexaminations and reports, the various working-conditions have been observed ; and, as a further precaution to insure greater