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This shows an increase of six fatalities as compared with the year 1904, and of two in comparison with the year 1903. The greatest number of fatal accidents have occurred in connection with golddredging ; and in this connection it may be remarked that two lives were lost in an attempt to swim ashore from a dredge which broke away from its moorings during an exceptionally heavy flood in the Buller River. In the other cases of fatalities in connection with dredging, four were by drowning from dredges working in paddocks; and in no case was there any evidence to show how the men got into the water, the cause of the accidents remaining quite inexplicable. It is rather to be feared that carelessness as regards their own safety characterizes many men engaged in dredging-work. In alluvial mining the fatalities were chiefly caused by falls of ground ; whilst those in connection with quartzmining were of a miscellaneous character. In two instances men met with their deaths by falling down passss, whilst -another, from among a number of men riding, fell out of a cage travelling in the shaft. This is a most unusual occurrence, and it is very probable that the man was seized with a faint or giddiness. Accidents of a fatal character also occurred—one in each leading branch of gold-mining—by men's clothing becoming entangled and the men being drawn in among machinery. Protective Gate for Cages. The following description is taken from the pages of the Science and Art of Mining :— " The protective gate for cages patented by Mr. Henry Houghton, M.E., Skelmersdale, Lancashire, England, is a simple and useful arrangement, adapted to prevent persons falling out of the cage during the process of winding. " Colliery-managers who make it a duty to study and apply means of safety will be interested m the patent gates. Many lives are annually lost through persons falling out of the cage while ascending and descending shafts. The open end of the cages constitutes a great danger ; a moment's sickness causing a sensation of giddiness may result in the collier so afflicted falling out and meeting a violent death. The cage-gates referred to are intended to remove this element of danger.

Pig. 1 is a side view of a cage showing gate in position. Pig. 2 shows the gate when being lifted out or opened. Pig. 3is a front view. Fig. 4 is a front view of the lattice or collapsible gate. Fig. sis a front view of the telescopic gate. " These gates are in use at the Earl of Lathom's collieries, and are giving great satisfaction both to men and masters. " The gate will not open by pressure from the inside. To open the gate it is pushed inwards a little, the lower part raised about its hinges, so as to clear the recess, and then swung outwards. The gate generally falls into its locked position by gravity when released. "In lieu of hinging the lower part, the same can be made telescopic—that is, to remove the gate from its holding recess it is simply raised, the lower part sliding on the upper. " The gate may be rigid, being simply hinged or pivoted from the under-side of the roof of the cage only.

3—C. S.