C—3a.

Mount Linton Station Pit, Nightcaps (Gates and McGregor, owners; late Mrs. Chalmers). —Nothing has been done at this pit for some considerable time, and the present owners are uncertain whether they will reopen the pit. The Willow Coal-pit, Nightcaps (John Clark). —An opencast pit. Coal mined for local requirements. Kent Coal-pit, Nightcaps (Quested Bros.). —This pit has not been working during the year. Hogan's Lignite License, Orepuki (Cornelius Hogan, licensee). —Opencast pit; very wet. Bush Siding Coal-pit, Seaward Bush (R. W. Robson, lessee). —An opencast pit on the Waimahaka line of railway. 1,120 tons of coal were raised during the year. Thomas Gillie's Coal-pit, Clifton.— (2s/5/1905) : Pit drowned out owing to pump being unable to cope with surface drainage. The lessee (William Peace) estimates self-draining channel could be cut for the sum of £50. Remarks. The output of coal and lignite (Southern District) for the year 1905 amounted to 469,653 tons, an increase of 11,282 tons over the previous year. Returns of output from the provinces are as follows : — Tons. Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,638 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 317,731 Southland .. ...... 126,284 Total .. . .. .. 469,653 Output for previous year .. . .. .. .. .. 458,371 Increase .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11,282 The contributions by coal-owners to the Coal-miners' .Relief Fund amounted to £464 3s. 10d., while payments from the fund to the amount of £468 Bs. 4d. have been recommended on account of accidents which have occurred in and about coal-mines in this district during the year. Accidents. In all, a total of 147 accidents were reported to me during the year, of which four resulted fatally. Of the remainder, only four could be called serious accidents. The balance, though formidable in number, were mainly of a slight character —many of them trivial, and such as are incidental to coalmining operations, and resulting in the men being unable to resume their ordinary occupations for a few days or weeks, as the case might be —and were principally reported to me in the form of claims for relief from the Coal-miners' Relief Fund; twenty-three of which, after inquiry, were not sustained. Fatal Accidents. Ist February, 1905.—William Williams, forty, coal-miner : Instantaneously killed by fall of coal from face at Mrs. McPherson's opencast pit, Coal Creek, Roxburgh. 2nd February, 1905.—Allan McKinnie, twenty-six, coal-miner : Instantaneously killed by fall of coal from roof and side of his working-place, main seam, Kaitangata Mine, Kaitangata. 22nd February, 1905. —Robert S. Jordan, mine-manager : Suffocated by smoke and heat from underground fire in vicinity of ventilating-furnace, Castle Hill Colliery, Kaitangata. 15th August, 1905.—Robert Donaldson, twenty, trucker : Concussion of brain ; struck by runaway box at foot of No. 1 heading, No. 2 section south, Castle Hill Colliery, Kaitangata. Died at Dunedin Hospital next day. Non-fatal (Serious) Accidents. 26th January, 1905. —William Taylor, mine-manager, Springfield Colliery, Springfield, Canterbury : Bruised back by fall of clay from the roof. Ninety-one days off work. 19th May, 1905.—Mark Everett, Springfield Coal-pit, "Waikaka Valley : Fractured thigh ; fall of gravel from face of opencast pit. 150 days off work. 22nd May, 1905.—William C. Burgess, Hefferman's Coal-pit, East Gore : Dislocation of shoulder by fall of coal from roof. Forty-seven days off work. 25th September, 1905. —Robert Statham : Body bruises; fell down a small air-shaft in Kaitangata Mine. I have, &c, E. R. Green, The Under-Secretary, Mines Department, Wellington. Inspector of Mines.

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