40

[b. bennie.

C—l 4.

301 And in the Extended Mine?—No serious accidents were reported to me from there. Willcox and Conn were burnt. I only got the information when 1 asked the manager for it 302. You wrote to Mr. Fletcher for a return of the cases of burning during the last two years —that was in January? —Yes. 303. Have you any reason to suspect that that list is not correct* —JNo. 304 You report every month to the Under-Secretary for Mines? —Yes. 305. Your report contains a summary of your inspections of the various mines tor the previous month? —Yes. 306 Have you found gas in the working-places in Ralphs Mine?— Never. 307. And have you made a thorough inspection of the working-places?— Not with a satetymP 3oB. Have you used the ladders and examined the working-places?— Yes. 309. And you never found gas there? —No. 310. Have you examined the old workings? —I have. 311 Have you found gas there ? —Yes. 312' In large or small quantities ?-On one occasion 212 cubic feet and in another place on the same day somewhere about 550 ft. It was a gaseous mixture, with a percentage of about 6 Per 3l3 nt How many times did you discover gas in the old workings since January last?-Speak-ing from memory, about three separate times. 314. Was that gas cleared away?— Yes; one time I might have found it and the next time I wouldl not Mr Fktcher agki him t0 water the coaldust: that was because of inconvenience 7 caused by the dust to the men?-Yes, I thought it was unreasonable to expect " b<> "3l6 W On k tne e iHh July you wrote again to Mr. Fletcher pointing out the danger from coaldust, ■■md alskine him to appoint shot-firers and to water the coaldust ?—That is so. and f^ Y^h&d P q P prior tQ the disaster any knoW ledge of the extreme inflammability of the coaldust - f is X; ? - r N e ° x , ence that the direotions you gave in regard to watering the dust and thi Tappointaei of snoffirers were sufficient to secure the safety of the men m the mmc?YeS 319. I understand that you met Mr. Reed at the Thames about the sth September of this year 320 Ye W.s it arranged that he should come to the Than.es to see yout-He came to the Thames to attend fconfe "nee with Warden Burgess, Inspector Paul, and myself to inquire into an application for a loan which was made by one of the gold-mining companies. Also, it was understood that should I be advised that there was a reasonable chance of my securing a conviction alinst the Taupiri Coal-mines (Limited) in reference to Ralph's Mine, he was to assist me with the prosecution P He had also arranged to make a visit of inspection to the mines in the North Island. , IX lt\T^o7t;Vr^nL,too A from Mr. Reed that he had to hurry back to the WeSt 3 S a had passed between Mr. Reed and the UnderSe ° re 324 y you his fears of the dangerous condition of Ralph's Mine'-We had Conversations o/the subject! but as I had a more perfect know edge of the conPrefe 325 d Hhirlk tTlTpection of the old workings which was commenced some years ago was undertaken at your suggestion ? —Yes. St. t "u/SS , the ~,„« did ™ »,e.»r. the ,».,,tity of .i, p.».» g through Tes the m,».gS "tified me .arlj, in the year of his intention to .ink m ..r-h.ft *■ «■*» ■ "''aK-StlrSt you top. .«J -pinion .. to the amount of gf . in the feet ' S3l Have you formed any opinion as to which way Martin got into 6?-I am thoroughly liillieiie not likely that he could have been that far ahead of the boys.