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98. Could you read an anemometer? —No. 99. To your knowledge, have the old workings which you traverse ever been air-tested during the last twelve months? —I could not say. They might have been and I might not know. 100. Have you ever heard of it?— No. 101. Will you tell me whether the door which is the sntrance to No. 6 bord, and is also the way out from No. 6 bord into the travelling-road from No. 5, has ever had a lock on it, to your knowledge? —No, not to my knowledge. 102. Is No. 6 in the old workings?— Yes. 103. Then the door which is at one end of an old working has had no lock on it, to your knowledge ?—No. 104. Is the other end of that bord fenced ofi?—l do not think so. 105. Do you not know it is not? —No. 106. And never has been? —No. 107. I just want for one moment to transport you to No. 5 section where it meets the main haulage-drive : you know where that is ? —Yes. 108. No. 5 section from the haulage-road to the jig is a travelling-road? —Yes. 109. Did you notice after the explosion that a skip had been smashed to matchwood against the opposite side of the travelling-road?— That I could not say; there are so many skips broken. 110. Was there a large portion of a cable chain flung or hurled at least 40 yards down the haulage side of that travelling-road?— Yes, I noticed that chain. 111. Was that the chain round the wheel, or the one fastened by the staple?—lt would be round the wheel with the brake on, but I do not know if that was the same chain. 112. Did you notice the chain? —Yes. 113. Are the old roads which you inspect dusty?—l could not say that they are. 114. As a matter of fact you do not bother your head about them?—l do not take much notice of the dust. 115. Is there any dust in it? —There is a little. lie. In some places more than others, I suppose?— Where there are only two men they do not kick up much dust. 117. Are there some places in the mine 28 ft. and 30 ft. high?—2B ft. high. 118. Mr. Napier. .] I want you to try and let us clearly understand this question about rails. You said in answer to Mr. Wilford that the rails have all been lifted out of the bord, but you could not say when. Do you mean some considerable time ago?— Yes, but there might be an odd one lying there yet. 119. And with the exception of an odd rail or two there was no quantity of rails there? —No. 120. It is usual, is it not, when workings are disused to leave the rail? —Yes. 121. You examined the old fall when you visited it on the 9th? —Yes. 122. And you say there was no trace of gas on that day?—No trace at all. 123. Now, about the absence of an air-test : if the mine is well ventilated can you not, with your forty-seven years of experience as a miner, recognize whether the air is pure or not?— I was quite satisfied with the air myself going round there. 124. Is it necessary to take an air-test when you are satisfied with the air? —I did not, but somebody else might have done so many times. 125. Did any one ever suggest to you that an air-test was necessary? —No. 126. The mine was well ventilated, was it not? —Yes, very well ventilated. 127. There was a much larger quantity of air than what is required by the Act? —Yes. 128. And you say that, with the exception of once about twelve months ago, when you could just faintly tell there was gas, there never has been gas detected in Dooley's dip?— No. 129. Now, the ordinary ways in the mine are about the average height—about 6 ft. or 7 ft. ? —Yes. 130. When Mr. Wilford said there might be two or three miles of bords over 7 ft. high was that right?—No, not that we examined. 131. Now, if there is no fall in the bord and it is well ventilated, is it possible for any dangerous quantities of gas to collect that you would not see? —I have never seen any gas there. 132. Nor detected its presence? —No. 133. Have you any doubt that if, as has been suggested in the questions of Mr. Wilford, there was a large accumulation of gas over 7 ft. high, have you any doubt that you could have discovered it?—l think I could find it. 134. Can the gas remain absolutely stationary in a ventilated passage even over 7 ft. high and not mix with the other air? —I should not think so. 135. Mr. Tttnks.] How long is it since you first made a test for gas—l mean in your mining experience and not in this mine? —About thirty years ago. 136. Were you told to test for it?— Yes. That was in the Old Country. 137. Did you use safety-lamps there? —I never used anj'thing else until I came out here. 138. And with what class of lamp did you test for gas in the Old Country? —The Davey lamp. 139. Then I may take it that you have been testing for gas off and on for the last thirty years? —Yes. 140. The No. 6 bord at the other end was not fenced : does it connect with the old workings? —Yes, the old workings. 141. When you went down last week you say you saw the new'fall, but did not go in there?— No, we did not. 142. You went down for a special purpose? —Yes, to see the old fall. 143. And that was all? —Yes. 144. It was not part of your round for examining the old workings? —No,

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