15

a—2

that it. would be advisable to plug the hole which had been bored through, and which when measured shewed only 20 in. of solid ground between the two Faces. Brean plugged the hole as suggested, and knew thai deceased was charging this and the other four holes, and was waiting for the signal agreed upon to lire. This signal, which is always given, consists of the miners' knocks Followed by distinct knocks denoting the number of holes to be fired. Brean in his evidence at the inquest stated positively that before he spit the holes bored mi his side lie received the signal as arranged with deceased thai morning before commencing work thai he was ready to lire. Brean spit both holes and walked out (if the drive to a place of safely. It appears from Ihe evidence given that deceased, after charging the holes on his side, had one of nature's calls and walked out of the drive, being absent a. few minutes. On his return he went into the face, leaving his mate Dean to attend to the lights so that he could see to reach a place of safety after spitting the holes. Shortly after. Dean heard the miners' signal given, a short pause, and whoever was knocking seemed to be in flic act of repeating the signal when the first hole went off: he could not swear whether the knocks were given by deceased or Brean. After the first hole wont nfl Dean rushed to within II Fl .of the Face and saw deceased lying en the floor of the drive. lie called out lint got no reply, and then ran for assistance. Dean, accompanied by the manager and others, went to the top level and found that the holes tired had made a conned ion sufficiently large to (-liable them to enter the face where deceased was lying. It was found that deceased had received the full force of Hie explosion on the head and that he was dead. Subsequent examination of the place by Mi. M. Paul, Inspector of Mines, showed that no attempt had been made by deceased to lire the holes charged, and that he was killed by the hole bored through being fired by the concussion of one of the holes tired by Brean immediately under it on the other side. In the Inspector's opinion this accident should never have occurred, as the men were able to talk to each other and arrange for firing, and it is quite evident that there was a grave mis understanding, but no evidence to prove who was to blame. The Following verdict was returned by the Coroner: "Thai the deceased, Thomas Liddell. was killed by an explosion in the Rising Sun Mine at Owharoa on Monday, the 9th day of August, 1920. There is no evidence'to show clearly how this accident occurred, but it is quite apparent thai some grave misunderstanding as to the signals given by Brean existed in the mind oF deceased, hence his remaining in the Face until the Fatal explosion occurred. I am satisfied that the mine-manager has taken every precaution against accident, and has warned the men accordingly." Rider: "In view of this fatality I would strongly recommend that, where approaching Faces arc closely Hearing each other, both Faces be tired separately and not simultaneously." As the result of subsequent litigation the widow and children of deceased were awarded, by consent of the Rising Sun Gold-mining Company, the sum of £1,250 as compensation For their loss.

IV. GOLD-MINING. The following statement shows the value of the bullion-production, also the dividends declared, number of persons employed, and the number of gold-mines and dredges: —

* In addition to the gold produced from the gold-mines, silver was obtained from them, hence the word " bullion " used in preference to " gold." t The profits of privately owned dredges and mines are unobtainable, which renders this statement incomplete. X The bullion-production is from 122 alluvial claims, but the dividends are only ascertainable from those few that are the. property of registered companies. (1.) Quartz-mining. At: the productive quartz-mines no development of importance occurred during the year, at several of them mining being discontinued owing to exhaustion of the known ore-bodies. These inojude the Talisman and New Zealand Crown Mines at Karangahake. tin- Progress, and Keep-it-Dark Mines near Reefton, The average value obtained per ton of ore treated declined from £2 os. Id. during 191!) to CI 15s. lOd. during 1920. At. Corontandel the Hauraki Mines (Limited) has proved the continuation of the shoot of ore in Legge's Reef below the 260 ft. level, where it was faulted. The bonanza above that level

Production of Bullion, 1920.' (All Mines.) Dividends paid, 1920. (By Registered Companies only.)f^ Number of Persons Number of ordinarily em- Productive Quartzployed at mines, Alluvial Productive and Un- Mines, and Dredges, productive Minos. 1920. Quartz-mining ... Dredge mining ... Alluvial mining^ Totals, 1920 Totals, 1919 £ 415,868 34,672 77,777 528,317 702,131 £ 100,981 1,382 112 409 23 12 122 4,445 105,426 123,744 1,903 2,143 157 187