C.— 2.

(e) Electricity at Collieries. (Regulation 243.) The following is a summary of the annual returns, in accordance with Regulation 243 (c), regarding electrical apparatus at collieries : — Number of collieries at which electrical apparatus is installed .. .. 52 Number of continuous-current installations .. .. ■ • ■ • 11 Number of alternating-current installations .. . • ■ • ■ • 42 Number of collieries electrically lighted .. .. . • ■ • 39 Number of collieries using electrical ventilating-machines .. .. 41 Number of collieries using electrical pumping plants .. .. • - 33 Number of collieries using electrical haulage plants .. .. .. 37 Number of collieries using electrical screening plants .. .. . ■ 19 Number of collieries using electrical miscellaneous plants .. .. 23 Number of collieries using electrical locomotives . . .. . • 1 Total horse-power employed from motors on surface .. .. 7,092 Total horse-power employed from motors below ground .. .. 4,636 (/) Prosecutions. Twenty-five informations were laid by the District Inspectors during the year for breaches of the Coal-mines Act and Regulations ; two informations were dismissed, two were withdrawn, and twenty-one convictions were obtained. Accounts of the individual prosecutions are given in the reports of the District Inspectors (Annexure A).

SECTION Y.—LEGISLATION AFFECTING COAL-MINES. There were 110 amendments to the Coal-mines Act or to the Regulations during the year.

The District Inspectors of Coal-mines particularly regret the loss of their late Chief Inspector, Mr. J. A. C. Bayne, and I desire to record his unfailing interest in all mining matters and the assistance he readily gave to mining men. I have, &c., G. Duggan, Inspecting Engineer and Chief Inspector of Coal-mines.

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