C.—2.

11. PERSONS EMPLOYED. The following statement shows the number of persons ordinarily employed in or about the metalliferous mines* of the Dominion during the year: —

111. ACCIDENTS. During 1936 seven fatal and five serious but non-fatal accidents occurred in or about metalliferous mines, at which 5,183 persons were ordinarily employed.

During 1936 eight men were killed and there were five serious non-fatal accidents in or about metalliferous mines at which 5,183 persons were ordinarily employed. In the Northern District two fatal accidents —both of them on the surface —occurred in 1936. In the West Coast District three of the four fatalities were connected with dredging, and the fourth occurred at a Public Works Department camp where a large water-race is being made. In the Southern District two fatal accidents occurred, both as a result of falls of rock. An account of the eight fatalities follows : — While working with a gang of men on a railway crossing at Waikino, W. G. Collins, a battery employee, was killed by the Auckland-Waihi train on Mth January, 1936. Hearing the train whistle he ran along the railway-line to see if a horse he was in charge of was in danger. The horse took fright and bolted, and the deceased, in giving chase apparently forgot he was being overtaken by the train until it was too late to jump clear. While he was fossicking for scheelite on 4th April, 1936, in an open cut on Mount Judah, Glenorchy, J. J. Clingin was killed by a mass of schist falling on him when he was only a few feet in the open cut. A double fatality occurred at Marsden, near Greymouth, on sth June, 1936, when William Woods, dredgemaster, and Aynsley A. Moore, foreman, were drowned by the sudden release of the water at the Nemona Gold-dredging Co.'s temporary dam. They were engaged in strengthening the dam when a white-pine log, 30 ft. in length, supporting the dam, suddenly snapped. They were pinned down by the dam timbers and, being unable to escape, were drowned by the swirling water. On Btli June, 1936, a horse-driver working on the surface at the Waihi Mine was absent having a poisoned finger dressed. During his absence W. T. Moyes took the horse to bring a truck back from the No. 6 shaft to load it with timber. He was running alongside the horse holding the reins. As the truck gained speed he endeavoured to sprag it, but missed his thrust and fell in front of the truck, being carried some distance before the truck passed over him. His ribs were crushed on both sides, penetrating the lungs. A miner, G. Russell, was killed on 10th August, 1936, by a fall of gravel in his working-place in the eastern section of the King Solomon Mine. An electrician, Peter A. Watt, freshly engaged by the Brian Bom Gold-dredging Co., was electrocuted on 23rd August, 1936, in a substation near the dredge. To ascertain what electrical equipment needed renewing he opened the door leading to the transformers. He struck a match, and there was a blinding flash inside the cubicle. The dredge-construction supervisor, who had accompanied Watt to the substation, lifted him outside, and Watt became nnconscious. Unfortunately, artificial respiration was not persisted in at the substation, Watt being conveyed to Blackball, a distance of nine miles. Efforts then made to resuscitate him were without avail. An employee of the Public Works Department, Robert T. Gallon, was killed on 28th September, 1936, by an explosion of gelignite in an 8 ft. by 10 ft. tent near the entrance to the No. 10 tunnel on the Humphrey's Gully water-race. The explosive charges for the tunnel-work were made ready in the tent, where about 10 lb. of gelignite were stored in a drum in which carbide had formerly been stored. The actual cause of the explosion is not known.

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Inspection District. Classification. j 1 \ Total, 1936. Northern. West Coast.. Southern. I I Gold, silver, and tungsten .. .. .. .. 1,068 2,652 1,463 5,183 Cinnabar .. .. Totals for 1936 .. .. .. .. 1,068 2,652 1,463 5,183 Totals for 1935 .. .. .. .. 1,222 3,486 2,038 6,746 * In addition six persons were employed in oil-boring operations.

Fatal Accidents. Serious Non-fatal Accidents. Cause " Number of | „ h , Number of Number of Separate j V J: Separate Persons Accidents. Accidents. injured. Falls of ground.. .. .. .. .. .. 2 2 2 2 Explosives .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 Miscellaneous, on surface .. .. .. .. 4 5 3 3 Miscellaneous, underground Totals .. .. .. .. .. 7 8 5 5