C.—2

(2) Government Prospecting Drills. The following table gives details of the drilling done for twelve months ended 31st December, 1938 : — Drills used : Diamond and Keystone drills. Percussion and Hand-placer drills.

(3) Subsidized Roads on Goldfields. The expenditure in the form of subsidies and direct grants upon roads on goldfields amounted to £5,220 12s. 3d., as compared with £16,869 2s. 7d. during the previous year. (4) Legislation affecting Metalliferous Mines. The only amendment made to the Mining Act in 1938 was to section 106, which was effected by a clause of the Statutes Amendment Act, 1938. That clause extends and amends the provisions relating to the granting of mineral licenses. An amendment of eleven clauses was made to the regulations under the Mining Act during 1938. Clause 1 to 3 are purely machinery clauses, and clauses 4, 5, and 6 deal with procedure in regard to applications for mining privileges, the service of notices, and the endorsement of documents in Wardens' Courts. Several important amendments to Regulation 94 are effected by clause 7. Previously mines in the Hauraki Mining District were classed as No. 1 in regard to temperature of working-places, and all other mines in New Zealand as No. 2. In the mines classed as No. 2 in all places where the temperature exceeded 80° F., wet bulb, sixhour shifts were worked, while in the Hauraki Mining District the temperature of working-places in mines had to exceed 83° F., wet bulb, before six-hour shifts were compulsory. The amendment brings the Hauraki District mines into the same category as regards temperature and length of shifts as the other New Zealand mines. The wording of Regulation 94 (1) (/), dealing with the compulsory installation of ventilating appliances under certain conditions, has been altered. Inspectors are given discretionary power to permit the use of approved respirators in places where liquid sprays cannot be used satisfactorily to allay mine dust. Instead of having to use an electric firing-apparatus in all cases where more than six, and not more than twelve, shots are to be fired at one time, a recently introduced contrivance for multiple shot-firing is now permitted to be used. The number of lifebuoys, lines, and boathooks which have to be provided on all dredges to comply with Regulation 95 has been increased by clause 8. Clause 9 is a slight amendment to Regulation 180, the term " ambulance carriage " being replaced by " ambulance conveyance." As regulations under the Petroleum Act, 1937, replace Regulations 181 to 289 under the Mining Act, they were no longer required, and were revoked by Clause 10. Clause 11 amends Regulation 300 by inserting at the beginning thereof the words " While any person is underground," so unless there is any one in the mine it is not necessary for an attendant to be constantly on duty when the electrical apparatus or machinery is in use. I desire again to acknowledge the efficient help and co-operation which I have received during the year from the District Inspectors of Mines. I have, &c., George Duggan, Inspecting Engineer of Mines.

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nf U WtSoa Total Diameter Mineral Character of Country T , , f S 08 A pe f r p° 9t t pe f r FooVof „ . drilled D epth. of Hole, sought. drilled through. To whom lent. Foot of BemarkS Ft. In. s. d. s. d. s. d. 66 5,543 6 Gold Gravel .. CluthaKiver .. .. .. In progress. Gold Dredging, Ltd. I 152 If Coal Clay, shale, &o. Goldlight Co-op. 1.1 5 .. 0 2 Party 40 1,365 4 Gold Gravels, &c. .. Labour Dopt. .. .. .. In progress. (Employment Division) 18 1,180 6 Gold Gravels, &c. .. Labour Dept. 5 3'84 0 5-36 (Employment Division) 21 1,253 6 Gold Gravels, &c. .. Labour Dept. 4 8-81 0 4-67 (Employment Division) 52 867 6 Gold Gravels, &o. .. Maori Gully * * (Kokiri) GoldDredging Co., Ltd. 1 150 4§and6 Gold Gravels, &e. .. Mines department .. .. .. In progress. 1 143J 3 Coal Sandstone, &o. .. Moore and Party 16 6 .. 0 0-7 3 538 3 Coal Sandstone, &o. .. MoTaggart and .. .. .. In progress. Party 2 211 6 Gold Gravel, &c. . . Rimu Gold Dredg- .. .. .. In progress. ing Co., Ltd. 13.1 2,221 6 Gold Gravel, &e. .. Snowy River 7 3 3 6 Dredging Syndicate 1 20 2J- Coal Sandstone .. State Coal-mines 3 2-4 3 197 2{ Coal .. State Coal-mines 0 10' 24 .. 0 3 I 232 2|- Gold Andesite, &c. .. Sylvia Gold, Sil- 47 2 .. 1 9-2 ver, and Base Metals Mines (N.L.) 341 14,072 . * Costs not yet to hand.