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3367. When was that pillar-working done?— Between the river and the fault pillars have been working since Mr. Bishop came. 3368. Mr. Moody.] Were there many pillars taken out at that time ?—I could not say. I never was up in that district. 3369. The Chairman.] You have not seen where the pillars were taken out ?—Not in the rise. The dip-workings were in hand then, and that was my district. 3370. What is your exact duty in the mine ?—That of fireman and deputy. 3371. But what do you do in the day when you go there?—l go round the places and see what is wanted. 3372. You go all round the roads?— Yes. 3373. And do you put men on ?—We have the power if there is anything in the way. 3374. You have the power to put men on to put any road in order, for instance?— Not for putting a road in order. We do that ourselves during the day if anything goes wrong w 7 ith the roads. 3375. If anything goes wrong with the roads you put it right with your own hands ?—During the working-hours, yes. 3376. Supposing anything serious happened to the road, such as a fall, or it rise up, or anything of that sort ?—We should get help. 3377. And is that done by extra men during working-hours?— Yes. 3378. And those miners or daily-wage men are taken out of the bords ?—Yes ; and it is sometimes done at night by extra men. 3380. Mr. Brown.] Do these miners get extra pay for that ?—Yes. 3381. Do you give them their tallies for that? —No; there is an overman who does that in the proper man's absence. If we put on men to help us they are paid without giving the time in. 3382. The Chairman.] Have you had frequently to report or do anything in consequence of the roof getting suddenly dangerous in any parts of the mine ?—We have had to report it. 3383. Have you ever had to do so ?—Yes. 3384. Frequently? —Not frequently in my district. 3385. In what part of your district ?—ln the fault district. 3386. Between the two faults ? —Yes. 3387. What w 7 as the nature of those sudden changes?— Sometimes the timber breaks away. 3388. Do you ever observe any cracks in the roof apart from the scaling-down of the roof from settlement ?—There are sometimes. It comes out in slips and continues until the roof goes. 3389. These are the flat partings. I meant more vertical cracks? —There are those also. 3390. Do they go far, do you think ?—I could not tell how far they go. Next to the outcrop, between the fault and the outcrop, they used to go the surface. 3391. But that is the case in all mines with an outcrop, is it not ?—I think so. 3392. Do you know anything at all about the gaps on the surface ?—No ; I have not been on the top of the hill. 3393. Mr. Brown.] Have you seen kerosene come through ? —No. 3394. The Chairman.] Have you much fire in the mine?— Not at the present time. 3395. Mr. Moody.] There has been, I suppose ?—Yes. 3396. The Chairman.] But still, you go round every morning and test it all ?—Every morning. 3397. Mr. Moody.] Do you take a lamp around with you ?—Yes. 3398. The Chairman.] Is there any fire near the second fault?—No, not now. 3399. Was there more fire there than anywhere else at first ?—Before we got to the fault there was more fire in the mine than at any other time. And again, in cutting through the second fault, when we began to get the coal, there was a great deal of gas. 3400. Have you ever had any accident from gas in the mine?— There have been a few burns. 3401. Anything ssrious, causing loss of life?— No. 3402. Have you ever had any accident, do you remember, in the mine from falls ?—Yes, one man named Barran was killed by the coal. 3403. How long ago was that ?—lt was about twenty years ago ; perhaps it might be more. 3404. Was it his own fault, through working with too little timber, or what ?—lt was a fall of coal after the shot. 3405. Was that the only case?— There was also Clarke; he was killed by coal. 3406. In the same way ?—lt caught him as he was driving an incline up. The coal came suddenly and fell on him. 3407. Do you remember any others ?—There was a German w 7 ho was also killed by a fall of coal. 3408. That is three you have mentioned ; and they were all killed through falls of coal: and are those the chief accidents in your time ? —I do not remember any more. 3409. Of late years, w 7 hile they have been working the pillars, have there been any accidents ? —-There was to a man named Sheehan, who was w 7 orking the dip-pillars. 3410. Mr. Moody.] Is it usual in the pillar-workings for them to put in sprags?—Yes. 3411. Do they do that now ?—Yes ; but in the fault pillars sprags will not stand as the coal is too soft. 3412. Is it provided for in the rules that they must use sprags ?—Yes. 3413. The Chairman.] Is the coal near the faults very much more crushed than the other pillars ? —Very much more crushed. 3414. From your experience, do you consider there is any extra danger or risk in working these pillars?— There is. 3415. To working the other coal ?—Yes, a little extra for a man who is not practicable. 3416. Not accustomed to it ?—Yes. 23—C. 3.