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some time ago by the miners and the company's clerk, and there appears to have been nearly twofifths of slack. 3500. Did the coal improve at all to the dip ?—Practically speaking no. We crossed a good patch of coal about 3 chains wide just after getting under the west side of the river. 3501. What was the coal like in driving underneath the river?— About the same. 3502. Was there much loss through stone in the coal ?—There was a very large quantity of stone in the coal. 3503. Mr. Moody.] Small nodules ?—Yes; great nodules sticking out like claws. I suppose it is limestone a good deal of it. 3504. Does the coal come clean off the stone?—No, it adheres to it very fast. 3505. The Chairman.] What stopped you in driving to the dip ?—This place here at the end of the dip [showing on plan] was giving out a good deal of gas, and the company, I suppose, did not think it worth while to prove it further there. 3506. Was there a roll, or crush, or any indication of a fault ? —The roof came down about 2ft. 3507. Then there was a level set off?—My impression is that just before we met this fault here we crossed a roll in the roof which nearly cuts the coal, and this same roll was met with in the level driving that was put off before reaching the Taylorville fault. 3508. Can you describe that fault ? —lt is a downthrow fault in my opinion. 3509. Is it vertical? —No, it is inclining something like that [indicating with hand], with a dip to the west. 3510. Was it hard rock ?—lt was hard rock, and of a considerable size too. 3511. The drop is considerable, judging by the metals ?—I had metals from the shaft higher up and compared the two, and I think it is a considerable size myself. 3512. How much w 7 ould you guess?—l would say 200 ft. 3513. Then, in driving to the north, did you encounter a fault ?—There was this fault here [showing on plan]. 3514. That is an upthrow?— Yes, it is an upthrow. Of course the fault itself does not give any indications. We came to a lot of pug and dirty stuff, and never proved it. We know that the coal is higher up. 3515. Would it be possible to take out the pillar-workings with safety in the Wallsend Mine at any future time ?—lf I had a say in it I would not recommend them to take out the pillars there, in the neighbourhood of the river at all events. I think it would be very unsafe. 3516. Now, this working that stopped to the eastward, why was that stopped ?—Well, everything was stopped when the mine was shut down. 3517. Did the coal change or stop?—lt continued. We crossed two faults from the shaft here [showing on plan], 12ft. each, and the coal seems to be of the same character behind the second fault as in the other part of the mine. 3518. When you left off was there as good prospect of the coal as in the previous workings?— Yes. 3519. What was the thickness of the seam when you left off working eastward? —It was not proved the whole distance, but wdiere we left off it was 12ft. Just behind the fault it was 12ft. 3520. That is, on the east side of the fault ?—Yes. 3521. How many days a week did the men have w 7 orking in the Wallsend ?—The time varied very considerably. 3522. Can you give us any indication ?—I do not think it would average more than four days a week for the last tw 7 elve months. 8523. Mr. Brown.] You refer to the Wallsend now?— Yes. 3524. The Chairman.] What was the reason of that? Was the output limited?— Yes. I believe the company could not sell the coal. 3525. Was it disagreeable coal to burn ? —Well, yes, it was of a worse quality than the other coal, even for domestic purposes. 3526. Have you any idea of the difference in the value ? Had it a different market-price ? —I am not aware of it. 3527. Was it that there was only a demand for a certain output, and the men had to be let off to keep it down ?—Yes. 3528. How many men were employed?— Towards the last there were forty-four coal-miners. 3529. Did they work in single shifts or double ?—Single shifts. 3530. That is, tw 7 enty-two in a place ? —Yes, for the last four or five months. 3531. How much used those men to earn ? Do you know what they put out?—l know pretty well what they put out. The average throughout the mine used to be from 12s. 4d. to 12s. 6d. and 12s. Bd.—that is, taking all the men together. 3532. And did any place earn more than that ?—I have known men to earn, for three months together, 16s. or 17s. a day, and some less than 10s. even. 3533. That would be for four days a week?— Yes. 3534. Having two idle days ? —I am speaking of the daily earnings. 3535. Was that when they were being paid on the gross coal ?—lt will extend to both systems, screened and gross. 3536. Was there much difference in the earnings under the two systems ?—Well, if my judgment is anything to go by, I believe the men got an advance of something like 3d. a ton. 3537. When the change was made from the "Billy Play-fair " to the gross coal the men got an advantage of 3d. a ton ?—Yes. 3538. Mr. Moody.] What was the price paid then ? —lt was 4s. —that is, with the " Billy Playfair," and 4s. for screened coal, and when the change took place—of course, in saying it was 2s. lOd. for gross weight, I was not getting any coal at this time ; but I am quite satisfied, in my own opinion, that the men had an advantage to that extent.