27

C—3a

Greymouth. A travelling flat screen of perforated plates, instead of the tailings-chute, is being fitted up, to be worked by chain gearing, and doing away with the tooth and pinion wheels and the man who was employed at the chute. Hitherto, ten men have been employed. About 18cwt. of coal is consumed per shift. This is carted from the company's mine at Longford, and costs at the dredge about 17s. 6d. per ton. The Whitecliffs Dredge, which was not fortunate in obtaining good returns, and which sank at her moorings, after being raised was purchased by a party of working miners, who rechristened her the Cock-Sparrow Dredge, but whether out of compliment to her builder, Mr. Sparrow, or otherwise, lam unable to say. A start was made at the same place at which little or no result was obtained by the old company, and Mr. Smith, the dredge-master, informs me that they made all expenses and more than wages. This throws some light on one of the dredging failures ; but Smith and party are men who know their business. As they were confident that better ground' existed farther up the Buller, they have taken the dredge up above the junction of the Inangahua, and are getting better results. Alluvial Mining. Alice Fell Claim, Mahaltipawa. —(9/12/93): Not working. The Golden Gate Claim. —Has not resumed work. King Solomon Claim. —(9/12/93) : The lower shaft has been re-lined and puddled. There was 2ft. of puddling, and then tongued and grooved lining 2in. in thickness. The most of the water was within 15ft. of the surface, but it has all been effectually dammed back, which is said to have greatly increased the water for the claims further down the creek. Ladders in good order. Air at face good. Timbering in general strong. They have just driven through a rise in the reef or bottom and got into deep ground, but no gold has been obtained for the past week. There is about 150 ft. of ground to work to the boundary up the creek, and 80ft. to work to the dip of the shaft. Three shifts, or a total of ten men, are employed. This mine has never been flooded out since the puddling of the shaft, for carrying out which Mr. T. Hearne, the manager, is entitled to some credit, considering the chronic floodings-out at the other mines. Davis and Carr Claim. —(9/12/93) : Sluicing is still going on on both sides of the small hill which stands out from the range. The faces were approaching one another, and were therefore rather dangerous ; I cautioned the leading man on both sides, and Mr. Carr, the acting-manager, agreed to have the top taken off. John Craig and three men working on north side; William Carr and three men on south side. These pay a tribute of 35 per cent. Two men working lower down pay 10 per cent. Prospects, fair. On the 27th February, William Carr was killed by a fall of reef while deepening a tail-race. The inquest was attended by the constable, in my absence. The evidence showed that the ground should have been secured. It was the duty of the deceased to have seen to this. No work was doing in that part of the claim, nor in any part of the reef or main bottom, when I inspected it in December last. Hibernian Extended Claim. —(9/12/93) : Flooded out. Prospecting Tunnel, Fairdown. —(l2/10/93) : This is an adit which has been driven from the western edge of the Pakihi towards the railway-line, in a north-easterly direction, a distance of 259 ft., exclusive of tail-race, which is about two chains additional. (21/12/93): Total distance driven, 504 ft. from mine mouth to face, which is standing in highly-ferruginous granitic drift. This distance entitles the association to the full amount of the subsidy. Frying-pan Prospecting Tunnel.— (l 7/11/93) : A second adit has been started a number of chains ahead of the first, at the foot of the second terrace, and 27ft. higher in level, according to Mr. McQuillan. It had been driven a distance of 537 ft., and, so far, had not required timber ; the last few yards of driving has altered from the granitic drift to sharp sand. These tunnels have been subsidised, with the view of prospecting the flat beyond. Boss United Company's Claims. —(l 4/12/93) : Work in No. 2 shaft had been stopped, as a youth named Michael Moye had let go his hold and fallen when descending the shaft, resulting in both his legs being fractured. Moye and his father had been working on their own account, but the ladder, though strong, being vertical, Mr. Grimmond was requested, not to permit work being resumed until a sloping way was provided ; this probably means cessation of work in that shaft. In the Boss United Claim the shadow thrown by the electric light, to which attention was formerly directed, had been done away with. Purvis and Copley were driving and blocking out on tribute near old ground. Air right. Timbering good. A little weight showing near mine mouth, but both sides of tunnel built up with stones. Scott and Hunter are not working from the shaft now, and only the two in place of five men as formerly. They are now taking out two sets abreast, and keeping building of stones well forward. No other underground work is being done on this company's claims, but eighteen tributers are engaged sluicing. Mont dOr Claim. —(15/12/93) : Mr. John McKay in charge, during the absence of Mr. Davie. The face is a high one, so that care requires to be exercised. Sixteen men in all are employed, including the manager. Accidents. The following accidents have also occurred in sluicing claims : — Owen Coll was killed on the 19th December, by a fall in his claim at Nelson Creek. Thomas Hughes was killed on the 2nd February by a boulder falling from the face of his claim at Kumara. Joseph McCredie was killed on the 17th February by a fall or run of the roof of a drive at Donoghue's. A list of fatal accidents published by the Kumara Times, entitled the " 801 lof Honour," shows that fatal accidents are less common than in former years,