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1901. NEW ZEALAND.

COAL-MINES OF NEW ZEALAND (REPORT OF ROYAL COMMISSION APPOINTED TO INQUIRE AND REPORT ON THE WORKING OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

COMMISSION.

To all to whom these presents shall come, and to William Reeve Haselden, Esq., Stipendiary Magistrate, of Wellington; Joseph Proud, Esq., a certificated mine-manager, of Wanganui; and John Lomas, Esq., of Christchurch, an Inspector under "The Factories Act, 1894 " : Greeting. Whereas in a report adopted by the Goldfields and Mines Committee of the House of Representatives on the third day of October, one thousand nine hundred, upon the petition of Thomas Corby and others, it was recommended, firstly, that a Royal Commission be appointed for the purpose of making full inquiries into the inspection and management of the Westport-Cardiff Coalmine ; and, secondly, that in the event of such a Commission being appointed the scope of its inquiries should be extended to comprehend the inspection and management of the coal-mines of the colony generally : And whereas the aforesaid report was referred to the Government for consideration : And whereas it is expedient to give effect to the recommendation in the aforesaid report : Now, therefore, know ye that I, Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly, Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, reposing trust and confidence in your knowledge, integrity, and ability, and by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said colony, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said William Reeve Haselden, Joseph Proud, and John Lomas, to be Commissioners for the purpose of making inquiry into the several matters mentioned in these presents, that is to say, — (1.) Generally as to the management and inspection of the Westport-Cardiff Coal-mine at Mokihinui up to the time of the outbreak of fire in the said mine, which took place on or about the twenty-eighth day of January, one thousand nine hundred. (2.) Generally as to the steps taken by the occupiers of the said mine to suppress or extinguish the said fire immediately upon the discovery thereof. (3.) Generally as to the steps taken by the Inspector of Mines at Westport to suppress or extinguish the fire both during the time the mine was in occupation of the Westport Cardiff Coal Company (Limited), now in liquidation, and since the possession of the mine was resumed by the Crown on the twenty-third day of May, one thousand nine hundred. (4.) Generally your opinion as to whether the means adopted by the aforesaid company and Inspector of Mines respectively were intelligently undertaken and continued, and were sufficient under the circumstances, with the means at the disposal of the company and Inspector respectively, to prevent the fire spreading and ultimately to lead to the extinguishment thereof. (5.) That, in addition to the matters hereinbefore referred to, you report your opinion as to the management, control, and inspection generally, in terms of " The Coalmines Act, 1891," and regulations thereunder, of the said coal-mine, and also of the under-mentioned principal coal-mines in the colony :— Auckland District. Hikurangi Coal Company. Taupiri Reserve. Ngunguru. Ralph's Taupiri. Taupiri Extended. West Coast District. Mokihinui. Blackball. Millerton. Brunner Dip. Coalbrookdale. Brunner Rise. Ironbridge. I—C. 4.