C—3a.

being owned by the above-named company. For some time past it has been worked by Mr. Stubbs, under an arrangement with Messrs. Eobertson and Vickery, of Sydney, who represent the Taranaki Collieries (Limited). The company have been building new steamers suitable for extending the trade, and when operations are commenced on the company's account it is fully expected the work in the mine will be more systematically carried on than formerly. The amount of work done during the year has been very limited, the output being only 3,513 tons, mostly obtained from the Marysville section, an average of ten men being employed. The mine was inspected on the 21st October last, when it was found that the ventilation was not as good as could be desired. The bords in progress were being carried forward too wide, and were not driven to lines; thus the pillars had in places been encroached on, making them useless as supports. The manager's attention was again called to the system on which the mine was being worked, and it was pointed out to him that the ventilation would have to be improved, and alterations be made as to the mode of working the mine. Drury. —Mr. Wallace has sent in a notification that he has commenced to open up the old Drury Coal-mine, and has four men employed. Ohinemuri. —Two coal leases of 100 acres each have been granted in this district, and prospecting operations are now being carried on at one of them near the Rahau Eoad, between Karangahake and Owharoa, but so far nothing of importance has been discovered. Accidents. The following are the names of persons injured in the mines north of Auckland who sent in claims to be placed on the Coal-miners' Belief Fund (the number of days they were absent from work and the amount received by each are also given) : John Manderson, Ngunguru Mine, 44 days, £4 11s. Bd.; William A. Fife, Ngunguru Mine, 50 days, £5 4s. 2d.; Edward Roberts, Ngunguru Mine, 198 days, £20 10s. 5d., and a sum of £50 was paid to Edward Roberts in satisfaction of all further claims of the fund : making a total of £80 6s. 3d. In the mines in the south of Auckland (Huntly) twenty-seven miners were injured, and were absent from work on 378 days, and received the usual sick-pay from the Relief Fund, amounting to £39 7s. 6d. This money is paid through the Waikato Medical and Accident Association, who also pay an equal amount to the miners injured, in terms of clause 6 of the amended regulations for the management and administration of funds and moneys under section 69 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1891." There were no serious accidents in this district during the year, except that Edward Roberts had his hip injured by a loaded skip, which the medical officer considers will disable him for life. I have, &c, James Coutts, The Under-Secretary for Mines, Wellington. Inspector of Mines.

No. 3. Mr. Robebt Tennent, Inspector of Mines, Westport, to the Undee-Secbetaby, Mines DepartmentSic,— Inspector of Mines' Office, Westport, 24th March, 1902. I have the honour, in compliance with section 67 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1891," to report as follows on the West Coast coal-mines for the year ended 31st December, 1901:— Tinner Glynn Coal-mine. —With regard to mining, nothing further has been done on this property during the year. Payne's Ford Goal-mine (F. Payne, owner). —The coal from this small mine is chiefly used for private domestic purposes and burning small parcels of lime for the land. Motupipi Goal-mine. —Mining continues to be at a standstill. Messrs. Bishop and Griffiths have taken away several samples of coal from this property, leaving impressions amongst the people that operations would commence at an early date. Pakawau Goal-mine (Caldwell Bros., owners). —(20/11/1901) : The irregular shipments of coal necessitated suspension of operations from the 19th January till the 25th February. From this date work continued steady until the end of September; but, as improvements in transport did not have the favourable results anticipated, the full employment at the mine is now confined to one man and two lads. The coal-seam worked on No. 2 dip of south level is 3 ft. in thickness, parted in centre by a 2 in. stone band, which tends to break amongst the coal. Timbering is strictly attended to, and ventilation very good. Puponga Goal-mine (owners, Puponga Coal Company).—(2o/11/1901) : The dilatory system of development adopted by the management of this property is not consistent with the modern practice of mining engineering. The condition of these neglected premises, viewed from a practical standpoint, proves that laxity of effort is not an effective element in establishing a legitimate industry. Dealing with the coal lease held by Mrs. Annie Taylor, which commands a valuable coal-seam, the low level skirting the dip outcrop boundary has been driven on a splendid face of coal, and securely timbered for a distance of 2-| chains. Construction of the 2 ft. gauge steel-laid tram-line, 113 chains in length, drags slowly along l and the plant which is already forwarded to equip the colliery does not improve from exposure to the elements. Gape Goal Prospecting Syndicate (Osborne and Smith, borers). —No. 1 boring pierced three thin coal-seams of non-commercial value in a total depth of 402 ft. No. 2 boring : Comparing the strata at a depth of 35 ft., the indications are more favourable than those met with in No. 1 borehole.

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