C.—2

jig-head. McLeod had started to climb the jig to go back to his working-face at the top of the jig, soon after a shot had been fired. A fall of coal, loosened by the shot, occurred as he climbed upwards. The fall pushed the full truck of coal ahead, and as there was no stop-block to prevent it from running down the jig it went over the brow and struck McLeod as he was walking up the incline, fracturing his thigh and ribs, from which injuries he died a few hours later. On 10th September, 1936, another fatal accident occurred in the Linton No. 1 Mine, when a miner, James Rogers, was struck by a fall of top and side coal. He and his mate were filling a truck in their pillar place when about two tons of coal came away unexpectedly and struck Rogers, his mate jumping to safety in another direction. Rogers died in the Riverton Hospital the following day. The fatal accident which occurred on 19th October in the Blackball Coal Co.'s screening-plant on the surface was a very simple one. There was no witness to the accident, but it appeared that the screen attendant, James W. Douglas, had tripped and fallen under an electrically operated coal-screen. His neck was broken and his skull fractured. On 19th November a miner, Reginald Blake, was killed by a fall of coal in his working-place in the Whareatea Extended Section of the Coalbrookdale Mine. As he was trimming the roof with his pick he must have been struck by the falling coal and his skull was fractured through coming into contact with a large lump of coal lying on the heap on which he had been standing. There was no witness to the accident, as Blake was working alone. The place was insufficiently timbered. There was an unsupported distance of 17 ft. from the last timber support to where the fall occurred, but it is contended that, even if the place had been timbered sufficiently to comply with, the timbering rules of the mine, the accident could not have been prevented. Of the twenty-six serious non-fatal accidents which occurred during 1936 in New Zealand coalmines no less than sixteen were caused directly by falls of stone or coal. Five of the remaining ten accidents were caused by falling timber which had been displaced by falls of coal or stone, or by runaway trucks, and one person, who sustained a fractured rib, had slipped when avoiding a fall of coal. ' One of the serious accidents was caused by explosives, a miner striking an unexploded portion of a shot. Several of the head injuries might have been prevented, or at least much lessened, had the injured persons been wearing Protector helmets, SECTION IV.—WORKING OF THE COAL-MINES ACT. (a) Permitted Explosives. (Regulations 233 to 237 inclusive.) The following is a table showing the quantity of permitted explosives used and the number of shots fired at New Zealand coal-mines during 1936 : —

(b) List of Mines at which Permitted Explosives are used. The following is a list of mines as at the 31st December, 1936, at which permitted explosives are used :— Northern Inspection District. Pukemiro, Pukemiro—Throughout South Mine. Rotowaro, Rotowaro —Throughout No. 1 and No. 3 Mines. Glen Afton, Glen Afton —All sections of the mine. Mac Donald, Waikokowai —Throughout West section. Waikato Extended Colliery, Huntly—All sections. Renown, Waikokowai —All sections. Wilton, Glen Massey —AH sections.

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I Quantity of Per- ! , mitted Explosives i Number of Misfired Shots. £ used (lb.). ! Sro Number > " . t Inspection District. of 6 ® Z £ ® g, ~ <u Shots fired. «> « a a — O ** 33 ® «c3<u.g , r , . a «s c "3 iota I. -a o O o "p. ""3 ° o° H a B h O ® R S S n 1 >, H >.o >,>-i a S < co | W cq m o Tons. Northern (i.e., North Tsland) .. 134,609 5,285 155,141 2 24 8 34 621,274 West Coast (of South Island) .. 105,611 i 13,898 261,683 5 95 69 169 842,'445 Southern (i.e., Canterbury, Otago .. I 71,446 109,928 .. 11 9 20 29o'867 and Southland) Totals .. .. 240,220 190,629 526,752 | 7 130 86 .. 223 1,754,586