This fall, like that at Elemore, was a very heavy one, some hundreds of tons falling, but, unlike that at Elemore, the cause seemed apparent. This was that the jud next adjoining, having had all the supports taken out the previous night, suddenly weighted and came down, and by its movement drew down the roof of the jud in which these men were working. The place was described at the inquest as having been "full of timber," and evidence was given to the effect that there was not a broken prop in the jud.

On September 1st, at the Loftus Mine in Cleveland, belonging to Messrs. Pease and Partners, Limited, a fore-overman and a deputy were killed by a fall when the timber at a crossing on a main road was being renewed. The fore-overman was supervising the work, and five deputies-all skilled and experienced men-were doing it. In fact, the work had practically been successfully completed when the stone beneath the hole in which the ends of two steel girders-which had been used as bearers-gave way and let down part of the newly finished crossing and a quantity of small loose shale. The two men were buried in this fall and were suffocated.

The giving way of the stone beneath holes cut into the seam for receiving the ends of baulks or girders is not uncommon, but this takes place usually at places being turned away where the shots kick back and cut out the stone. Great care is always taken to pick off any loose stone beneath where a baulk hole is going to be cut, and in this instance care had been taken and the stone was thought to be sound and solid; in fact at the inquest the men said they were proud of their job. I have never known a crossing come down immediately it had been put up as this one did, but, having this instance before me, I would recommend for the future the ends of all bearing baulks, in whatever portion of the workings they may be, should have one or more props set under them, as well as being placed in holes deeply cut in the sides of the places.

Three accidents resulting in the deaths of three men and injury to one other occurred through non-compliance with the timbering rules in force at the various collieries.

The first case occurred on April 18th in the Five Quarter Seam at the Dorothea Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Lambton Collieries, Limited. A fall came away at the face of the jud. There were two hewers working in the place, but, fortunately for him, one of them was at the time of the fall, several yards back from the face. There were two vertical and almost parallel joints from which the stone fell. The place where the accident occurred was visited by one of my assistants, and in his presence the fallen stone was removed. There were no timbers found under the fallen stone, and it was at once clear that the maximum timbering distance had been much exceeded. There is no excuse for this. Men have the option of doing one of two things; either they must withdraw from the place or they must set timber within the prescribed maximum distance, or nearer if necessary. The man who escaped acknowledged that there was suitable timber close at hand for their use, but why they did not use it he could not explain.

At Eldon Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Pease and Partners, Limited, on May 7th, two men had cut a jud with a coal cutter in the Brockwell Seam. They were then taking down the coal cutter upright stand when a fall of roof occurred and killed one of them and injured the other. The place was 10 feet wide and the nearest timber supports were 9 feet back from the face. The maximum distance allowed is 6 feet. In this case no doubt the upright stand of the coal-cutting machine would support the roof so long as it was screwed up tight, but on its being loosened, whatever support it might have given, was lost. It was said at the inquest that the machine could not have been worked if the timber had been set nearer the face. This is not the case, and I must emphasise the fact that under no conditions can the stands of coal-cutting machines be accepted as roof supports within the meaning of the timbering rules.

The third case occurred on July 24th, in the Bottom Busty Seam at BurnhopeColliery, belonging to Messrs. U. A. Ritson and Sons, Limited, and resulted in the death of a coal hewer. The man was working in a headways skirting and had advanced the fast side of the place some three feet, and had put in a pair of gears 2' 10" from the face. He had then turned round to take off the loose end bordways way. He had nearly got all this loose end piece of coal out, without putting in any timber, when a fall occurred and he was killed. The maximum timbering distance allowed in this seam at this colliery is 2 feet, so that even in the fast side he had gone further than he ought without putting in supports to protect himself; and, in taking out the loose end, he was as much as 3 feet in excess of the maximum distance. There was no need for this man to have been killed. The stone which fell could easily have been supported, and there was a plentiful. supply of timber near at hand for his use.

If the system which is already adopted at many collieries, of having at least two inspections of the working places during each shift were made general, it would have a tendency to prevent the hewers exceeding the maximum distances between the timbers, and so save accidents from falls.

SHAFT ACCIDENTS.

There were five fatal accidents in shafts, causing the deaths of five persons, which is the same number as last year, and two persons were reported injured, compared with four last year.

The first fatal accident occurred on January 5th at the Lady Anne Pit, Bourn Moor Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Lambton Collieries, Limited. A hewer was getting into the cage at the Main Coal seam, when the cage was drawn away and the hewer fell down the shaft. The accident was due to the banksman signalling to the engineman to wind before a proper signal had been received by himself. The code of signals was peculiar. If there is a "token" on the cage the onsetter raps three only, but if there is not a "token" on then he raps three, receives one rap back from the banksman, then sees the men into the cage, and finally raps three again. The cage is then wound to bank. In this instance there was not a "token on the cage, but the banksman was talking to someone and neglected to notice the absence of the "token" and signalled to the engineman to take the cage away, with the result above described. The coroner's jury did not consider that the banksman's negligence amounted to culpable negligence and did not therefore bring in a verdict of manslaughter.

The system of signalling by "tokens was abandoned.

а.

The second case occurred on the same day as the first, i.e., the 5th of January, in the Downcast Shaft, East Hetton Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Walter Scott, Limited. At about one o'clock in the morning eight men were being drawn to bank in the cage when a shifter, who was at the outer end, fell out into the shaft. The man was subject to fits and he may probably have had an attack whilst in the cage; there was no direct evidence of this. He was seen to turn half round and then fall head foremost into the shaft. There was nothing wrong with the cage, shaft, or winding, but possibly it would have been better if the man had not gone to work underground. He had been working at bank previously, and was not allowed, when underground, to work alone.

The third case occurred on January 27th in the Upcast Shaft at South Hetton Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The South Hetton Coal Co., Limited, and resulted in the death of a shaftman. He was assisting to take off a double-deck cage at the Low Main level. The cage guides had been taken off and a rope attached to the cage bottom, for the purpose of pulling the cage into the level. Men were pulling at this rope, and he was at the edge of the shaft. In trying to help the cage into the level, he slipped and fell into the shaft.

In the ordinary course the entrance to the shaft is properly fenced, but the fence had been removed in this instance as was necessary. It was considered to be safer to change the cage at the Low Main Seam level rather than at bank, as, at bank, both the safety gates would have had to be removed, the flat sheets would not have afforded secure foothold, and the fumes from the furnace would have affected the men. The furnace drift enters the shaft some distance above the Low Main seam.

The fourth case occurred on April 7th at Hummerbeck Colliery, belonging to Mr. Thomas Boddy, and caused the death of a hewer. Four men were riding in the cage and on its arrival at bank, three stepped out and the fourth was doing so when the engineman lowered the cage two or three feet, and the man's head was caught between the flat sheets and the top rim of the cage. No signal was given to the engineman, but he asserted at the inquest that he received one. The case was a bad one, and would not have occurred if the shaft had been fitted with " keps.'

The remaining case occurred at the No. 3 shaft, Seaham Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Londonderry Collieries, Limited, on December 3rd. Two empty timber trams were put into the cage and the cage was rapped away: the assistant onsetter, who was killed, telling the onsetter to rap away. He was heard to call to the onsetter bend away." The cage was lifted, and the man killed at once shouted "rap hold." This was done, but the cage had gone some feet when it was stopped, and the man was nowhere to be seen. On searching, his body was found lying on top of the short length of brattice. which separates the two cages at the bottom of the pit. When he shouted to bend away the man was in a stooping position, and it is thought that he must have been under the impression that the timber tram on his side of the cage was projecting and had been

attempting to push it further into the cage. When the cage went away he was caught by his clothing and carried up between the cage and the shaft-casing and so squeezed to death.

MISCELLANEOUS UNDERGROUND ACCIDENTS.

There were 45 fatal accidents under this heading, causing 45 deaths, and 168 non-fatal, causing injuries to 172 persons. The number of fatal accidents in 1905 was 29, causing

29 deaths.

TABLE (10).

ACCIDENTS with EXPLOSIVES, classified according to the NATURE of the EXPLOSIVE.

ACCIDENTS With EXPLOSIVES, classified according to their CHARACTER or CAUSE.

* Not including accidents which come under the head of "While charging or stemming holes."

ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY EXPLOSIVES.

There were five fatal and 36 non-fatal accidents when using explosives. A short account is given of the fatal cases; the others do not require any special mention.

It is to be regretted that if proper care had been exercised some of these accidents might have been avoided. As will be seen from a table in another part of the report, very large quantities of explosives are used, and the number of accidents cannot be said to be excessive; but the number might be reduced if the regulations laid down were strictly adhered to. No less than 11 persons were injured through naked lights coming in contact with the explosives, entirely due to their own carelessness.

The first fatal accident from this cause during the year occurred on January 11th, at Edmondsley Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Edmondsley Coal Company. A stoneman charged a hole in a top canch with 8 oz. of westfalite and stemmed it with seggar (fireclay). He retired straight down the road some 25 yards and fired the shot by battery. The stemming was blown out and a nodule of stone about one inch in diameter apparently part of the stemming-struck deceased on the side and penetrated into the

This

large bowel. He died in hospital from septic peritonitis two days afterwards. accident should not have occurred. There was a refuge hole into which the man could have got if he had wished. This refuge hole was only a little one, 2 ft. high, and the man would in consequence have had to crawl into it; but, rather than do that, he remained in the direct line of fire. This is a dangerous thing to do, and has been the cause of many accidents.

The second occurred on February 27th, at South Hetton Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The South Hetton Coal Company, Limited, and resulted in the death of a stoneman. The man and his marrow had prepared two holes in a top canch. The shot firer was present ready to fire them. He sent the man who was killed to one entrance to the place to stop anyone from coming in, and the other man to the second entrance. He then lighted up one shot and retreated to where he had sent the second man. After the shot had exploded he returned, and, after examining the place, lighted up the second shot and shouted, as is usual, "Fire." He then retreated and the second shot exploded. The shot firer then returned to the canch, and was horrified to find the man he had sent to protect one entrance to the place beneath the stone which was brought down by the second shot. The man told the shot firer, on being asked what he was doing there, that he thought both shots had been fired. There were other shots being fired about the same time in the district, and it may be that the man mistook one of these others for one he had helped to prepare.

The third occurred on April 2nd, at the Morrison North Pit, South Moor Colliery, belonging to the South Moor Colliery Company, Limited, and resulted in the death of a hewer. A man drilled a hole in the coal in his working place, and charged it with half a pound of gunpowder. He then stemmed it with seggar and twice attempted to fire it by means of squibs. Each attempt failed, so he went into the next place and explained what had occurred to the hewer there. This hewer offered to fire the hole on condition that the first man would remain in his place and finish the drilling of a shot hole for him. This was agreed upon between them, and the hewer went round to fire the hole. The hole blew out and the man was severely burned and died ten days afterwards. At the time there was an impression on the part of the men's representatives, who inspected the place and the surroundings 12 hours after the occurrence, that the blown-out shot had caused a small local explosion of coal dust. This I do not consider likely, as there was no fine dust in the place when the shot was fired. A small quantity of coked coal dust was found on a prop and on a plank immediately in line with the direction of the hole, and I formed the opinion that the hole had been partly stemmed with coal dust, and that, when blown out, a great deal of flame was given off, which enveloped the man, who had not removed very far away from the hole when it exploded.

A canister with its lid off, containing four pellets of compressed powder, and a box of matches were found between the point where the man was supposed to have been and the shot hole, and these, with the contents, were undamaged.

The fourth occurred at Eldon Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Pease and Partners, Limited, on April 24th, and resulted in the death of a stoneman. Shot firing was necessary in a road to form a kip for a new landing. Two shots were made ready and one was fired by the shot firer. The second shot was so placed that the shot firer thought he had better take the battery to the inbye side of it. He had fired the first shot from the outbye side. When arranging the cable, the man who was afterwards killed told the shot firer he need not come out to the shot again, as he would attach the cable to the detonator wires for him. Shortly after the shot firer thought he heard the other man shout to him to fire, and, on looking along the road, as he did not see any light, he thought the man had gone away. He then fired the shot. As it happened, the man had not shouted to the shot firer to fire, but was just in the act of leaving the shot when it exploded, and he was so badly injured that he died three days afterwards. This is another accident which should not have occurred. It will be well here to call attention to the Explosives in Coal Mines Order of the 17th December, 1906, Section 2 (e), which will prevent such an accident in the future, as the shot firer only is permitted to couple the cables to the charge.

The fifth occurred at Burnhope Colliery, belonging to Messrs. U. A. Ritson and Sons, Limited, on October 1st. It occurred in a place which was being prepared to drive through a hitch. Four shot-holes had been drilled and charged with rippite, and the four fuzes lighted. The two men appointed for the work withdrew to a safe distance, and the marrow of the man who was killed said that he heard three shots explode. Immediately these three shots exploded the man who was killed came out of the place where he was taking shelter and walked in towards the face. The fourth shot exploded

as he approached, and he was killed. This accident is difficult to account for. He was an experienced and steady man, and the fuses had been cut of different lengths, in order that each shot might explode at a different time. Apparently he must have thought that all four shots had exploded.

Of the above, two persons were killed while illegally riding, and no persons were killed and none injured by going in front instead of behind tubs while moving them by hand on inclined roads.

UNDERGROUND HAULAGE ACCIDENTS.

There were 24 fatal and 68 non-fatal accidents under this heading, being an increase of six fatal and a decrease of 30 non-fatal on last year.

In looking over the notices of accidents, it is noticeable that there are many caused by the Putting or Driving ponies falling, or squeezing the Putters or Drivers between the timbers and the ends of the tubs. Often, too, accidents are caused by the tubs up-ending and crushing either the Putter or the Driver. The frequency of such accidents appears to point to the fact that the roads are not kept in such a condition that the ponies can travel without stumbling or falling. Hollow spaces between sleepers are frequently found, and are a great source of danger and should not be allowed to exist, and this state of things could be easily remedied with little difficulty and small cost.

I

The up-ending of tubs appears to be due to bad plate-laying and neglect in repairing roads where the sleepers have given way. I wish to call attention to these matters, and trust in a year's time I shall have fewer accidents from similar causes to report.

Of the 24 fatal accidents, I think the following require comment :-On June 28th a Shifter was killed at Murton Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The South Hetton Coal Company, Limited. This man was going inbye to work at the same time as a set was being hauled inbye. He was some way in front of the set, but he decided to wait at the way end (the junction of two roads) and allow the set to pass him. He saw the tail rope was pulling the tubs into one of the two ways, and, knowing this, he simply stood between the ways, expecting the set to pass him. The switch boy, however, had neglected to open the switches for the way into which it was intended the set should go. The result was that the set took the wrong way at the points, and was then pulled across the road by the hauling rope at the point where the deceased was standing, and he was killed. The switch boy was to blame for not having attended to the changing of the points, but the man himself was also to blame for standing where he did. There were refuge holes close to, and he should have gone into one until the set had passed him.

On July 31st, at Eldon Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Pease and Partners, Limited, a landing boy was run over and killed. The haulage was by means of an endless rope, and tubs were run in sets of five, each set being attached to the rope by a special bogie, which carries a pair of grips in the form of a pair of pincers. It was the boy's duty to attach this bogie to the endless rope. He had attached a He had attached a bogie to the endless rope, but it had got off the way. He was seen attempting to lift this bogie on to the way as it, and the set of five tubs behind, were being hauled by the rope. Shortly afterwards he was heard to shout, and a signal was at once given to stop the rope. The boy was found lying beneath the fifth tub, seriously injured. He had been walking between the full and the empty ways when he was trying to lift the moving bogie on to the way and had, apparently, tripped up and fallen in front of the set and been run over. There was