The majority of my I rials were made by cutting the rope with which the cages were suspended, but 
in a few cases 1 tested by over-winding. Generally the tests were made with the full working load in 
the cages. This load would be heavier than four men, which is the maximum number permitted to ride in 
ordinary cages. 
With Seymour’s cages I made fifteen trials. The fall of tho cages ranged from 2 to 15 inches. In 
three cases the catches failed to stop the falling cages, and in another instance a skid was broken. Tho 
failures, and the breaking of the skid, were caused by the skids yielding to the outward thrust of the catches 
on the face of the skids. 
In fourteen tests of Allan’s cages, the fall ranged from 1 inch to 2 inches. Seymour’s and Allan’s 
cages are also fitted with hand levers, for bringing the appliances into action when the occupants desire to 
stop the descent of a cage. I tested tho hand layers, and found all were efficient for that purpose. 
William’s cages were submitted to eleven tests, and all were failures. 
In seven tests of Brown’s cages the fall ranged from i an inch to 2$ inches. 
In four tests of McKay’s cages the fall ranged from of, to l4jj inches. 
In four tests of Chessell’s cages the fall ranged from ^ an inch to £ of an inch. 
In two trials of Noland’s cage the falls were § of an inch to 1£ inch ; and one trial of Wayman’s 
appliances proved unsuccessful, because of the springs being out of order. 
The cages fitted with Allan’s and McKay’s appliances were tested in the full swing of ordinary work, 
whilst Brown’s, Chessell’s, and Noland’s, and two of Seymour’s, were new cages tested for certificates. 
Mr. Inspector Stewart (Ballarat) reports : — 
I have practically tested 42 safety cages, working in the several divisions of the Ballarat district, 
and have now the honour to report as follows:— 
Ballarat. 
Allan's Patent. —I tested five of these cages, and their action may be considered perfect, the 
greatest fall being only inches. 
McKay's. —Tested two of these cages ; each dropped only 3 inches. 
Macaw and Son's .—Tested two of these, neither of which acted at all. 
Pryor's .—Tested two of these ; neither attempted to act. 
IJt Ilia ms '.—Tested three which act on tho face of the skids, also three which net on the side of 
the skids. All completely failed except one of the latter kind, a new one, which fell 5 inches. 
Mcekison's ,—I tested two cages known as Mcekison’s, hut both failed. 
Referring to Williams’ cages, those that are supposed to act on the face of the skids, 1 would direct 
vour attention to my opinion of the cages, as contained in my report for the week ending 4th November, 
1882, and also the correspondence between Mr. Curthoys, the manager of the Band of Hope Quartz Co., 
and the Department, in October, 1888, in rc the same cages. I am still of the same opinion, i.e., that they 
are not safety cages at all. 
Before proceeding to describe the tests made in other divisions, I feel it my duty to call especial 
attention to the cure bestowed upon the cages by tho managers of the Band of Hope and Albion Consols 
and Band and Bar top companies, Ballarat, especially the latter, who by his diary shows that his cages are 
regularly tested every fortnight by himself and engineer. The result of this care is shown by tho 
satisfactory tests. 
Crkswick. 
Macaw and Son. —Tested seven of these cages, six single and one double. Tho double failed to 
act, hut the whole of the others caught, the drop being from 4 to 14 inches. The manager of tho New 
Australasian Company, in this division, lias his cages looked at every day by the blacksmith, and cleaned 
and oiled by the bracemnu. Hence the successful tests at this mine. 
MeSporrin .— Tested four double cages by this maker, only one of which acted at all. 
Egerton. 
Macaw and. Sons. —Tested two of these cages, both of which completely failed. 
Pryor's .— Tested two of these. Both completely failed. 
Allan 3 s .—Tested two of these. One failed; the other caught after dropping 3 feet.. I consider this 
more the fault of the skids than the cage. 
Gordon. 
A1lan 3 s. 1 ested one, which acted well, only falling 8 inches. Tested another made on the mine; 
it also only fell 8 inches. 
Haddon. 
Allan 3 s. iested two cages. One caught after falling 8 feet; the other did not catch at all. 
Buninyong. 
Williams' . (Side-grip cages.) Tested two. One fell 5 feet; the other fell 1 foot. 
Remarks . 
Allan s cage has serrated grippers acting on the sides of the skids, and brought into action by an 
elliptic spring. Ibis spring is always visible, so that a defect is easily seen. 
McKay’s cage has serrated grippers, brought into action by two spiral springs ; hut the springs, 
hemg encased in an iron tube, cannot ho seen, and require to he often taken out to ensure their 
usefulness. 
Macaw and Son’s cage is an eccentric, brought into action by a spring fixed on the side of tho ca^o 
and working on the disc to force it to the skid. 
