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test was made, the shaft is much too large for the blade-points to reach the sides, and not to any defect in 
the appliance itself- In connexion with this, I would also remark that the success or otherwise of any 
safety appliance must, in a great measure, depend upon the condition of the shaft in which it is used. In 
the case of Pryor’s or Naylor's, for instance, to ensure success, the shaft should be of an uniform width; 
and for Wayman and Kay’s, or any other in which the principle is the gripping of the skids, these latter 
should he of the same thickness from fop to bottom of the shaft. 
Mr. Inspector Alfred Armstrong (St. Andrew’s Division) reports, under date 
13th December, as follows:— 
There are four safety cages in mines in this division, namely, at the Antimony mine, Ringwood, 
the Pigtail Co., Wnrraiulyte, Creighton’s Freehold Co., Gembrook, and Diamond Creek Gold Mining 
Company Limited, Nillumbik. The three first-named mines are not at present being worked. 
I tested the Diamond Creek Company’s cage, and found it most efficient. After the rope was cut 
the grippers instantly held the loaded cage. The makers’ names are Wayman and Kay, of Stawell, who, 
I believe, are also the inventors. The grippers are rollers, which act from tubes by steel spiral springs 
fixed on each side of the cage, which compress firmly on the guides of the shaft upon the rope being 
severed. 
The safety hook used is known as “ Middleton’s.” 
Mr. Inspector Davidson (Beecliworth), under date 31st December, reports:— 
At present there arc no safety cages in use within my district. 
The safety cage at the “New Wallace” Deep Lead Co.’s mine, Morse’s Creek, Bright, is idle, and, 
with the rest of the machinery, about to he removed to site of the new shaft, higher up Morsels Creek. 
The Try Again Co., El Dorado, are fitting their cage with William’s Safety Appliances, but the 
thimbles are not yet fixed. As soon as this has been effected, I will practically test, and report. 
Mr. Inspector A. B. Ainsworth (Alexandra) writes :— 
The only cage working in my district, namely, that at the Toombon mine, Aberfeldy, was tested by 
me on the 1st of December. The result was as satisfactory as such tests can in their nature be, both safety 
hook and grippers acting perfectly. The hook is Middleton’s and the grippers Waymau’s. 
Mr. Inspector Spreull (Kushworth), under date 19th December, reports : — 
I have inspected the safety cage at Menzios Tribute Company, Balaclava Ilill, Whroo, aud found 
that it worked satisfactorily, as far as 1 could judge under the circumstances of my visit. The company 
were hauling quartz to complete crushings for Christinas, and tests that I otherwise would have carried out 
could not be done without very great inconvenience, as, should any damage be done to the cage while 
testing it, repairs could not have been executed in time to allow of crushings being completed. 
In view of the circumstance that the cage is only used for battling for about two days in the month, 
I deferred completing the testing until the new year, when certain other matters requiring the attention of 
the manager have also to lie carried out. 
The safety cage at the above-named mine, which is the only one in use in this division, is never used 
for raising or lowering men unless when hauling operations are being carried on. The name of the maker 
of the cage is unknown to me, hut it is fitted with Allan’s hook and appliances for catching on skids. 
Mr. Inspector Arrowsmith, Chiltevn, reports :— 
There are no safety cages worked in this division other than those in use at the claim of the Chiltern 
Valley Gold Mining Co., viz., Duncan’s. 
I called at the mine prior to the 6th December for the purpose of making arrangements for testing 
these, but the manager (Mr. Cock) was absent at the date of my visit. He, however, at my subsequent 
request, furnished the enclosed sketch-plan and description for the information of the Department. I may 
say I believe the cages are at least equal to any in use elsewhere. A couple made by a Chiltern black¬ 
smith on this plan were sent a few months ago to Tarnagulla, and they were very highly spoken of in the 
local papers. 
“ Description .—The winding cages in use in the Chiltern Valley Company’s mine are each adapted 
for hauling two trucks at a time; weight, when loaded, about 30 cwt. The safety principle is an improve¬ 
ment invented by Mr. Thos. Duncan, about thirteen years ago, when he was engineer to the Doma Mungi 
Mining Company. In that company’s mine the invention had several severe tests, and it is authentically 
reported that there it never failed to act. Some two or three years ago, however, while one of these cages 
was at work in this mine, the rope broke, and although on that occasion the descent of the cage was not 
suddenly arrested, yet the safety gear acted so as to prevent its attaining a dangerous momentum, and the 
cago reached the bottom uninjured. This accident was reported to the Department shortly after the occur¬ 
rence, and it was explained that the circumstances were most unfavorable to the safety appliance acting 
effectively. Mr. John Small was at that time engineer here. It may ho mentioned that Mr. Duncan is now 
the engineer of this company, under whose supervision the whole of our machinery is placed, and I have no 
hesitation in pronouncing our safety cages to be entitled to rank amongst the best of similar appliances in 
the colony, nearly all of which have come under my notice. 
“I enclose a rough sketch of the cage, which will be better understood than any verbal description 
I could give. I may add that we use Middleton’s safety hooks, and have found them to answer admirably. 
(Signed) “John Cock, Mining Manager, 
“Chiltern Valley Gold Milling Company Limited.” 
