13 
non-compliance with the Act on the part of Simeon Roberts, the engine-driver, who 
was prosecuted for the offence, and fined by the magistrates, although it was shown 
that he was acting under the instructions of the manager of the mine in leaving his 
engine at the time he did. This accident is numbered 45 on the list. 
Two fatal accidents arose from machinery in motion. One of these was appa- Machinery in 
rently of that class against which no ordinary human precautions can avail; hut in 
the other (number 130 on list) rashness on the part of the victim himself was 
undoubtedly the cause. The unfortunate man, in endeavouring to reach the indicator 
affixed to the engine, put his head through the wheel, which (the brake not being 
properly on) revolved slightly, causing one of the spokes to descend on the neck 
of the deceased, killing him instantly. 
Through explosions of charges, four deaths occurred last year, viz., one from Explosion of 
an explosion of gunpowder, and three from explosions of nitro-glycerine compounds. 
The former casualty illustrates forcibly the foolhardiness of those miners who persist 
in following the practice, so often condemned, of firing one of several holes charged, 
and then returning to fire the others. It appears that the deceased (John Hardy) 
and his mate had bored three holes in the face, which they charged, "with the intention 
of firing them all before knocking off work. They fired the first, and after the explo¬ 
sion the deceased returned to fire another charge, but, when he had arrived within a 
few feet of the spot, the second charge exploded, killing the unfortunate man instantly. 
The second explosion was no doubt caused by a spark from the first. Hardy leaves 
a widow and seven children. 
Of the three fatal accidents from explosions of charges of nitro-glycerine 
compounds, one (accident No. 18 on list) is supposed to have occurred through the 
drill coming into contact with some unexploded fithofracteur in a crevice of a hole 
previously fired. The second accident (No. 77 on list) Avas apparently unpreventable; 
but the third (No. 82 on list) had its origin in a reprehensible practice—namely, that 
of taking vessels used for thatving dynamite within close proximity to fire. 
Only one death Avas recorded last year in connexion with stored explosives, and stored 
L 7 explosives. 
it could have been averted if ordinary precautions had not been wilfully neglected. 
Not only was the explosive stored by the mining manager at a place prohibited by the 
Statute, but the deceased actually smoked a pipe Avhile handling it. The wonder is 
that, in view of such recklessness on the part of miners, the number of fatal accidents 
of all kinds is not even larger than it is. 
On the 8tli April last tAVO men lost their lives through the presence of foul air Foui air. 
in the mine of the Ncav Tubal Cain Company, at Stringer’s Creek. Full particulars of 
the melancholy occurrence are given in the annexed Statement No. 1 (see accident 
No. 48). 
Of four truck accidents recorded last year, only one proved fatal, and this was Truck accidents, 
entirely oAving to the recklessness of the deceased, avIio jumped upon an empty truck 
in order to have a ride, thereby causing the fore-wlieels to tip up, and the truck to 
leave the tram-line (see accident No. 13). 
Although I have not the unpleasant duty of recording any death or personal Flooding of 
injury arising through this cause during 1884, there AA r as a narroAV escape from a 
