If the seam had been above the powder, it'would not have affected the shot. I think it rather an unusual occurrence in that rock to find a seam running in the direction that that one did. I think it is a circumstance which skilled men, acting with every care, might not have foreseen if the seam was not visible on the outside—a thing which I can form no opinion about from the

avideuces remaining. If these blasting operations ;ire to be continued, to allow them to go on with

safety I would suggest the use of chain vets over the scrub, with meshes not exceeding4in square; tlie nets to be sufficiently large to cover at least

three parts of the shot. A skilled miner would so put in his holes that one-third of the depth of the hole when charged would remove the burden, and the operations in this cutting should bo conducted on that principle. For the safety of the men, I would suggest that a proper tamping bar be provided. This should be made of ironbark, tipped with copper, and not all iron as I understand, the one now in use is. The ganger should allow nothing to dis turb his attention while the hole is being charged, as ho is, in ray opinion, the responsible man in charging any hole. Unless the person employed in charging the blast is a well-skilled miner, I think he should be provided with a measure of some sort to measure the quantity of powder as a check on the tamping rod. In a hole of 2jjin in diameter, such as would-be made by the drill here, the quantity of powder would be about 2i-oz to the inch in depth. There is a great difference in the strength of the different kinds of blasting powder. The powder produced is, I think, a medium class of powder and of medium strength; being irregular m size, some of the grains very coarse, it would not pack closely. To the Coyonsr: The difference between 2ft tun and 2ft Oiu in the charge of powder would not, in .my opinion, make any difference or in crease the danger. I would say that a differ

ence between 21in and 32in would increase the danger. To Mr Stilling : It would depend upon where the blast was whether dynamite would be safer to use than powder. 