REGULATION OF MINES BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2604, 22 August 1878, Page 4

REGULATION OF MINES BILL.

(PER STAR SPECIAL WIIiE.)

CM.';-: WELLINGTON, this day. THE Regulation of Mines Bill contains fiftyBe yen clauses, an* ia "an Act to provide for the Reflation and Inspection of Mines. Parti. ■Vwrides tliat the Governor may appoint officers as Inspectors, but no Land Agent shall act as "^an Inspector. Eart IL refers to Certificated Manaeere. ' A Manager is to ba appointed, to \ have the control and daily supervision of every mire to wlich the Act refers. Such Manager ; ;roust hold" a certificate un.'-er tlie Act. A penalty of £50 is to J>e- inflicted where a Manager is not '• appointed; provided that: (ft) The owner of such jmine shall not be liable to any such penalty if he pruva that sic had taken all reasonable means, 18. teytbe enforcement of this section, to prevent ■iha mine i*;iag -worked in contravention of this ' BectieiL; {b) If, for any reasonable cause, th? re is, for the-time tbaiag, no Manager of a .Mine qualified &s required by this section, the owner or agent of such mine may appoint any comTuetent per«ari,not holding a certificate under tne 0 Act, to be 3lana«er for a period net exceeding two monSbS, and shall send to the Inspector ot the district a written notice of the name and address of such Manager, and of the reason of his appointment; and (c) ana a mine -towhich ■ieesthan twenty persons are ordinarily : eDuplo j«d below ground, or of which the avere g a dailj'output does not exceed 251 tons, shall oe exempt from the provißions of this section, unless tne Inspector of. the district, by notice in writing served en the owner or agent of such mine, requires the same to be under the control of a njauager. For the purpose of granting certificates examiners are to be ap- '■" pointed, and the (Governor may make rules. Certificate s of- competency are to be granted by the Inspector, and a register is to be kept of those qualified. Certificates of service for the purposes of the Act shall be granted by the Inspector to every person who satisfies him either that before the passing of the .Act he was acting and has since that day acted, or that he has a.t any time within five years before the patting of ibis Act for a period of not less than twelve months acted in tha capacity of a manager of a mine, or such part of a mine as can under this Act be made a separate mine for the purposes of this Act. The Inspector is empowered to cause inquiry into the conduct of a manager, and the inquiry is to be public, and the Court may demand a manager to deliver up his certificate, and has power to cancel or suspend a certificate. The Court may make an order as toithe cost of the expenses of an inquiry, and the Ooviernor may order the members of the Cou> t of Inquiry and assessors to be paid for th°ir services. Lost certificates may be made srooi. snd the offences against the Act are defined. Part 111. deals with class of employes. No lad under the age of 13. and no women or girl of any age, shall be employed in any mine. AmaJe young person under the age of 16 years ehall not be employed in a mine more than 14 liout3 in any one week, or more than eight hours io one day. With regard to the employment of women and children above ground. No child under the age of 10 years may be employed, and no female shall be employed between seven at night and tdx the following morning. Every child employed in any colliery shall attend school for at least two weeks, during which such child, shall be employed, and a penalty is fixed lor infringment of this, and penalties are paid for the contraven1 on of the provisions of the Act. Part IV. defines the duties of instructors and their power to enter mines and demand any information necessary and provisions are made for arbitration. Part V. contains provißions specially affecting coal mines. Part VL makes a general rule to every mine for adequate ventilation?f'wKich is constantly to be produced. How gunpowder Is to be stowed and used, and in what quantities. It also defines the space in horse roads, fencing off the entrances to the shaft, securing the shaft, aignallius, proper ladder or footway, etc., is provided for. Dressing-rooms for workmen are to be provided, and no person under 18 years or age is to be placed in charge of machinery. The manager of every mining company is t » make a full inspection of mine and raachi- -ivy once a kweek, and the persons employed in any mine may, from time to time appoint, w.» of their number to inspect the mine at their o^vn cost, and once a month every facility is to bs afforded them to do this. Special rules are to b- •■itablishedand observed in every mine, and \u se rules are to be made public in and about the mine. Any accident is to beprima facie evid< nee of neglect, Wages are not to be paid in rlj public-house. Shafts with vertical and overhanging ladders are to have platforms. Any person suffering injury owing to observance of the provisions of the Act, may recoverfroni the owner compensation, with the costs of recovering. The same, when determined, shall constitute a charge on the mine and mining plant, in or about which the person was so employed, and all charges arising under the provisions of this section shall as, between themselves, be paid ratably. Notice of accidents is to be sent to the Inspector Within twenty-four houra. Inspectors are to send in half-yearly reports to the Governor. Part VI! defines penalties for offences against special or general rules, obstructing the inspector,! defacing noticss, and for offences not expressly provided for.