SAFEGUARDING COALMINERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 194, 17 August 1922, Page 8

SAFEGUARDING COALMINERS.

AMENDMENT TO ACT. EXAMINATION OF MINES. (By Telegraph.—l'arliamentary rtcporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Coal Mines Amendment Hill makes many alterations to legislation concerning "the working of the mines. One of the clauses of the amendment empowers _" tho Wardens and the Commissioners of Crown Lands to grant prospering licenses in respect of scenic reserves and ■ ' education reserves. There are certain reservations regarding the latter, and it is specifically set out that the fees derived shall bo devoted t.i the same purpose as if derived from a loaso. The area over which tho warden is empowered to issue a license is reduced from 3000 acres to 20(10 aores: whereas the license continued in force for two years, renewable for a year, it is now sug- .-". gested that the license shall continue ■in force for one year, but with the consent of the Minister be renewed by the warden or commissioner for a further period not exceeding two years. Where "" a license is cancelled for failure to comply with conditions, it is now provided that the warden may recover costs. Section '2(i of the main Act is amended so as to make the fees payable for mine manager's certificate £■! -1/ for a first and £\ 1/ for a second-class. There are special clauses also dealing with the qualifications of mine managers and inspectors. Any inspector under the Mining Act, 190S, being the holder of a firstolass certificate as mine manager under that Act. may, without further qualification, and if so directed by the Minister, act as an inspector of mines under this Act. save that no person shall inspect any coal mine in which more than eight persons are ordinarily employed, or any coal mine wherein safety lamps other than those used in the daily examination of coal mines are required to be used, unless he is the holder of a first-class mine manager's certificate under this Act. Every mine manager is required to hold a first-class certificate where more than twenty men are employed, a secondclass where more than eight, and a fireman and deputy's certificate where more than four, but not more than eight: and ■where not more than four men, in lieu of any of the above, he must hold a permit from the inspector, for which a fee of f 1 is payable. No person shall he granted a permit who has not within ten years previous to the application had ■_*-■ at least three years' practical experience '»in work in a coal mine. The former provision dealing with the qualifications is withdrawn. . The clause under which a Board of Examiners could issue a certificate as mine manager is qualified by restricting applicants to a resident of New Zealand and the charging of £l. Drill holes, it is now proposed, may be bored within one foot of a previously exploded charge. In the main Act the distance specified is three feet. The clause dealing with inspection of a mine is replaced by one which sets out that firemen and deputies shall inspect with safety lamp every two hours every part of the mine in which . the workmen are to work or pass during a. shift, and all working places in which ' work is temporarily stopped within any ventilating district in which the men have to work during the shift, and shall ascertain the condition thereof with respect to the presence of gas and as to ventilation, the condition of the roof and eides, and generally as to the safety of the znine, and of the men employed therein. He shall then report specifying whether or not any noxious or in(lam° mable gas was found, and if so, where such gas was so found, and whether or Dot any defects in the roof or sides or any other sources of danger were observed, and the nature of all such defects or sources of danger (if any) shall be recorded without delay in a book which shall be kept at the mine for the purpose, and shall be accesssible to the workmen, and such report shall be signed, and so far as the same does not consist of printed matter, shall be in the handwriting of the person who made the inspection. There are a number of consequential j repeals, and the amendment then "oes on to altsr Section li 2of the principal Act dealing with notice of accidents Where an accident in or about a mine causes loss of life or other injury, the mine manager shall forthwith by telegraph give notice to the inspector and workmen's inspector, and in the ease of loss of life to the Minister. Another clause provided for the prescribing of fines for a breach of regulations made by the Governor-General. The maximum fine lor a nrst offence is £10 and £30 for a second or subsequent offence, but in respect of continuing offences the fine may be £5 for every day during which the offence continues. The general fine for an offence against the rules is increased from £10 to £30. Section 8 of the principal Act is altered to allow of a dispute being referred to the Court of Arbitration for settlement, either by the Mm ister or the union. Three months after the passing of the Act no holder of office under the Crown in connection with the administration of the Coal Mines Act can hold an interest in a coal mine. ~ Qualification for employment as under- ., viewer or fireman and deputy is reduced from five years experience to three years, though any holder of a first or second class cert.fi.ate under the principal Act may be employed in the capacity without comply.ng with this requirement. Still another requirement of the amendment— that every mine owner sha] , k record of the name, date and place of birth of every miner employed under the age of 21, and this record "shall be open to inspectors. c