THE COAL MINES COMMISSION.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11097, 16 October 1901, Page 8

THE COAL MINES COMMISSION.

HOW IT DID ITS WORK,SERIOUS CHARGES BY MEMBERS. (SPECIAL TO "TIIE TKKSS.") WELLINGTON, October 15. While the Mines Estimates were being considered this evening, Mr James Allen referred to the doings :of the recent Royal Commission appointed by the Government to enquire into anu report upon the working of the coal mines of the colony. Mr Allen said the Commission had been only four hours in the Shag Point .district, and yet they had reported fully tm> large and dangerous mines in that district. He now learned that the Commission had spent only two and a half hours in the mine in which he was interested. Now, they had complaints in the House tljat the ordinary inspectors had not time to satisfactorily inspect the mines. These, inspectors spent a whole day in the mines live or six times a year, and it was stated they could not satisfy themselves thoroughly of the safety-of the mines. Yet, h«rb they had a Commission that was able to satisfy itself and,report fully on one mine after two and a half hours' inspection, and on another mine after an inspection of threequarters of an hour. In his (Mr Allen's) mine the shortest underground road was one mile long. Yet the Commission reported fully; They, however, made the mistake of reporting erroneously. For instance, they reported that the "pillars had been taken out of the mine and that thereby the airway was made unsafe. Such - was not the case. As a matter of fact, on one side of the airway not a single pillar had been touched, while on the other side sufficient pillars had been left to maintain an airway. In the Allandale mine, which had been working for ten or twelve years, there had only been one death. The Shag Point mine, which had been working for thirty years, had also been very free from accident. It was, ire said, * utterly impossible J for the Commission to examine this mine ! in two and a half hours, and the other mine in three-quarters of an hour. Mr Roderick McKenzie objected c to the report of the Commission being brought down without the evidence. He was Informed that the report was in direct contradiction to the evidencs given before the Commission. In regard to the inspection i of coal mines, he said the present inspec- , tion was worse than no inspection. Mr Allen said the evidence was both onesided and incorrect. When the" Commission was in the. mine he admitted that the air was not good, but then they had, been working a-double shift of men for a fortnight improving the airway, and it was inevitable that the air at such a time could not be in good condition. In regard to the condition of the other mine in the district, the Commission reported that, with the exception of a drip from the cages and the shaft, they -were well satisfied with the condition of the working in this mine. The Commissioners went down this mine, looked along the roads, asked if they were all alike. They were told, "Oh, yes, they're all very much like this," and replied, "Oh, that will do," and then went out. 'They had only been in the mine three-quarters of an hour. As to that mine with which the Commission was well • satisfied, he was not going to say what the condition of that mine was to-day. He could say, but he would not. It> merely showed the necessity for an opportunity of reviewing such reports as these. Mr Seddon quoted extracts from the Departmental reports of Inspector.Green to ; prove that there was an" insufficiency of ventilation in the Allandale mine. Mr Allen quoted an exactly contrary report from the inspector on exactly the date quoted by the Premier, showing that there '' was good circulation of air in the mine. :| ■Mr K. McKenzie'—"ls that the same inspector?" Mr Allen—"Yes;. and on the same date." (Laughter.) Mr Allen. added that he did not believe the inspector - • repprted unfavourably until after the Royal Commission went there. As to tbe deaths and the accidents in the mine, he (Mr-Allen) had endeavoured to obtain a return of the deaths in that mine, and also in the troopship Tagus,,but he was refused these. He; would be quite willing to comparer the two. ' Mr K. McKepzie reiterated the statement that the present system of inspection was worse than useless, because it only gave a false security. He field that if .what. Inspector. Green stated was true,-he should be dismissed for avowing it" to continue. Mr v. W. Russell also quoted from reports by Inspector Hays, to show that the ventilation in the Allandale mine was very , frir. . . • ■ The Premier, who had for some time been searching amongst typewritten extracts from •reports imd Departmental letters, aud had spjken four times, now subsided. The Minister for Mines,' who was in charge of the Estimates, had nothing to say in reply to Mr Allen's criticisms, and tha discussion ended. ■'."■'