SAFETY IN COALMINES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22241, 4 November 1937, Page 12

SAFETY IN COALMINES

More Restrictions Proposed AGREEMENT IN INDUSTRY CLAIMED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 3. Clauses designed to increase safety in the coalmines of the Dominion figure prominently in the Coalmines Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives today. The bill is in some respects a consolidating measure embodying alterations in the legislation, but the changes are not, in the words of the Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb), very far-reaching.

Mr Webb said that the new measure embraced suggestions which have been fully discussed with representatives of the employers and the workers in the industry. At present the only penalty which can be imposed for a breach of a mining lease is actual cancellation of the lease by the Minister. An amending clause in the bill provides for a lesser penalty in cases which are not considered as serious and will enable an Inspector of Mines to take Court action against the lessees. Another amendment will permit the holder of a coalmining right to surrender part of his right without the necessity for surrendering the whole of it and then applying for a new right over the portion which he desires to retain. Prohibition is to be placed on the employment of persons under 23 years of age, as managers, underviewers, and firemen deputies in coalmines. It is also provided that certificates of competency held by underviewers or firemen deputies must be periodically endorsed by an Inspector of Mines to ensure that the men are capable of carrying out their duties efficiently.

No Employment of Children The restrictions on the employment of women and boys will be relaxed to permit the employment of nurses, and charwomen and of females and boys under 16 years of age, in clerical work. However, boys under the age of 16 years will not be permitted to work underground. An absolute restriction will be placed on Sunday work in coalmines. At present no miner can be employed on a Sunday, but this prohibition is now to be made general. The bill also requires the installation of weighbridges at mines where the wages of the men are computed on the basis of the weight of coal mined. Exemptions in special cases may be authorised by the Minister. Plans will be provided for all underground workings of coalmines, and there will be a statutory obligation for the provision of better ventilation, protection against inclement weather, systematic timbering, and preventive measures against an accumulation of coal dust. The use of internal combustion engines underground will be prohibited.

Another clause lowers the percentage of inflammable gas in the general body of air from 2J per cent, to 2 per cent., at ■which stage workmen must bo withdrawn from the mine. Union secretaries will be empowered to call for the pay dockets of the workmen, and amendments are included in the bill dealing with the qualifications of workmen’s inspectors. There is also a provision for the appointment of a workmen’s national inspector by the United Mine Workers of New Zealand. Mine owners will be required to contribute toward the cost of transporting the workmen to and from the mines, although this provision will be exercised at the discretion of the Minister.

Borrowing: For State Mines Authority is to be given for increased borrowing powers for the development of State coalmines. At present borrowing for this purpose is limited by the act to £280,000, and this is to be increased by the bill to £330,000. It is understood that the additional £50,000 is required to develop a new State mine at present being opened up on the West Coast. There is an extension of the power to make regulations to ensure the safety of workmen. “I discussed the proposals in full with the mining interests before introducing the bill,” said Mr Webb in placing it before the House. “Actually there is nothing very far reaching in the bill, the provisions of which have been practically agreed to by representatives of employers and the miners.”

When explaining the bill, the Minister stated that there was evidence of men employed in some of the small co-operative mines hewing coal on Sundays. That would be prevented by the bill, although necessary work involved in the maintenance of safety, for instance, would be allowed. Replying to a question asked by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) about slack coal, the Minister said that at one time he had proposed to bring down legislation to cope with that problem, but after conferences with the employers in the Waikato, where the problem was most serious, he had decided not to take that action. Instead, he had suggested that as an experiment the mines should adopt a uniform mesh for screens. The experiment was undertaken and as a result the problem- in the Waikato had been solved. So much progress had been made, Mr Webb said, that there was even talk of a shortage of slack coal, but he did not think that would occur. All the companies in the south, with one exception, had also agreed to use a uniform mesh. However, if the occasion arose and companies did not play the game, he would have no compunction about asking the House to agree to legislation. The bill was read the second time pro forma and referred to the Goldfields and Mines. Committee.