MINES COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 7

MINES COMMISSION.

OPENED YESTERDAY. The recently-appointed Mines Commission met for the first Urns yesterday at the Supremo Court, Wellington. The Commission is set up to "inquire into and.report upon the conditions relating to the health and safety of miners in New Zealand, ami the administration, of laws relating to mining and coal-mines, and to make recommendations for any amendment of those laws. .. ." , The members of the Commission are:— Messrs. J. S. Evans (chairman), N. D. Cochrane, J. Don-gray, and Geo. Fletcher H. S. Molincaux, W. V. Parry, and F. held. All woro present yesterday. The secretary is Mr. V. Galvin, and die stenographer, Mr. IVatkins. Mr. Keid, referring to the programme which they would have to map out for hearing evidence, suggested that they should take the northern districts first. The weather and temperature in the south would be more congenial a little later nn. Ho also suggested that the minirig inspecters should be at the disposal of the Commission during the time it is sitting in their respective districts. The question of publicity having been raised, the chairman declared himself in favour of having the press nrejenf, during the hearing of evidence. It was an important. Commission, and should undoubtedly be held with open doors. They could .reserve the right, to exclude the press if it was so desired. Mr. I-'lotcher moved that th? press bo excluded during the whole of tho proceedings. This was seconded by Mr. Don-gray. Mr. TJeed f-ttpnorted the motion. ' If would be superfluous, he said, to hive the press present if the Commission hid their own stenographer; I'.ml there would he a temptation, also, for witnesses to ttilk to the gallery. ] The motion to exclude the press was carried.

It was srnterl last evening bv the secretary of the Commission that the resolution regarding I lie exclusion of the pr?«s war, intended to apply only to the, preliminary meetin? yesterday. ' It will not necessarily apply to future tittings during the hearing of evidence. The Commission proceeds to-day to Auckland, en route to Whnn»arei, where the first sitting will be held. The Commission will leave to-day (or AVharigirei, where the first sittin* will be held.