THE COAL MINES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 179, 25 April 1921, Page 6

THE COAL MINES

REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS

CONDITIONS GENERALLY GOOD

THE CHIEF INSPECTOR’S REPORT

During the recent conference regarding the coal dispute, representatives of the Miners' Federation asserted that the conditions of work in the New Zealand collieries! were iunsatisfactory. The Under-Secretary of Mines has since received a report on the subject from ths Chief Inspector of Coal Mines, and copies of this report have been handed to the parties to the dispute. The report, dated April 19, is as follows:— "In tho report of tho conference between representatives of mine owners and the Miners’ Federation, published in The Dominion of April lb and 19 instant, certain statements were reported to have been made by the representatives of the Miners’ Federation, which', I consider it is my duty to contradict. Such statements are as follows:—

"(1) Tho conditions at the New Zealand mines, generally speaking, were rotten. The statements that had been made during the conference by miners’ delegates could be borne out by the reports of the check inspectors at the different collieries; there was no question about that.

"(2) The inspectors of mines advised mine managers of their projected visits of inspection. "(3) The inspectors take air samples in return airway's, and not in mine working places. "In answer to No. 1, I beg to inform you that during the past six months I have inspected all the principal collieries of the Dominion—some of them more than once—and I have reported on them to you. In no case have I found any serious defect warranting prosecution without further warning. I have ' found the collieries generally satisfactory, and in no case have workmen’s inspectors recently reported conditions as bad or Totten.’ I make a point of reading and copying the workmen’s inspectors’ reports when 1 visit collieries. It is important to note that in only about fwelve out of 145 collieries of the Dominion do the workmen take advantage of section 40 (48) of fhe Goal Mines Act by having inspection by workmen. The reports refute ths allegations that workmen’s inspectors’ report tho conditions of the mines as ‘rotten.’ As ‘the result of my own inspections I find conditions generally good. "The general safety of New Zealand collieries may bo judged from the fact that there lhaa only been one fa. (til accident in a colliery during tho past 18 months, and. that was due to tho neglect of the sufferer, a co-operative miner, to erect timber supports to the roof under which he was working. I am, aware of no suoh immunity from fatal colliery accidents in any other country at any time. "As regards inspectors of mines advising mine managers of proposed visits of inspectors, I have no knowledge of this, and do not believe it to bo true, but if they did so. under certain conditions I would not condemn them, for tho following reasons: —(1) If the law is flagrantly broken in a mine, such mine cannot be ‘readied up’ so as to delude an experienced inspector. (2) Mine managers are generally gentleman, and to treat them as rogues by pouncing upon them without warning is not justified. (3) An inspector should always be accompanied by the responsible manager during inspection. Some collieries are (scattered and difficult Jaf access. Should an inspector find the manager absent, his day will be lost and his itinerary spoilt. (4) When an inspector visits a coal field he hns to reserve a bedroom at an hotel or board-ing-house prior thereto. He has also to inspect mines in rotation over a number oi "days. Thus hie presence in the localit|y is generally known.

“In cases where improper practices are concealed and danger Exists, surprise visits of inspection aro necessary, but generally they serve no good purpose as here stated. They are not required by the Coal Mines Act, and only a novice would think them, as a general rule, necessary. "As regards sampling mine air-. The most critical place to ascertain the quality of mine air is at the beginning of the return airway after passing the last man, where all the vitiated air from all working places is conoeiitrated, and from thence drawn out of the mine by fan. Inspectors can at once ascertain if mine air in working places is vitiated by effect on their lights and on themselves. Samples are taken for analysis wherever thought, advisable by the inspectors, as documentary evidence, and to nscei-tain if the standard as required by law is observed. You have my full authority to supply a copy of this report to the parties of the conference if you deem it necessary. (Signed) Frank Reed, Inspecting Engineer, and Chief Inspector of Coal Mines.”