COAL MINES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 77, 27 September 1941, Page 11

COAL MINES

AMENDING BILL

MR. HOLLAND'S INTEREST

"Is this Bill to nationalise the coal miners or to make every coal, mine owner a State employee?" asked the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland) in the House of Representatives last night, when the Coal Mines Amendment Bill was introduced. The Minister of Mines (Mr. Webb) assured Mr. Holland that the Bill merely embodied recommendations made by the. commission of inquiry into a disaster at Huntly and by the Coal Council, which was representative of the coal mine owners, the miners, and the Government. If he were bringing down a Bill of the kind envisaged by Mr. Holland in his question, Mr. Holland cvould have beeri given notice of it.

Mr. Holland: . You cannot blame us for being a little suspicious, you know.

Mr. Webb said that theßill embodied a few minor alterations to the Coal Mines Act. As a result of the Huntly disaster provision was made for the appointment of an electrical inspector of coal mines, who had to be a certificated man. Another provision dealt with haulage. It enabled the Inspector of Mines to make provision for the man in charge of the winch to run the winch without having to spend a considerable time in study.

j Other provisions in the Bill provide for particulars of boring operations to 'be supplied, for entry on land with the i Minister's authority for purposes of geological or geophysical surveys in connection with coal mining, for ani nual returns by coal-mining companies, and for other matters of a machinery nature. There is a clause giving owners authority to deduct amounts that are agreed upon from wages towards repayment- of loans to workers to enable them to acquire homes. Provision is made for a representative of the Electrical Wiremen's Registration Board on the board of examiners. There are amending provisions dealing with the use of safety lamps, and another clause gives the inspector authority to require a ventilation; survey and improvements in. ventilation "dn certain cases. ~;..-. •-;... The Bill was referred to the Goldfields and Coal Mines Committee.