COAL MINES

Evening Star, Issue 14526, 30 November 1910, Page 7

COAL MINES

AN AMENDING BILL. [Fbou Oub Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 30. BENEFIT FUNDS. There was an interesting discussion last aight on the safety of the miners’ benefit funds. Mr Alien, Mr Anderson, and others had pleaded for a reduction of the royalty on poor coals charged for the support of the Coal Miners’ Relief Fund, the member | for Bruce going so far as to say that this | extra fartliing per ton on lignites would press heavily on the coal measures of Otago, and even compel the closing of some mines in the Smith.—The Minister in charge of tho Bill was disposed to meet this objection by exempting lignite from tho operation of the royalty tax, but .Mr Taylor (Thames) said it was'utter nonsense to assert that any coal mine could become bankrupt by reason of tins comparatively email charge. He and tho member for Ohinemuri strongly counselled the Minister to stand firm to his intention of raising the levy in order to bring brown coal ami lignite in lino with bituminous, and eventually the Minister agreed to do so. Mr Poland further advised tho Minister to make these funds a common one for the relief of miners who met with accidents during their work, saying that one miners’ fund in the North Island was actually without a copper piece, while the bituminous mines in the South Island had each a sum of over £l,lOO, and the Deniiistmi mine a clear £6,ooo.—Mr M assev inquired if the miners of Denniston would consent to this hypothecation of their moneys, and rewived an affirmative reply ; but tho Leader si the Opposition shook his head and said that he had grave doubts about it.—Eventually tho clause was passed in the form in which it was presented by the Minister. VENTILATION: A MINISTERIAL REVERSE. The member for Grey pul in a strong appeal for,the better ventilation of mines, and moved a new clause providing that the 150 cubic feet of air per minute which has to be provided for every person shall sweep undiminished along tho airways to each working face where men are employed. Tho Minister (lion. it. M'Konzie) said be was advised that the proposition was impracticable—(Mr Allen: Hear.)—and had to been reported on by a recent Royal Commission in England. He had culled for a report on the subject ftom his own inspecting engineer of mines. It was ills (the. Minister’s) intention to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the whole question of the ventilation of mines, and it would be then time to consider the plianof it raised by the member for Gray.’ On a division Mr Guinness's new danse was read a second time by 41 votes to 25, the voting being : For tho Proposal (41). —Anderson, Arnold, Bollard, Buchanan. Clark. Davey, Fisher, Forbes, Fraser, Glover, Graham, Guinness, Gtuhiie, Hall. Hanaii, Hardy, Herdman, Hcrries. Hine, Hogan, Hogg, Jennings, Kaih.iu. Lang, I.awry. M'Laron, Malcolm, Marnier, Massey, Newman, Ncsworthy, Poole, Rutigihirua, Ross, Russell, Steward, T. E. Taylor. J. C. Thomson. Wilford, Witty. Wright. Against |25). —.Allen, Buddo, Buxton, Carroll, Clark, Dillon, T. Duncan, J. Dunfan, Ell, Field, Laurenson, Luke. (Macdonald, R. M’Ken/ie, T. -Mackenzie, Ngala. Okey, Parata. Reed, Scott, Seddon, Stallworthy, Ward. The Minister at once moved to report progress, giving an assurance, that the Bill would come up again.—The motion was agreed to. On tho Ministers motion the following new clauses were agreed to tn replace section 228 of tlie principal Act; Every person employed or acting in the capacity of mine manager of any inino in which more than twelve men arc employed at any ono time above ground, or more than six men at any one time below ground, shall bo the holder of a mine manager’s certificate under this Act. If such mine is worked from a shaft or inclined plane, where winding or pumping machinery is used, such certificate shall be a first class certificate; if such mine is worked from an adit level where no winding or pumping machinery is used, or if the' workings are above ground, such certificate need only be a second class certificate, fit mines where not more than twelve men are employed at any one time above ground, or not more than six men at any one lime below ground, it shall bo sufficient if the mine manager holds a permit from the Ltpector "'of ' Mines; but no such permit shall be issued to ai-y mine manager unless in the ease of underground mines he has hud at least five years’ experience in underground riming, and in the case of above ground mines at least livo, years experience in mining. Every person who at the time of the passing of this Act or during the pro- j ceding two years is or has been in charge for a period of not less than twelve months of a mine employing not less than six men, and does not hold a certificate of competency as a manager, shall be entitled to a certificate of service of the second class.