SMOKING IN MINE?

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 October 1928, Page 5

SMOKING IN MINE?

POSITION SERIOUS AT DOBSON MORE EMPLOYEES FINED “The management has every reason to believe that smoking is going on in the mine,” said Mr. J. W. Hannan, who appeared for the manager of the Grey Valley Collieries, Ltd. (Mr. J. Hughes), when proceedings were taken at the Greymouth Court to-day •against three men employed in the Dobson mine. M. Muir, a miner, was charged that, on July 4, he had a match in his possession while in a part of the mine where safety lamps are used. He pleaded guilty. E. Hallinan, junior, a miner, who did not appear, was charged with a similar offence,' committed on July 2. Thomas Hill, a trucker, was charged tvith having a cigarette in his possession while in the mine on August 28. He was also charged with using threatening language to Edward Keating, a deputy, and with assaulting Keating. He pleaded guilty to all three charges.

Mr. Hannan, in pointing out that a fine of £2, with costs, had been imposed in the case of miners convicted of similar offences recently, said that a

higher penalty was not requested in the present cases, but it was desired -that the maximum penalty (£10) should be inflicted in future. The management had every reason to believe that smoking was going on in the mine, and anything at all might happen. The matter was becoming very serious. The present cases might have ■been the result of carelessness. He 'asked Mr. W. Meldrum, S.M., to issue a warning that the maximum penalty would be imposed in future. With re-

. gard to the charges of using threaten- > ing language and assaulting the deputy, against Hill, he stated that the defendant had not been supplying trucks to the miners, as he was supI posed to do. When questioned by the deputy, he used threatening language, and informed Keating that he would deal frith him on top. The deputy sent Hill out of the mine at 9 p.m. Hill waited for two hours on the surface, and assaulted Keating when the deputy came out of the mine. The S.M. agreed that smoking in a dangerous mine such as Dobson was a very serious matter, and stated that any further cases that came before him would be dealt with more severely, and a much more substantial penalty would be inflicted. It was not merely the breach of the regulations that ..had to be considered, but also the danger to life that was involved in the Dobson mine. Muir and Hallinan were each fined £2, with 10/- costs and £l/1/- solicitor’s fee. Hill was fined £2, with 10/costs and £l/1/- solicitor’s fee on the charge of having a cigarette in his possession in the mine; on the charge of using threatening language, he was fined £l, with 10/- costs, £l/1/- solicitor’s fee, and £2/2/6 witnesses’ expenses; and on the charge of assault he was fined £l, with-10/- costs and £l/1/- solicitor’s fee. The maximum fine that may be inflicted for a breach of the clauses of the Act regarding smoking materials in a mine is £lO, but provision is also made, where it is held that the offence has been wilfully committed, for the .imposition of a term of imprisonment up to three months’ duration.