SAFETY MINING CAGES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3318, 5 April 1879, Page 2

SAFETY MINING CAGES.

(MELBOURNE ARGUS, 17TH INST.) The board appointed to deal with the subject of safety mining cages held a lengthy sitting in Parliament-house yesterday, the following members being in attendance : — Messrs A. K. Smith (chairman), R. Clark (Sandhurst), G. R. Fincham, R. Richardson, and H. R. Williams, M.LA.'s. Printed copies of the evidence taken during the series of sittings at Sandhurst and Ballarat, and also a report of tha experiments conducted by the board, were submitted by the secretary, Mr James Thomson, after which the subject of the report to be presented to the House during the coming session was considered. Messrs Clark and Fincham mentioned that in their respective districts 'the report of the bo;ird was expected with much interest, as it was generally understood by the mining community that the action of the depart- j ment relative to the 16th subsection of the act would be based on the nature of of the recommendation or suggestion contained therein. The chairman pointed out that the number of accidents from the breakage of ropes, overwinding, and

the sudden descent of cages down the shaft from other causes had increased to au alarming extent within the last 14 months, tliefact of mining operations being now carried on at a greater depth than heretofore proving a prolific source of danger to the underground miner. Personally, be was of opinion that the general introduction of safety cages would be attended with beneficial results — the only point on which there appeared to be any doubt or difficulty being the solution of the question, whether a really safe invention had been -brought forward? The board then proceeded to the consideration of a draft report, and in the ourse of a discussion which ensued the main features of the investigations held were carefully reviewed. The evidence of some 40 mining managers and working miners taken both at Ballarat and Sandhurst disclosed the fact that, whileJome difference of opinion existed as flo the utility of the various inventions brought under the notice of the board, there was a unanimous feeling in favour of the adoption of any appliance that would ensure additional safety to miners, co matter how great the expense might ». It was pointed out that as the workings in all our goldfields are carried deeper every year, the breakage of ropes is of more frequent occurrence, the lives of men become more dependent upon the reliability of machinery, and the best chance for immunity from accident is that afforded by the adoption of every safe guard available. One or two members of the board dwelt upon the fact that no opportunity had been afforded for judging the utility of the cages by a test applied after they had been subjected to the ordeal of 18 months' work in a shaft, and without this demonstration they thought that the trials would not be conclusive. The chairman, however, pointed out that the cages could be kept in perfect condition under any circumstances with ordinary care, and that the tests applied on a recent occosion to new cages could be considered applicable to the same cagaa after service in the shaft. The sitting, which was of long duration, terminated on the understanding that the chairman and secretary would confer together, and prepare the draft report, with a view to its being printed and distributed amongst the members. No time will be lost in bringing the labors of the board to a conclusion, and in the meantime no action is likely to be taken to enforce the clause in the act which stipulates that "every cage shall be fitted with special appliances to prevent its sudden descent down the shaf t.'-"