DEPUTIES IN COAL MIXES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15847, 18 February 1915, Page 7

DEPUTIES IN COAL MIXES.

MUST BE APPOINTED. MAGISTRATES RULING. [by telegraph.— correspondent. WHfNOARFi, Wednesday. QrESTioNs intimately affecting the conduct of small mines were decided by Mij. E. Page, S.M., at Whangarei to-day in the case of the Inspector of Mines v. Alfred Henry Taylor, manager at the Harrison mine, Whangarei. Defendant, who was charged with failing to appoint a competent person to act as foreman, or deputy, to the mine, admitted the facts, and asked for a ruling as to the necessity of appointing a foreman or deputy in a small mine like defendant's. . The magistrate said that six men were, employed at the mine underground, and with the manager and workers above ground, the employees numbered 10. Paragraph 22 of the special rules in the schedule to the Act said the manager shall appoint one or more competent persons to act as foremen or deputies of the mine. Those provisions the magistrate ruled as mandatory, and held that one or more foremen or deputies must be appointeol in all cases. Defendant also asked for a ruling as to the necessity of appointing an under- | viewer. Paragraph 7of the special rules : said the manager may appoint one or \ more underviewers to assist him in the ; performance of his general and special ■ duties subject, however, to his own i general supervision and control. I The magistrate said there was no sec- ' tion making the appointment of an underviewer compulsory, and, in his opinion, it, in the case of a small mine, it was shown that all the duties imposed on an underviewer could be, and were being, efficiently I performed by the manager, there was nothing in the Act to prevent the manager acting as underviewer or to require the appointment of a separate underviewer. Defendant, for failing to appoint a foreman or deputy, was fined £2 and costs.