SAFETY IN MINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 14

SAFETY IN MINES

USE OF MACHINERY MINISTER AT GLEN AFTON CONFERENCE UNDER GROUND COMPLAINTS MADE BY WORKERS [by telegraph—OWN correspondent], HAMILTON, Friday The pillar workings in the Mac Donald Mine, Glen Afton, 200 ft. below the surface, were the scene this morning of a spirited discussion on the safety of using machines in such workings between the mine managers and union representatives, with the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. 0. Webb, and the Under-Secretary of Mines, Mr. A. Tyndall, acting as arbiters. The Minister carried out a thorough inspection of the mine and made the closest inquiry regarding the conditions of work. It was his first visit to the \Vniknto conlfieids, he said, and they provided a striking contrast to those ho had boon accustomed to on the West Coast. Ho described the Mac Donald Mine as a paradise in comparison. Removal of Machines Operations nt the pillar workings havo been susepended since the men went on strike several weeks ago. Work elsewhere in the mine was resumed* after several days, when, on the recommendation of the Minister, the machines were removed from ,the pillar workings. The pillars consist of blocks of coal a chain square situated between drives. The machines are fitted with teeth which form a slit 6ft. deep at the base of the wall of coal. Explosives are then used -and the wall above the slit is removed, the coal thus liberated being trucked away. During the discussion to-day the men made statements which were disputed by Mr. P. Hunter, superintendent of Glen Afton Collieries, and by Mr. J. W. Glendining, manager of the Mac Donald mine. In answer to Mr, Tyndall, it was agreed that the complaints alleged arose through breaches of the rules agreed to between the union and the management. The men admitted that the complaints had not boen reported to the management, and suggested that they would have been victimised if they had been. This statement was refuted by Mr. Hunter, who said he was concerned about the safety of the mine and welcomed any suggestions for the improvement of conditions. Fewer Accidents in Mine Mr. Hunter quoted figures to show that since machines had been used in the mine eye accidents had dropped from 83 in 1931, when picks were in general use, to nine in 1934 and 10 in 1935. Other accidents, some of which involved only a day's loss of work, had been reduced from 111 in 1931 to 34 last year. Mr. I. Hutchinson, president of the Northern Miners' Union, said that there had been 17 stop-work meetings since Christmas, and he assured the Minister that this fnct indicated all was not well in the mines. The conference was resumed in private when the party reached the surface and at the conclusion Mr, Webb made a statement for publication, in which he said ho was convinced that the mine was one of the best he had ever visited. It was splendidly laid out and contained a seam averaging from 14ft, to 16ft. of excellent coal. Nervousness of the Men The management, ho said, was most emphatic that the machines cotdd be worked with safety in the pillars. The men, on the other hand, were equally emphatic that dtiring the process of extracting the pillars \yith machines they were always in a state of nervousness for fear that a fall of coal would take place and entrap them. The men pointed out to him that when the general cavil for positions took place each quarter men with slightly defective hearing were' debarred from being included among those drawing places for pillar workings. The unanimous opinion of both managers and the miner's organisation, said the Minister, was that the men engaged in pillar extraction must have sood hearing. A roof usually gave a creaking warning when it was about to give way and when that was heard the men "put their running shoes on." If their hearing was defective this warning was not heard. With the machine operating in the pillar workings the noises created by their operation made the hearing of any earth movement impossible. Safety First Consideration The Minister added that in view of the circumstances -his Government definitely would not be a party to forcing the men to work in places which, in their opinion, were dangerous to their lives. As far as he Avas concerned, he agreed with the men that machineworking in pillars was, in most cases, definitely undesirable, and ho considered the views of the mon should be respected. If at any time the men and the management agreed on some modification of machine extraction in pillars which would guarantee that element of safety the men required, his department would offer no objection to the use of machines. His first consideration was the safety of the men. In the meantime the machines were not being used in the pillar workings.