COAL MINES BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10715, 8 October 1920, Page 5

COAL MINES BILL

DETAILS OF PROVISIONS. WORKING. CONDITIONS: CO-OP-ERATIVE MINING. In the House of Representatives yesterday the! Prime Minister explained, in connection with tho Coal Mine's Bill, that under the existing law there was ho provision ihado for renewing a ; coal lease. In, some cases short term leases' twar© held \Astsh' 'longer leases', and the result ; was that each lease expired at ■different dates.. Clause, 2 empowered the warden or Commissioner of Crown Lands K with the approval of. the « Minister, to leases from time to time, but not to. exceed, in any case 66 years, tho maximum period allowed bv the 1903, Act. ' " ■ .

Clause 3 empowered. the Government to compel mine owners to provide conveniences in small mine's where, there are less, than twelve men. employed. Clause 4 of the bill empowered the chairman, of tho Board 'of Examiners to fix a date or dates for, holding examinations, the object being to reduce expenses now incurred in the; holding of examinations. Clause, 6 provided for tho repeal of subsection '3 of section 14' of the principal Act, which requires - royalty to be. paid for, working tlie Mbkihinui mine. This mine had been idle for about twenty years, and tho lease referred to iri tho Act was surrendered some considerable time ago. _ Clauso 7 dealt with ventilation in, mines, the object being to obtain a more-reliable sample of, the air in, mines for testing purposes. Clause S had the effect, of prohibiting tho removal of timber in pillars and # old workings by blasting and restricting such, removal by lever, and chain. The present practice has now become obsolete- Clauso 9 enabled the, owners at any time to employ, a, gold miner of three years' experience, and put him in .chiirgc, of any place in a. coal mine: Clause 10 empowered the Government to make monetary grantsJor, subsidies for the purpose of assisting the coalmining industry. This, provision would empower tho Government to make direct grants or pay subsidies to suitable parties of co-operative miners.