THE SHAG POINT COLLIERY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 6 July 1880, Page 3

THE SHAG POINT COLLIERY.

Onr telegrams have lately conveyed the intelligence the Hon. Captain Fraser had taken considerable interest in the condition of the Shag Point coal mine. The following fuller particulars of one of the motions brought forward by the hon. gentleman, gleaned fr*»m an advance proof of Hansard, may prove interesting : The Hon. Captain Fraser, in moving the motion standing in his name, said that on the 23rd inst. he asked a question with reference to a report that a certain number •cf men were carried to the surface of thi3 mine. He had as yet received no reply. Almost the next day, or the day afterwards, an account appeared in the papers t'-dt a sergeant of police was sent down to and on the next day they heard rA tocs ?" of P oli:ce faein S sent down ; tie reason assigned being that there was a strike, in consequence of the miners demanding more wages. If the strike had taken place merely tor an inereaseof wages, and for no other reason, then the Government would be perfectly justified in releasing the owners of the mine from any penalties ; but if the action of the miners had arisen from the dangerous state of the mine, and not because they demanded more wages, then the Government would not be justified in releasing owners from the penalties incurred. In the_ Old Country, if a district inspector found there was a mine in a dangerous condition, he reported the fact to the Secretary of State, and the latter referred the matter to the Attorney-General, who took action, well knowing that if a single life w.i 3 sacrificed in consequence of no action beiiitj taken, there wonid be a clamor from one end of the country to the other. But how was it in this Colony ? _ The Inspector reported to the Under-Secre-tary something of imminent danger perhaps. The Under-Secretary might send the report back for revision, and then •wiio was behind the Under-Secretary? Ha did not at that moment know who was tehind the Under-Secretary, and he did Hot care to know. Ali he knew wa3 this : that the Inspector of Coal Mines knew all about this mine; he had a thorough knowledge of it, and could say whether tile mine wa3 dangerous or not. Motion made, and question proposed, '"That the Government be requested to Mr. Binn3, Inspector of Coal Mines, to report whether the present state of the Sha_: Point Coal Mines with regard to ventilation and escape of gas is safe and satisfactory."—(Hon. Captain Fraser.) The Hon. Mr. Whitaker said that, before the question was prct. he should like to state to the Council exactly how the matter stood. On the -3rd instant the Inspector of Mine 3 (Mr. Binns) wa3 ordered to visit thi3 mine and report upon it. He went there immediately. On the 25th he was compelled to return, having been subpoenaed in a court case. It was reported that he had not sufiicient time to Kate a proper investigation, and he wa3 instructed to retnrn to the mine as soon the court case was over, make a thorough investigation, and report upon As soon as the report came to hand it would be communicated to the Council. Motion agreed to.