THE COAL MINES ACT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13180, 13 January 1905, Page 2

THE COAL MINES ACT.

AN INTERPRETATION DESIRED. " The Coal Mines Act' Amendment Act, 1903," - which was tho outcomo of much discussion in the llouso after somewhat lengthy and heated evidenoo had been tendered bofore tho Mines Committee, is to come before the Arbitration Court for interpretation in tho Westport coal dispute, which is to be heard otj the 26th inst. 'at Westport. Solicitors; mino managers, and members of tho House differ as to its meaning, arid tho efffeet it will have on the coal industry. N Tlie general opinion of those interested is that it will prove a knotty question, and that tho interpretation will not bo in the interests of either employed or employor. Mr William Scott, tho secretary of tho Otago Employers' Association, leaves for Wpstpcrt next week to assist tho Westport Coal Company, and will be associated with Mr J. Dixon (mino manager at Dennison) and Mr G. Fletcher (mino manager at Granity Creek). Mr Foster will, hs usual, cond'uot the case for the union. The Amendment Act of 1901 reads as follows;—"Section '6: (1) to the provisions of the act a miner shall not bo employed underground for a longer period in any day than eight hours, exclusive of meal times. (2) Such period of eight hours shall be deemed to commence from tho timo tho miner onters the mine, and.to finish when ho leaves the mine. (3) Tho prescribed number of working hours may from time to time be exceeded, but on every occasion wages shall he paid for such extended hours at not less than one-fourth as much again as tho ordinary rato. (4) Where in auy award of the Court of Arbitration under. 'Tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1900,' mado prior to tho commencement of this act provision i 9 mado limiting or extending tho working hours of miners working underground in auy mine, or providingjor the payment of overtime, this section shall, in respcot to such mine, and so lonsr as such award continues in force, be read and construed subject to such award." Tho Amendment Act of 1903 reads as follows:—"Section 2: (1) Snbjcct to the provisions of any award now in force under ' Tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1800,' a miner shall be entitled' to be paid overtimo when ho is employed underground in a mine for more than eight hours in any day, counting from the time ho enters tho underground workings of tha mine to the timo lie leaves the same. (2) For tho purposes of this section 'miner' means any workman employed underground in a mine. (3) Tiiis scction is in substitution for section 6 of 'The Coal Mines Act Amendment Act, 1901,' and that scetjon and subsection S of section 9 of 'The Mining Act Amendment Act, 1902,' aro hereby re-