TRADES AND LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13207, 14 February 1905, Page 6

TRADES AND LABOUR

.VffiST .'COAST TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL. (Pub United Press Association.) REEFTON, February 13. The Trades and Labour Council is still sitting. Several very important! resolutions liavo so far been carrictl on matters urgently requiring legislation, such as tlie pricos of coal to miners, the weighing of coal at the mine's mouth,, tho uso of explosives, acoident insurance fund, superannuation fund, gas in mines, winders' certificates, etc. With regard to ventilation, Mr Newton (Brunner) moved—''' That all mines bo ventilated 'by fans, and that iu all minc6'where safety lamps are used it shall ho compulsory to have a gas-toter at the pit's mouth, so that a miner can teat his lamp ljofore entering tho mine."—Carried. ; Gas in Mines.—Mr O'Loughlin (State coal mine) moved—"That any person wishing to take a fireman's position in a mine shall havo at least two years' practical experienoa as a minor, bo compelled to pass an examination by tho Inspector of Mines on gases before being allowed to carry a closod lamp to detect gas, and have a thorough knowledge of timbering and ventilation." The reason for this was said to bo that the . Stato mino miners had no confidenoo in somo men, who should bo compelled to pass an examination.—'The motion was carried. I Rook-drilling.—Mr Betta' (secretary of ,the llnangalma Miners' Union) proposed—" That 1110 rock-drilling machine be permitted 1 to l?e used in any mino unless 6pray-water is ; at | all times providod to keep down the dust." The mover made some very forcible remarks 011 this subject. He stated that the Minister of Minos, in his reply, had said that water with pressure was not always available, but that ho had issued instructions to tho Inspector of Mines to insist on it wherever practicable.' That answer did not.meet with tho approval of his union. It was a 6erious mattor, this dust—in fact, all ovor the world, 1— as a Royal Commission had been set up in England to consider the matter. The report of the commission stated that the death rato among rainem living in Cornwall . has greatly increased during tho last few years. Among men. from 25 to 30 years tho cscceesive rate is shown by statistics to be due entirely to phthisis and other diseases. | It was also shown that the deaths of men who have worked rock-drills were due to | the inhaling of. stono-dust, produced by drilling dry: holes, blasting, and other, ways. . Tho report further says: " Tho dust produced can easily bo prevented by oven a i very small, water-jet." In the face of that ' report, Mr Betts asked, could the Minister ' of Mines refuse their present request? The report was practically what they had been ; urging oh' 'the■ Government for a/largo 1 number of years. Inspectors of mines were absolutely useless to workera in this district. They were uppdsed to look after the health of the miners, but they rather retarded ventilation. Wten Mr Seddon was in Beefton some rtime ago Mr Freehaus and himself waited upon tho Premier to ask that rockdrilling be stopped unlca a jet of water was provided. . They met, and asked the Inspector of Mines to'bo present. Ho] did not reply. When they taw the Premier they asked that the-inspector be present, and tlie Premipr - tent for him. After laying their, , views before:Mr .Seddon, the Premier.asked, j the '^e'iqa^rt9j-.6aid :

it would bo impracticable; to have a, jot of water, as it would bring the drives together. That showed that the inspector did not look after the miners' health. With tho commissioners' report to bacbtheni up they slioiild. bo able to endeavour to get the Minister to agree to tboir proposal.—Tho motion was carried. ■ . Mr Betts moved another resolution to the offoct that the following be added to section (b).. of. section 1 of section 206 of-tho Mining Act:—"At all times ventilation shall bo provided to the extent of not less than 100 oubio feet pure air , per minute, for each man and youth, 150 cubic feet''of pure - air per minute- for each horeo or other animal, whioh shall sweep undiminished along iho airways and on to each working face in tho mine- where men are employed thereat." Thia amendment ho considered absolutely necessary. Ho would take the mattor off tho hands of tho inspector, who at present could not say. whether a place was sufficiently ventilated.—Several speakers spoke in favour of the motion, whioh vas carried unanimously. On Saturday week tho threshing-mill owners of Fputh Canterbury held a meeting and fixed tno rates of pay for tho coining season. These rates' were the same as those of last ecason, except tliat Is per thousand was deducted from tho wago to bo paid for oats. In. making this departure the millowners now find that they mado a. mistake. They considered that as the period for which tho award was fixed had expired, the award was no longer binding ou them; but they have been from Wellington that this is not so, .as an award lasts until such time as a fresh award is made.