I.—4a

21

HENRY BETTS.

225 Mr J. Allen.] How could a shift-boss in charge of dozens of faces, when there is a change of shift coming on, let them all know ? Supposing he was informed just shorty before he change of two or three different places being dangerous, how could he let them all know ?—A shiftboss has no right to be in charge of dozens of faces. 22T. Mr. W. Fraser.] You are working a certain number of hours underground under your ggested amendme nt proposes that you shall work a certain number of hOUr 22B~lfthere any difference between the hours you work under that agreement and the hours proposed by Mr. Guinness ?-Yes; the difference would be that our hours of labour would be reduced The point is this : You say that Mr. Guinness's Bill, if passed, would absolutely compel the working of certain hours , , „ T . 229. I merely say that it fixes certain hours beyond which a man cannot work ?—They are the maximum hours which a person can work. wtm--230 Supposing Mr. Guinness's proposed amendment were passed, would you be in a bettei position as far as hours below ground are concerned than you are m now ?—Certainly. 231. To what extent ?—Fully half an hour per day. .-,.•, , ' „ 232 Mr R McKenzie.] You said, in reply to Mr. Fraser, that your industrial agreement was for a period of two years, and. that the miners hoped to break it if the Bill were passed, as I under, stood you. Supposing that the law did not allow you to break your agreement would you break it then?-If the law does not permit us to we will not; but if the law does permit we will 233. You entered into that agreement and signed it m due course : do you not think that, as honest men, you ought to stick to it, no matter what the law may be ?—lf the law 234 Supposing there is no law'-Certainly we will endeavour to carry out the agreement. 235. The Chairman.] Would the effect of the passing of this proposed legislation be to break vnur nareement altogether?—Certainly not; in no respect. } 236 1 Mr J Allen.] Then, you do not object to our putting a clause into the Bill providing that it shall not break the agreement ?-I would rather that Mr. Guinness s amendment came into force straight awav, as far as the hours are concerned. 237 Do the ra ners object to our putting in a clause to provide that your agreement, honourablv made shall honourably stand ?-I do not see that as reasonable men they could very well obJeC 23B° M- T «.rDi~LTs n aybeiore that if the Bill were passed you would take advantage of it to break your agreement ?—The law itself would break our agreement ° 239 The Chairman.] That is what I asked you just now -Most decidedly the law would break our agreement, and we would certainly take advantage of the law. Our agreement wa made aftei the coming into operation of the Act of last year. If you are going to amend the Act y ° U MO "'Mr to a clause like that being put aware that in some cases m the Thames district six hours have been fixed bv the Arbitration Court for those working in very wet places ?—Yes, 1 am. 242 You do not think the men should have to work eight hours a day there, do you ?-No , nor do I think they should be asked to work eight hours a day m badly ventilated places.

Tuesday, 29th July, 1902. Henby Betts (examination continued). The Chairman- I understand that Mr. Betts wishes to correct a statement that he made before the Commirtee on the last occasion when we sat. Will you please state what the correction 1S ' M Mr B felts ■On pa*e 13 of my evidence I said, in answer to a question by Mr. Hemes that the face, with halt an^noui :ouio Saturday shifts, the Saturday day S S hetat h 4 f Xrno T onXift shift.it is not stated whether the hours of labour ii/those particular shifts shall be from face to ace or froml bank t.bank 1 Mr J Allen.] What mine does that agreement refer to ?—Io several mines , you win set, legislation we passed last session, which you seek to amend until your industrial agreement ran out the amendment could have no effect ?-That amen 3 d tsTsession anything provided for in an industrial agree ment 01 an awards the Arbitration Court is excepted ?-We were working under an award at the been better, Mr. Betts, if all these matters had been left Set^tt^