C—4

206

[g. w. HOBN.

27. Would you, if necessary, provide a small auxiliary fan? —Yes, if necessary. 28. In regard to ventilating your levels ahead of a circulation of air, would you be in favour of a maximum distance beyond which they should not go ahead of the air? Supposing no air is being led by pipes, how far would you drive the level ahead of the air ?—That would vary very much under different conditions. It would be almost impossible to lay down any definite rule. The custom is to take a portion of the piping with you. 29. As to the question of the mine-manager controlling all the works in his own mine, and interference by either a board of directors or a superintendent, have you anything to say?— Well, I think, sir, that when a mine-manager is responsible, as he is under the present Act, for the lives of the men working in the mine, he should have full charge, with full power to see that the men are working in safety. 30. Mr. Beed.~\ Have the men taken advantage of the power to make inspection as provided by law?— Not that lam aware of. They have never paid me a visit. 31. Does the Inspector of Mines visit your mine frequently?— Yes, very regularly. 32. Does he thoroughly examine the mine? —Yes. 33. Does he insist upon all the provisions of the Mining Act being observed?— Yes. 34. Do you know why the miners do not take advantage of the power to make inspections?— Well, I suppose they are satisfied with the conditions. 35. Have you plenty of boilers for running your blower? —Yes, I think there are ten boilers. 36. Has the Deep Levels board received any complaints from the men as to the quality of air in the Deep Levels?—No, not that I am aware of. 37. Have you received any complaints as to the quality of the water used for sprays? —Not in the form of a complaint. I think some of the men have said that they preferred the water from the surface for drinking purposes, but they do not complain of the water used for boring. 38. You heard Mr. Warne's evidence on the subject of a standard temperature?— Yes. 39. Do you agree with it entirely?— Yes, I do. Ido not think it is workable on a field of this kind. There might be conditions present as regards gas which are really worse for the men than a high temperature. They would be more entitled to work six-hour shifts by reason of the gassy nature of the country than because of the heat. 40. The Chairman.'] As to the tribunals provided for by the Act for inquiring into accidents in mines, do you approve of the present system of such inquiries being conducted by a Warden and two assessors? —Yes, I think it is a very satisfactory one, and to be preferred before a Warden alone 41. Would it not be better for the assessors to be a miner and a mine-manager?— Yes, that might be fairer; I would not object to that, personally. 42. At any rate, you think it is preferable to have two assessors rather than the Warden alone? —Yes. 43. Mr. Dowf/ray.'] Have you had any experience of taking temperatures?— Not a great deal. 44. Can you explain the difference between a wet and dry bulb? —Not from experience. 45. Mr. Parry.'] Well, then, I take it that you are not in a position to tell what effect moist temperature has upon the conditions of the men?—l am not a doctor exactly. Do you mean physically ? 46. Yes, what effect would moist and dry temperatures have upon a man? —I do not quite understand what you are getting at. 47. You say you do not know the difference between a wet and a dry bulb? —Do you mean the difference in the atmosphere when tested by the two bulbs? Supposing you took the temperature with the wet and then with a dry bulb, the latter would register so many degrees higher. 48. It might not?—l think it would. lam not familiar with the subject. 49. Therefore you are not able to give an idea as to what temperature is injurious to a man's health? —It does not make any difference whether the temperature is taken with the wet or the dry bulb. 50. You are not in a position to give an idea as to what standard of temperature would be injurious to a man?—l know, from temperatures we have taken, what is high enough for a man to work in. Anything over 80° by the wet bulb is rather too warm for a man to work in comfortably. 51. That is to say, if the temperature goes over 80° by the wet bulb, the place is too hot to work an eight-hour shift in? —Generally speaking, it is too warm to be comfortable. I would not say it is too warm for an eight-hour place. 52. That does not answer the question. You say you corroborate Mr. Warne's evidence: do you also corroborate that given by Mr. Whitley? —In regard to temperature, yes. I think he was pretty well correct. 53. In corroborating the last witness's evidence you agree that if a standard were fixed it would presently apply to all places in the Thames?— Yes, I suppose it would. That hardly requires corroboration. 54. Seeing that you believe that, is it not a sufficient reason for fixing a standard temperature for a six-hour place?—No, that is a reason why you should not fix it. 55. Supposing a standard, say 80°, were fixed, and the majority of places did not exceed that standard, how would it apply to all those places as you say it would?— Sometimes those places reach that temperature in the summer-time. 56. And if they did, would it not only apply to those places, then? —Yes; but if you had a standard, one week you would be working it as a six-hour place and the next an eight-hour place. 57. Do you think, as a practical man, that is a great impediment to fixing a standard?— Yes, I do not think we ought to have a law which is continually changing from one week to another; the law should apply to the place all through.