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77. Mr. Dowgray.\ You have heard what previous witnesses have said about the safety-bar on the cages in the Waihi Mine : are all the cages fitted with it?— Yes, all the ones I know. 78. In the early days of this mine were the passes always kept open?— Yes, they were always empty. 79. So that you used to pass your steel through them?— Yes. I would like to add that that was another source of ventilation which we had at that time. These passes allowed the air to come in, whereas now they are full. 80. The Chairman.'] Have you ever had an accident happen in the mine as the result, directly or indirectly, of having only one man at the engine?—No, but it may occur. 81. Mr. Parry. .] Do you think that it is essential to have a standard temperature fixed for six-hour places?— Yes. Charles Opie recalled. 82. Mr. Parry.] What is your opinion, Mr. Opie, as to whether accidents would be minimized if shots were not allowed to be fired by men depending upon the amount of material gotten, and that all explosives should only be handled by shot-firers?—l believe it would be a good thing if it were put into workable form. 83. The Chairman.] Can you suggest a workable form? —Yes, I think it could be done all right if a man were told off to a certain district to have charge of the firing of all shots fired in that district. 84. With a shot-firer who would determine the length of the hole? —The man who bored it. 85. How would it minimize accidents? —Instead of three or four men being engaged in the firing there would only be one. 86. Mr. Parry.] You think there would be less accidents occurring if only one man were allowed to handle the explosives instead of perhaps fifty?— Most decidedly. Thomas Kearney sworn and examined. (No. 18.) 1. The Chairman.] What are you, Mr. Kearney? —A miner. 2. How long have you been mining, and where? —Twenty-six years; Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, and New Zealand. 3. How long in New Zealand? —Four years this time. 4. Where in New Zealand? —Waihi. 5. In which mine? —Waihi and Grand Junction Mines. I have been working about eighteen months in the Waihi Mine. 6. How long is it since you were there before? —About twelve or eighteen months. 7. What is your total experience of the Waihi Mine? —Close on three years. 8. Have you had any experience of taking temperatures?— No. 9. Upon what matters did you wish to furnish the Commission with information?—As to the heat and ventilation. 10. Have you had any experience of accidents? —Not at Waihi. I wish to speak as to bathhouses and change-houses. 11. Tell us first with regard to temperature?— Well, I was working in the stopes here on the Edward lode on No. 8 level. It is too hot where we are working. I saw the temperature taken last February by the Inspector of Mines, and it was 85° there at that time. 12. Do you know what the surface temperature was then?—l could not say. 13. Was your place visited by the Commission? —Yes. 14. What was the temperature taken ?—B2f° and 83° at one end, and 81° and 82° at the other end. 15. Who took it?—l do not know. I was not on shift at the time. 16. In what way does it affect you?— Well, after a man has been working hard —say, falling stone —for about ten minutes he feels as though he were in an airship— ever\ r thing seems to be going round —and his heart beats like the kettle-drum. He has to sit down, or he w T ould fall. At times we get overheated and retch a good deal. It also brings us out in heat boils and abscesses. 17. Have you had medical treatment for any of these things?—No, I have not been examined for them, but I saw a doctor about six weeks ago, and he advised me to get out of the mine. 18. Which doctor? —Dr. Craig. 19. Have you any objection to his giving evidence before the Commission as to his examination of you ?—No, not at all. 20. And as to ventilation what have you to say?— Well, the stope in which I am working now is a mullock stope, and the passes are kept fillefl. We have three ladders, but sometimes these ladderways are covered over with quartz, and perhaps they may be covered that way for a week, and no ventilation comes up. I would suggest that in those hot places where the passes are filled there should be a ladderway to come up alongside every pass. 21. Do you approach your stope from No. 7?— From Bto 7. It is called Bullock's pass. 1 have been told, that when the Commission went in yesterday they took the ventilation at No. 8 level —that is where we get our ventilation from —and it was 79° and 80°. 22. Have you anything to suggest for the improvement of the ventilation?— Well, the only way I can see to improve matters is to have doors in the main airways in order to carry air up into the stopes. As it is at present it goes where it is not required, and should be distributed better. 23. What is your opinion as to bath-houses? In your experience, are they used when provided? —Yes, they are used a great deal, especially by the men working in those hot places. One perspires very freely even when working in only boots and trousers. A miner gets very dirty, and requires a hot bath, which should be provided. That also applies to men working the machines, for they get covered with dirt and grease.

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