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. 52. What is jour opinion of their effect upon the health of the miners using them? — Li they are used dry they are injurious. 53. Have you anything to suggest as a remedy? —They should be done away with, or water should be used with them; but Ido not know whether it would work with water. A small spray might be suitable. 54. Do you think that would be sufficient? —1 do not know. 55. And as to your suggestion about a temperature standard for a six-hour place, does the temperature vary quickly? —Yes, it may vary a degree or so. 56. Then, so that we may arrive at a fair conclusion, what length of time would you have the place at that temperature before-the six-hour shift would come into operation—should it be a day, or a week, or an hour ? —After about a day of high temperature. 57. Mr. Beed.\ You referred to a temperature of 75°: do you mean wet or dry bulb?—l do not know about those things. 58. Are you aware that there is a considerable difference?—l am told there is. 59. Would you consider that a dry-bulb temperature of 75° and a wet bulb of 70° would be too high for an eight-hour place? —I have been told that 75° wet and 80° dry is too high. 60. Then practically you know nothing about temperatures?— No. 61. Do you mean six hours from bank to bank, or actually in the working-place?— Six hours bank to bank. 62. How many hours would that be in a working-place on an average?— About five or five and a half. 63. So that you propose to make a working-day of five or five hours and a half in places which register 75° wet bulb ?—Yes. 64. Mr. ParryJ\ Do you think the temperature would vary if mechanical ventilation were installed ?—Yes. 65. My question is whether ventilation by fan or other mechanical means would vary as much as the present ventilation ?—I could not say exactly. Alfred Brown sworn and examined. (No. 20.) 1. The Chairman.] What are you, Mr. Brown?—A miner. 2. How long have you been mining? —About twenty years. 3. Where? —South Australia, Victoria, and New Zealand. ♦ 4. How long in New Zealand? —Fourteen years. 5. In which mines?— About twelve years in the Waihi Mine. 6. Have you had any experience of the taking of temperatures?—l have not taken any myself. 7. Have you seen them taken?—Y'es, in places where I have been working. That was a while ago. 8. Did the taking of that temperature give you any idea or enable you to compare the actual heat with the registered heat?— Yes, I have a fair understanding of it; it was 81° on the occasion I refer to. 9. How did that temperature affect you : did you consider it an excessive heat?— Yes, I reckon it was too warm to work eight hours in. 10. Do you understand the wet and dry bulbs? —No, 1 have no practical knowledge of them. 11. And, even with the 81° you quoted, you do not know whether it was by the wet or dry bulb? —T was given to understand it was 81° dry. 12. And that was too warm?— Yes, for eight hours. 13. Are there any matters in particular upon which you wish to inform the Commission?— As far as change-houses go, I would like to say a few words. In alluvial mines they have a different system. Each man has a place and a number. You take j-our clothes off and put them on the floor, and a man comes round and takes them away, dries them, and brings them back. That is a better system. Of course, the man is not required continually—only for an hour or so when the shifts are changed. Also, as to the bath-houses, they should be boxed off, and there should be hot and cold water. It is impossible to get oil off with cold water —you want a hot shower. 14. Do you mean for the places to be boxed off for privacy? —No; unless they are boxed off a man gets sprayed with the water from, the showers. Also, the showers should be boxed off from the basins. 15. How would it suit to have a system of stalls partitioned off with galvanized iron?—lt would not matter what they were made of so long as it kept the shower in. Then you want about half as many showers again—about twelve showers for a shift. At the present time, when shifts are changed, there are alwayg a lot of men kept waiting. When men are hot they should not be kept waiting too long. About one shower for every eight men would be sufficient. 16. From your experience can you tell us how many men use the showers? —As far as I know there are very few men who do not use them before going horne —in fact, hardly any. 17. Have you any other matters to which you wish to draw the attention of the Commission? —In regard to shot-firing, lam in favour of the use of the battery in rises, winzes, and shafts. It is much safer than the fuse. 18. Have you any limit of shots to be fired by fuse?— Well, I think five holes are quite sufficient to fire by fuse. 19. Have you known of many accidents resulting from firing?— Yes, I have known several in the Waihi Mine. 20. How were they caused? —There was the case of Faulder :he was blown up. In Marshall's case they heard two shots, but they did not warn him that there was more to go. He was fossicking round and struck the charge, which exploded.