DUST DEATH CREATES FEAR AMONG MINERS

Chronicle (Levin), 9 July 1946, Page 5

DUST DEATH CREATES FEAR AMONG MINERS

(Bpecitil Aust ra'liau L'orrespohdenf.)

STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO PROBLEM

Received Alonday, 7 p.m. BYDNEY, July 8. A disetise wliieh is .clainung overliigh perccntages of men who work in coalinincs on tlie southcoast of Xew youth Wales, is creatiug something akin to a panic among the miher.s whose only livelihood threatens them with paiuful death in middle age. ytoppages .of work iu the south eoast. mines a're (ltie to a problein which is completely separate from the industrial troubles which lieset other miuing areas. Tliere is nothing ncw about the disease. It is ealled nodular librosis, or coninionly " dust on the lungs, " a progressive ailment for which apparently tliere is no cure. The cause of the presence of dust which makes the south eoast mines 1111ltealthy and even dangerous, is believed to be the grinding of c-oal seams oue against the other during centuries, rather than the work of the miners theniselves. The miners say. that tio saturation of the coaL seaih/by ;f.QX!cin.g, water under" pressure i'nto Rbles b.ored' in the e.oal face, is'the only (solution. The system was tested by the British Hinistrv of Euel and is now being eni ployed in over 90 per c.ent. of the mines of Bouth Wales. Xew South Wales j owners, however, are inclined to dis jcount the British tests-atid claim that j the infusion of water brings othei complications. Though the water inj fusion is being used successfully in ! two Government-owned mines, other owners say the expense would not justify it. CThe dust nuisance on the south eoast is worse beeause south eoast eoal puiverises easily. It has been noticed. however, that seams near the surface are freer from dust than those, as at U'orrimal, which are live miles from the | pithead. j The men working in a perpetual cloud 1 inhale the dust which settles as a gritty coating in the air passages. In tlie tinal stages of the . disease the lungs resemhled pieces of coke. Some miners' lungs were in such a condition that after death they could he cut only with a hacksaw. It used to take 20 years for the dusted condition to develop hut now it often occurs after less than five years and even men working ahove ground are ! not exempt. j In the past 12 montlis, 1500 miners | were X-raved at Wollongong and Bulli | Hospitals — more than half the union I memljership. The men are entitled to I compensation and receive two-thirds of I their average weekly earnings before i being classed as unfit. The fixed I amounts for the totally unfit men are j£3 10s weekly pltts allowances for wife and children.to a total maximum of £6. Though he nfhy be in early' middle age, : a man "on the dust," has received his death warrant. Three died last week ; and nobody knows who will be the | next. j There is a near-panic in the Illawarra jdistrict with the dust the only topic j of conversation. That is why tho . miners are insisting that the State or 1 Federal Government should come to I their aid. The miners' plea is tliat it I must be paid for in human lives.