OTIRA TUNNEL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 643, 21 October 1909, Page 8

OTIRA TUNNEL.

A- DEPUTATION. A deputation'from the New Zealand Miners' Association waitqd. on the Hon. >:R. MTEenno (Minister for Public Works) yesterday- and stated that serious grievances exist among the workmen at the Otira tunnel; The-.deputa-'tion-/ consisted ,of>' ; Messrs. K: Semple (president, John Dalgraves, M. Pagan, W. Parry, and T. J.Molloy. Mr. Fagan asked that the tunnel should, be brought nnder the provisions of the; Mines Act so .as 'toensure .official inspection.:. The Minister: Vfa have a responsible officer •there alwava.. , ■ : • >o- ■ The.Minister stated, that he intended.,bringing forward a Bill to regulate quarry work, for, at present, the-mines .inspector had ho control over a.tunnel nnless it was connected with'n mine. Once having let a contract the Government had : no power to vary it|. unless thev were goros tn he involved, .in a big oxr'^ o - Hp thought it would bo to. the eon.tractors' advantage' to. use electricity, in tht tunnel and also to. employ a tc get :hanla<:;?. The ventilation was bronghfc under-his,, notice last, summer,. and :h« sont sT.man '.specially to .report upon it, and the sanitary .conditions of. the : .tnimel.. Hie report was. .that, ventilation and sanitary conditions'were , satisfactory. He, received -a monthly report from the engineer in charge of the tunnel: and he had never 'received' an adverse report'upon the subjects raised by . the deputation. With the exception of -the complaints made by Mr. Molloy, he . (the Minister! had never received a'complaint from a'workman, but ,ho .would make .inquiries. :'