ROYAL COMMISSIONER ON MINES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1180, 15 July 1911, Page 14

ROYAL COMMISSIONER ON MINES.

Interviewed on the question of the appointment of a Koyal Commission to inquire into the ventilation and sanitation in mines, MV. H. Poland, JI.l. for Ohincrauri, chairman of tho Parliamentary Mines Committee, said : T "Thcro is 110 doubt in my mind as to tho necessity for a commission. In New Zealand vre nil know that deaths are occurring almost every week on one fiehl or another from minor's complaint or pneumonia, or other lung troubles occasioned by the conditions under which the men work. Yet, the Under-Secretary of Mines in Wellington, in reply to an inquiry from Dr. Compton, wrote to fav that lie. was pleased to report that miner's disease was practically unknown in New. Zealand, and that'during .tho whole time that it was included in the Workers' Compensation Act 110 claim for compensation vr»s made against the insurance departments. TUo Under-secretary should have known the reason for this was because the clause in the CompensatiouvAct sas so worded that none of the unfortunates who weru afflicted could take advantage of . the -Act. Anyone who knows -the goldfields knows that lung complaints exist to a serious extent, and there is nothing'of so much importance as providing for healthy working conditions. If this cannot be done it is better to close the' mines."