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Dunstan Times, Issue 943, 14 May 1880, Page 2

The number of accidents that are happening amongst the mining population of this Province, ami the frequency of their occurrence, leads to very serious reflections, and the question arises—ls there no means to be devised whereby the risk of accident cannot be not alone lessened but bo brought to the minimum. The late distressing and melancholy accident at Tinker’s Gully—one man killed, cut oil in the pride and prime of life without one moment’s warning ; another maimed by the breaking ot Ins leg—compels these remarks ; ami if there is no existing law, we hope they will lead to a law being framed for the supervision of all mining workings, whether they be coal, or gold, or any other mineral. In the very claim this last sal accident occurred, and if we mistake not in the short space of six months, two other accidents have happened—one by which a young man named Pratt had his leg broken ; the other by which a man, the father ot eleven children, was killed dead on the spot. Accordingly the frequency ot their occurrence is becoming alarming and demands legislation. The law with respect to the supervision of mines is an anomaly not understandable, and the sooner it is set right the better. Over gold mines there is apparently no supervision, though the law is particularly thoughtful of coal and other mines ; and

inspectors in the Government pay arc ever on the move. As with underground workings, so with those above ground A code of regulations could be easily framed, and on claimholders wilfully breaking through any one of these regulations, they should be liable to heavy penalties on conviction ; information to he laid by anyone All the accidents above referred to, as with the very large majority of accidents that occur in above ground workings, arise from one cause that could be easily and as a rule cheaply prevented ; but the cupidity and desire for big dividends is so all-powerful that they omit to use those necessary precautions to prevent accident. The claimholders of Tinker’s Gully arc no more culpable than any others, as is evidenced by the almost daily recurring reports of accidents to m n u through being overtaken by falling ground. All are alike neglectful of their own lives and of the lives of those they have under them. General legislation is consequently required, and we hope it will not be long before we have a law to meet the case.

and at the Town Hall, Clyde, on Monday evening next, when they will give their varied and interesting entertainment. On Monday morning last as a young man named Dennis Forgarty with several others was journeying from Tinkers into Blacks, to he present at the ceremony of opening the new bridge, Fogarty's horse stumbled throwing him heavily to the ground head foremost, on being picked up he was insensible, and in which state he remained till some time after his arrival in Blacks where eventually under Dr Sleomans charge he regained consciousness.

An old favorite, Mdlle Muriellc, announces that in conjunction with a talented Company, she will give her farewell entertainments to gold-fields’ audiences at Ophir, Tinkers, Alexandra, and Clyde during the coming week. We can da no better than draw the attention of Mdlle Murielle’s many admirers and friends to tlie advertisement appearing in another column.

The quarterly meeting of the St. Dunstan Lodge, I 0.G.T., was held in the Town Hall, Clyde, on Saturday last. The reports of the retiring officers showed the Lodge to be in a satisfactory condition, the number of members on the roll being 40. The D.G.W.C.T. Bro Dunn then installed the following officers for the next term : W.C.T., Bro Crawford; W.V.T., Sis M'Commchie; W.S, Bro Smart; W.F.S., Bro MTerran; W.T., Bro Dunn; W.C., Bro Hall; W.M., Bro Little; F.W.C.T., Bro Davidson; W. LG., Bro Morris; W.0.G., Bro Voting ; W.K.S., Sia C. Hastie ; W.L.S., Sis L. Williams ; W.A.S., Sis E. Hastie ; W. D.M., Bro Williams.

At the usual sitting of the Waste Lands Board held on the sth instant a mineral lease was issued to James Lawrence, sec. tion 7, block 1, Bannockburn ; also a lease to Messrs Moore and Bryde, section 10, block I, Cromwell. At the same meeting the Chairman of the Vincent County Council forwarded a plan of Block I, Leaning Rock district, and requested that a line of road, two chains broad, be recorded on official plans, through sections 46, SS, 04,, avid 52, present road being impracticable.—KcferreJ to the Chief Surveyor, with the view of having the request complied with if he sees no objection.