LABOR MATTERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1379, 14 February 1905, Page 2

LABOR MATTERS.

IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS. (Per Press Association.) , .• v ; Beeftoo, last night. *** i The Trades and Labor Council is still : sitting. Several very' important . resoln-J. ; tions have so far been carried on matters urgently requiring legislation, such as thi?-. price of coal to miners, weighing of coal < at mine’s mouth, use of explosives, acci- -£*3 dent insurance fund, superannuation fund,... j gas in mines, winders’ certificates, eto. <h With regard to ventilation, Mr Newton (Brunnerton) moved, " That all mines be ventilated by fans, and that in all mines. -2 where safety lamps are used it shall be>-’j compulsory to have a gas tester at the Jy pit month so that a miner can tost his Vf!/laran before enterics' the minfl.’*—-CJarriefi. "'

Gais in mines—Mr O’Loughlin, of State coal mine, moved, “ That any per- ' i son wishing to take a fireman’s position in a mine shall have at least- two years’ practical experience as a miner, and be compelled to pass an examination by iSC Inspector of Mines on gases before ho be allowud to carry a closed lamp to detect' gas, and also have a thorough knowledge of timbering and ventilation.” The for this was that in the State mine the j miners had no confidence in the men. j They should be compelled to pase\an ' examination. The resolution was carried. • Bock drilling - Mr Betts, secretary of the loangahua Miners’ Union, proposed that no rock drilling machine bo permitted to bo used in any mine unless spray water | is at all times on hand to keep down #be dust. He made some very forcible re- ' marks on the subject. He stated that the Minister of Mines in his reply had said that “ water with pressure was not alwsvp available, bat he had given instructions to the Inspector of Mines to insist on it wherever practicable ” That answer did not meet with the approval of his Union. It was a serious matter to the Reeftou district, and in fact all over the world, as a Boyal Commission had been set up in England to consider the matter. Tbo report of the Commission states that the death rate amoDg miners living in Cornwall had greatly increased daring the last few years among men from 25 to 30 years of age. The excessive rate is shown statistics to be dne entirely to phthisis and other diseases. It is also shown to be due to t-he deaths of men who have -J worked rock drills through the inhaling of j stone dust produced bv drilling dry holesT" blasting and other ways. The report 1 further says that the duet produced can easily be prevented by even a very small water jet. In face of that report Mr Betts v > asked how could the Minister of Mines” refuse their present request. The report was practically what they had been urging on the Government for a large number of * years. Inspectors of Mines were absolutely useless to the worker in his district. They were supposed to look after the health, of miners, but they rather retarded ventilation, When Mr Seddon was in Beefton some time ago Mr Fecbans and himselfwaited upon the Premier to ask that rook drilling be stopped unless a jot of water be .provided. They met and asked the In- - - spector of Mines to be present. Ho did not reply. When they saw the they asked that the inspeotegy" be ? present. The Premier sent for feint, i and after laying their views f before Mr Seddon, the Premier asked ; the Inspector’s opinion. Ho (the TS- ' spector) said it would be impracticable to * have a jet of water, as it would bring the drives together. Thßt showed that the { Inspector did not look after the miners*. | health. With the Commissioners’ report - | to back them np they should be able to j endeavor to get the Minister to agree to f their proposal. The motion was carried.

Mr Betts moved another resolution, to J the effect that the following be to section B of sub-section 1 of section 206 J of the Mining Act: “At all times venXilation should be provided to the extent of ’ not loss than 200 cubic feet of puro air per : ! minute for each man and youth and 150 1 cubio foot of pure air per minute for horse or other animal, which shall’ sweep undiminished along the air ways and on to each working face in the mine where men are employed. Thereat this bo considered absolutely necessary, and ho would » take the matter off the hands of the inspector, who at present could not eay E whether the place was sufficiently ventil- -,i ated. . :.3

Several speakers spoke favorably of tho motion, which was carried unanimously