Use of Monobel.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, 13 November 1914, Page 3

Use of Monobel.

DECISION OF COURT OF ARBITRATION. The Court of Arbitration which sat to consider the question of whether monobel powder is an explosive which may be used safely in the Extended coal mine at Huntly gave its decision on Friday. The award was to the effect that monobel was not the safest explosive that could be used in the mine, and the opinion was expressed -that the Department was right in forbidding its use. In the case of tire Minister being satisfied that “permitted explosives” could not reasonably be obtained, and that all necessary precautions would be taken, he might, the award stated, give permission for the use of monobel during a stipulated piriod. Dr J. S. McLaurin, Dominion analyst and chief inspector of explosives, and Professor T. H. Easterfield, professor ot chemistry at Victoria College, Wellington, were the arbitrators, while Mr Justice Cooper acted as umpire. Mr J. C. Martin reprasented the Minister for Mines and Mr C. J. Tanks the Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd. ORIGIN OF THE DISPUTE. The award sets forth first the facts of the case. On October 1, 1914, it says, the inspector of mines, under the Coal Mines, Ltd., in pursuance of section 56 of the Act, required the company to discontinue the use in the Extended mine of an explosive known as monobel on the ground that the use therof was dangerous. The company objected to the requirement of the inspector, and within seven days after the receipt of the notice brought their objection before the Minister for Mines. The inspector duly reported upon the objection and the matter in dispute was referred to arbitration, as between the Minister for Mines and the company. The grounds on which the company objected to the requirements of the inspector of mines were stated as follows : (1) The use of “ permitted explosives ” is not necessary ; (2) the use of monobel

liccca.nai j , tuu hoc is not dangerous and defective, and does not threaten or tend to the bodily injury of any persons ; (3) no “permitted explosives” can be obtained in New Zealand. PERMIT NECESSARY. “We award and that, subject, nevertheless, to the provision hereinafter set forth,” the award of the'Courtcontinued, “ none but ‘ permitted explosives ’ shall be used in th > said Extended mine. ' Permitted explosives ’ we define as the explosives named and defined in the first schedule to the Explosives in Coal Mine. Orders of September l, 1913, and subsequent dat?s made under the provisions of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, of the United Kingdom. “ If the company claims that it is unable, within Reasonable time to procure 1 permi££§d explosives ’ as defined in the preceding paragraph, and desires to use t he explosive known as monobel, it shall first obtain the consent of the Minister to such use, and it shall be the duty of the company to satisfy the Minister that ‘ permitted explosives ’ are not obtainable within reasonable time, and also that all necessary precautions for the safe use of monobel will be taken. The Minister may, in his discretion then grant such permission. u lf such permission be granted, it shall be regarded as a general permission to use monobel. Such permission shall be limited by the Minister to such period as the Minister, in his discretion, shall think advisable, and such permission shall in no case extend beyond the period of continuance of the present state of war, or such reasonable time thereafter as the Minister, in his discretion, shall think fit 1 SAFETY OF MINERS MOST IMPORTANT. “In considering this matter and the evidence adduced by the parties,” the arbitrators stated in a memorandum to the award, “we have proceeded upon the piinciple that our primary duty is to ensure as far as is reasonably possible, the safety of the lives of the men employed in the Extended mine. It has been found necessary to use safety lamps in this mine, and there was also some evidence given before us that gas has been detected in the Extended mine. While the Extended mine may not not be said to be in strictness a ‘ fiery’ mine, yet the occasional pressure of gas, and the class of coal mined there, together with the dangerous quality of the dust, justifies us in holding that the explosive krnwn as monobel is not the safest explosive which can be used f n this mine, and that the Dep was right in forbidding its use. In this connection, we quote the evidence of Mr. Wooffithe mine manager. He said: —“Assuming that “permitted explosives” could be reasonably obtained, . and looking to the fact that it is necessary to use safety lamps, I quite i gree that it was reasonable for the Department to require us to use permitted explosives. It was because we could not get f “permitted explosives” that I . thought it unreasonable.” 1 “The fact also that monobel 1 has (j removed from the per- > mitt.* i list of explosives to be u? ’I, ir mines in the United S

Kingdom where inflammable gas exists, is evidence that monobel is not so safe an explosive as the present ‘permitted explosives.” And the fact that in Ralph’s mine, in which the same class of coal is mined as in the Extended mine, there was recently an explosion causing a great loss of life, and that after the explosion a very large body' of gas was discovered in that mine, is also relevant, as the two mines are adjacent. COMPANY’S INTERESTS SECONDARY. “ The convenience of the company is a secondary consideration. There may be a difficulty in obtaining “ permitted explosives,” and we have inserted provisions in the award under which, if the company can satisfy the Minister that “permitted explosives ” car.not reasonably be obtained, and that all necessary precautions will be taken to avoid clanger if permission is granted by the Minister to use monobel temporal’'ly, the Minister may, in his discretion, permit temporarily the use of monobel. Without such permission it must not be used.” Having read the award, His Honor remarked that it had not been necessary for him to exercise his powers as arbitrator. He had no hesitation in saying, however, that the opinions expressed in the award had his entire support.