The Mines Commission.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 29, 22 September 1911, Page 6

The Mines Commission.

RESUME OF SBTTING AT HUNTLY

I The Royal Commission on Mines arrived at Huntly on the sth in.st. The members immediately visited the workings of Ralph's mine. Their method of "investigating was to split so as to form two parties —one to take special notes, tho other to generalise. They thus visited various districts where the men were at work. On the morning of the 6th inst., they inspected the workings of the Extended mine, returning to take evidence at the local courthouse. Mr. Boyd Bennie was first witness, he being Government inspector of mines. According to Mr. Bennie, the Huntly mines are "the safest in the world.'" To Mr. Parry: The Union check-in-spectors have not been helpful to mc. UNION EVIDENCE. Mr. J. E. Duncan, check-inspector, appeared for the Union. He briefly and strongly advocated the introduction of tho following measures:— 1. Report of examination of mine to be , placed at the mine month prior to men going down. This was to ensure safety, said Mr. Duncan, to the workers ; otherwise they might fall upon danger unawares. 2. Signalling from banksmen to enginedriver. 3. Abolition of contract and tonnage rules. 4. Inspector of Mines report to Union after each inspection. 5. Check-inspectors to have the power to inspect mines irrespective of any industrial agreement. 6. Each district to have a fresh-air split, and that quantity presently provided for be increased. During his evidence, Mr. Duncan produced a letter received by him, as Union secretary, from Inspector of Mines, which stated that the Union's request for signals was a right one and would be brought by him to the '.ompany's management. This had rot been done, and three months have elapsed. To Mr. Reed, Chief Inspector: No. I have had no further communication or conversation with Mr. Bennie at any time or anywhere upon the matter. I do not remember Mr. Bennie speaking upon the subject. Mr. Bennie was again in the witnessbox, and stated that he had told Mr. Duncan and Mr. Fulton/ president, that he had no power to enforce the signals, and had cancelled his letter. Mr. Fulton emphatically denied the inspector's statement. Mr. Dowgray: The inspector's statement has been denied, and members of the Commission can form their own opinion's. Tho Chairman: That is a most improper remark. Mr. Dowgraj': Well, you cannot keep a member of the Commission from thinking. ■The Chairman: That remark should not be made. It is most improper. Mr. Duncan further advocated that check-inspectors should have povv*:.r to sue the- company in case of breach of the law. Mr. J. Valentine, witness for Union, demonstrated graphically his various rc-eovnincn-dation.-s. He had been mining for S3 years. His points were : That the miner have discretion in getting tile coal. He instanced that under . tho present system men who had never worked coal came round and dictated to the minor, the result beI in.g that the miner's -life was very I often greatly imperilled. Mr. Reed said that the deputies wont through an examination and had to have five- years' .mining experience. Mr. Dowgray: But no stipulated Li?no in a' coal face. The deputies I received permits simply. Mr. Valentine: I recommend that shot-iirers serve a term of at least five 3'cars upon the coal face. Is)r. Valentine then "advocated the abolition of coal-cutting. The coalculiting was responsible for the high percentage of eye accidents. The doctor had stated to him that he had to attend, on an average, two eye accidents per week. His books showed that return. He did not agree, Mr. Valentine said, with Mr. Bennie, that the abolition of coal-cutting would increase the danger to the eyes. As a practical miner, he thought that trimming side coal would not be as dangerous as at present, when they were working upon fast walls. Mr. Fletcher, member of Commission : But what about good coal for the company. If the coal was not cut there would be less lump coal, and trade, vr-ouid be lost. What about tho miners thon? Mr. Parry: 0h 3 they would play at footbalL Mr. Fletcher. Mr. Watson, union witness, advocated that the- air sweep the working iaco, aiid fully endorsed the measures advanced by former witnesses.

Mr. Couch, check-inspector, thought that a groat boon to the miner would be the spraying of travelling ways with water. The manager had asked at one part that one part of the Commission might not follow another part so closely, and Iso escape the dust. If the dust was not good enough for the Commission, Mr. Couch thought it not good enough for the miner. He also advocated hurdle- method of bratticing bench bords. Mr. Grundy, Union witness, endorsed what all previous witnesses had said, and wished to emphasise the need of miners having more discretion in getting the coal. Mr. Fulton, Union/ president, fully concurred with all witnesses and entered a strong protest against the introduction of goggles or gauzes or eyeglasses to prevent eye accidents, as suggested by Mr. Bennie. He said that all the men in the Union would rather lose an eye than subject themselves to the dangers attending goggles, etc. They would not tolerate such a practice. He advocated that truckers do not follow skips or jigs. To the Chairman: I am otit for life against profits. Other measures advanced were : Travelling way in Extended mine crossing the main haulage way be altered and an overcast be substituted as the best way for improvement; finger posts with directions on aill travelling ways; crosscuts to be driven every 12 yards in bords and headings; change houses and baths ; two engine-drivers be in attendance in the engine-room. The foregoing contains practically all the issues advocated by the Union reps. One remarkable feature was that no company's official appeared in the wit-ness-box. Mr. Bonnie and Mr. Reed did yeoman service for the employers. Significant fact! For weeks prior to the sitting, need I mention, there was considerable activity among the underground officials. Messrs. Parry and Dqwgr&y atre men well qualified for the important positions they hold, and their efforts will some day bringing lasting benefits to the miner. Government or no Government.—BlLLY BANJO.