A.—sa.

Coal-mines.

onsetter shall give any signal during such time. No person shall get on or off the cage after the signal to go on has been given, nor until it has settled on the props or reached the bottom. No person shall take with him down or up the shaft tools, rails, props, sprags, or other bulky material, except for repairing the shafts. No person shall get on the cage after the number of persons stated on the board at the pit top and bottom are on. Every workman shall leave the cage immediately when ordered to do so by the banksman or onsetter. Banksman and Onsetter. 78. The head banksman, subject to the manager's or underviewer's directions, shall have full control over the pit-top and over all persons engaged under him. The onsetter, subject to the manager's or underviewer's directions, shall have full control over the pit-bottom and all persons employed there. No person under the age of eighteen years shall have charge of the pit top or bottom. 79. The head banksman or other appointed person shall be at the mine at the appointed time in the morning, and shall provide a sufficient number of lights on the bank; and before the engine is started, and from time to time during the day, he shall see that the pulleys, ropes, cages, chains, and landing doors or frames are in safe working-condition; and he shall not allow any person to descend the shaft until he has put the loaded tubs into the cage, and the ropes and loaded cages have been run up and down the shaft, and the ropes, chains, cappings, and cages carefully examined by him. If any weakness or defect is found in anything belonging to the pit-top, or in the engine or machinery, he must not permit any person to descend or ascend until it is made secure. The banksman shall also attend to the proper signals. 80. The banksman in charge of the pit-top shall not let a stranger go down the shaft without the authority of the manager. The banksman, when he is informed of danger in the shaft, shall not allow any person to go down, unless for the purpose of repairing the shaft. He shall not allow any intoxicated person to descend. He shall himself give the signals, and let no other than appointed persons land the trucks or put them into the cages. He shall listen at the pit-top when any person is in the shaft, and instantly signal the engineman to stop the engine in case of alarm. He shall remain at the pit-top until all the workmen are drawn out. 81. The banksman or onsetter shall not let a youth under sixteen years of age go up or down the shaft unless accompanied by a man, and shall not permit more than the number of persons stated on the board at the pit top and bottom to descend or ascend at one time. The banksman and onsetter shall not allow a person to go down or up against a loaded cage in the same shaft unless it is bratticed, and shall not allow any person to take with him rails, props, sprags, tools, trucks, or other bulky materials, or to get on or off the cage until it has settled upon the props or reached the pit-bottom. The banksman shall send all tools down the shaft in a truck, and props, rails, brattice-boards, and other bulky materials shall be tied securely to the cage or rope by the banksman or onsetter when bting sent down or up the shaft. If a rope is working in the shaft for underground planes, no person shall ride in the cage whilst this is running unless the rope be cased. 82. The head banksman shall see that the fencing is placed securely round the top of every shaft when it is not at work. 83. The onsetter shall be in the mine at the appointed time in the morning. He shall be at his station and give signals and perform his other duties under these rules, and he shall remain there to see the workmen all safely into the cage and up the shaft at the close of the day. 84. The onsetter shall report to the underviewer any person that gives a signal or disobeys his direction. He shall remain at the bell-handle and give cautionary signals, if necessary, when any person ascends or descends the shaft. He shall only allow appointed persons to put trucks into or take them out of the cages; and he shall see that the coals or materials do not project over the cage. 85. The onsetter shall see that the water-sump is never uncovered when any person is ascending or descending the shaft. 86. The banksman shall keep the cages and pit-top clear. Signals. 87. The banksman and onsetter shall alone give the signals for moving the cages, which are as follows :—

52