R. N. RIDD.]

93

C—4

75. Are these exact copies ?—Yes, according to the Act the workmen's inspector must supply a copy to the company within twenty-four hours of his inspection. "76. Did you supply copies of these ?—Yes ; one I handed to Mr. Carson, and the other I posted to him. 77. Addressed to the manager at the registered office of the company in Kaitangata ?—I addressed it to him as manager of the Kaitangata Mine at Kaitangata. In these reports it is stated that in the opinion of the workmen's inspector the opening of the mine by wide bords is a factor which tends to make the miner's work more dangerous when he is subsequently extracting pillars, and that it was not the safest way of opening up the mine. 78. This report is signed "Edwin Rodgers." Is he a man of experience? —Yes, I.understand lie holds a deputy's certificate. William Shallish sworn and examined. (No. 27.) . 1. The Chairman.] What are you ? —A miner. 2. How many years' experience have you had ? —1 have been seven or eight years in the Kaitangata Mine. 3. Prior to that ? —I had about eight years' experience prior to that. 4. Where ? —ln Victoria. 5. Do you hold any office at the mine ?—No. T have been a roadsman. 6. Have you any office under the union ?—I am treasurer of the Otago Coal-miners' Union of Workers. 7. Are you a workmen's inspector % —No. 8. Which matters do you wish to bring before the Commission ? —I would like to speak as to the system of pillar- and head-coal extraction. I also consider that the ventilation should be better attended to. 9. As to pillar- and head-coal extraction, did you hear the evidence given last night ? —No ; 1 consider that the present method is very unsafe, and against the interests of the men, as well as against those of the management. There are absolutely no precautions taken for the safety of the men, and it is simply a matter of luck that there are not more accidents from the time the men go in. till they come out. The stone in the Kaitangata Mine is invariably very bad, and in filling coal under the stone roof it is very dangerous. The stone in the Kaitangata Mine gives no warning whatever —it is more in the nature of mud, and simply drops. It may drop in large or small pieces, and even with small pieces it is dangerous if the place is high. I consider that the roof should never be bared without leaving a cover of coal. 10. Of what thickness of coal ?—I do not consider it is safe for a man to work with it above 15 ft. or 16 ft. from the road. 11. But what thickness of coal should be left under the roof ?—lf the thickness of coal is known it should not be less than. 6 ft. thick below the stone. 12. What height would you say could be propped with reasonable safety, so as to win as much coai as is consistent with safety ? —Well, you cannot prop with any success much above 8 ft. ; but if you have perhaps 5 ft. of solid coal on each side of you the coal would be in a state to give you warning as to loosening, and you would always know the state of the roof. You should be able to reach it with a pick or stick. 13. What system would you suggest ?—That they should drive with narrow bords, and that a solid strip should be left on the outside of the pillars. The coal should not be taken out as at the present time. There are perhaps six or eight shovels working in a line, and the noise prevents you from hearing anything that is taking place. You have to ask the men to stop work, and by the time they do so the noise is over and the warning is lost. That happens perhaps a few times, and the men get more careless, with the result that they take more risk than they should ; whereas, if each pair of men were kept to themselves by a strip of coal being left on the outside, it would give them more quiet, and enable them to detect signs of an impending fall. 14. Have you any other suggestion to make ? —I would also like to say that 1 consider that underviewers and deputies should have more responsibility than they take at the present time. They seem to be totally devoid of responsibility. The men have to examine the places for themselves. A short time ago —on the 31st August, to be exact —I was passed into a place which had been examined by a deputy, who told me that there was plenty of coal there, and all the stone had been taken out. I thought that was rather too good to be true. I went in and examined the place myself, and found that over where 1 was supposed to be filling there was a mass of coal and stone hanging with 18 in. or 2 ft. broken away from the roof, and under that there was 4 ft. of coal hanging. There was nothing to prevent the lot of it falling on any person working there. As a matter of fact, it fell in two hours afterwards. 1 sent for the deputy, and he said that he had not time to attend to it just then, but he would be back in half an hour. He also told me I was not working in my right place, that I had no right to be where I was, and that further in was my place. I told him I was willing to work further in if he would get me a trucker. 15. We cannot go into a dispute of that nature. You think that a deputy should have more experience ? —He should have more responsibility, and he should have the experience necessary to enable him to tell a man about his place. It was impossible for me to reach the place, because it was so high. The trucker said he would not go underneath it, and the deputy sent us home. It seems that his responsibility is not defined. 16. What remedy would you suggest ?—That there should be more competent men in the mine to be able to take these head-coal places under their supervision, and all work in them should be under their direction. Where there are dangerous places precautions should be taken to see that the men do not go underneath them.