W. HOLLOWS.]

105

a—4.

92. But in a non-inflammable mine would yon regard 150 ft. of air as necessary to keep a man comfortable when working ? —I am not going to assume anything of the kind. 93. Just so; but why do you think 150 ft. should be there? —T am only saying that the Act requires it. 94. The Act states that as a minimum, and says further that, " Provided that where the Inspector is satisfied that such rate is insufficient to provide adequate ventilation, he may from time to time require the rate to be increased " ? —That is so. 95. Then the law provides that to protect you. The Inspector can make the management give you more air under that section ? —Yes, that is so. 96. Now, as regards Special Rule 11 and delivery of timber, does not that read such " workingplace," and not " working-face " ?—Yes. 97. Now, do you contract to deliver their coal at the lay-by ?—Yes ; but we do not contract to put timber up in the lay-by. That is in a working-place. 98. You contract to work 4 chains ?—Yes. 99. Your working-place is 4 chains long ? —You say so ; but I contend that the working-place is at 1 lie face, where you get your coal. 100. Do you truck for distances of 4 chains ? —We truck in distances. 101. Is your contract for 4 chains ? —Yes. 102. Is one end of your contract the lay-by : you contract to truck from the lay-by to Ihe face 'i— You have to put the coal there. 1.03. You are working from the lay-by to the face, and the regulation states that the timber shall Ik , delivered to the working-places. It is delivered at the lay-by, is it not ?—Yes, that is so. 104. Consequently the lay-by must be part of your working-place ? —No. Assuming that a man is trucking his coal 4 chains on a heavy grade, it takes him all his time to push his truck. How is it possible, then, for him to wheel that timber into the face ? The Act should be made; clear to show that the timber must be delivered at the face. 105. Do you suggest that the inspection is lax in not insisting upon this timber being delivered to the face I—Yes.1 —Yes. If that is not done, and the men are required to take in their timber, they will simply neglect to bother with it, and that would, lead to accident. That is the reason why we bring the matter up. 106. Does the management assist with the timber? —Yes, in some cases ; but the miner is usually left to struggle with it, or he has to get some one to assist him. 107. Has this question been brought before the Arbitration Court ? —Yes ; and the whole of the recommendations made by the employers before the Court were accepted by the Judge. 108. The Chairman.'] You say that this word " working-place " should be more definitely defined ? -Yes. 109. Because it is injurious to the men to truck up heavy roads ? —Yes. 110. Mr. Dowgray.] Were you speaking of No. 2 Christie's Mine when you said that two men were working on the night shift ? Is there a fan there ?—No. 111. Are there not fires in that mine ?—Yes. 112. When the fan is stopped, how does it affect the smoke in the mine ?—lt would almost chase you out of the mine. You are able to walk in ; but it is a difficult matter to work in that atmosphere. The ventilation is certainly not sufficient for men to work arduously there. 113. The Chairman.] What work do the two men on the night shift have to do ?—Sometimes pillaring arid sometimes repairing. 114. So that they may have to travel the whole of the mine in the night ? —Yes. 115. Mr. Dowgray.] Have you any sanitary arrangements in the mine ? —No. 116. What do the men do ? —They just go into the return or into the waste part of the mine. 117. Mr. MoMneaux.] Can you tell me how long it is since the night shift has worked in the Christie's No. 2 Mine ? —lt is some time. 118. This year ? —I cannot exactly tell you ; but it is some time. back. 119. So that really there is not much hardship if the fan is stopped at night —it is only on odd occasions that it is required ? —When the night shift is working the fan should be going. lam not alluding to any particular mine. As a matter of fact, all the mines in the district at times have worked at night without the fan working. Alexander Love sworn, and examined. (No. 34.) 1. The Chairman.] What are you ?—A coal-miner. 2. With how many years' experience? —I have had betwixt thirty-eight and thirty-nine years' experience—principally in the Green Island district. 3. Have you any position in the mine ?—No, not at the present time. 4. Have you ever held any office ?—Yes, at different times. 5. What office ? —Deputy. I have also had mines of my own at times. 6. Do you hold any office in the union ?—I am president of the Green Island Branch of the union. 7.. And do you speak with the concurrence of the union?— Yes. I think Mr. Hollows has given you. a good idea of the matters the union wished to have laid before the Commission. 8. In the first place, do you corroborate generally what he has had to say ? —Yes. I wish also to say that in driving bords in solid work they should not be higher than 7 ft. or 8 ft. ; and for safety in the extraction of pillars no head coal should be taken down until pillars are extracted. My reason for that is that several of the mines in our district have changed hands, and the companies which held the properties first robbed the mines by taking down the head coal up to 1.7 ft. or 18 ft., and it is