a—2

28

; is a return from the Registrar-General's Department showing the mortality per whole population of males from pneumoconiosis and miners' phthisis:— 1910. 1909. 1908. Pneumoconiosis .. .. .. .. 9 6 1 Miners phthisis .. .. .. .. 1 10 2 Totals .. .... ..10 16 3 Proportion per 10,000 males .. .. 0-19 0-29 0-059 Assuming all deceased were quartz-miners (surface or underground workers) the proportion per 10,000 would be .. .. 23-1 42-9 7-2 Preventive Measures. —Under the existing statutes the compulsory use of sprays or water-jets is necessary where machine drills are used. Improved ventilation of mines is elsewhere recommended, as is the use of bath and change houses. The prevention of indiscriminate spitting and the destruction of tuberculous sputum should be compulsory. Definite treatment of those affected with tuberculosis of the lungs in an advanced form is already provided for in this Dominion ; and the exclusion from work underground of all persons infected with tuberculosis of the lungs is advisable. In addition to the foregoing measures already in existence or considered advisable, the Commissioners were of opinion that every working-place where rock-drills are in use should be furnished with an approved waterblast or atomizer for laying the dust, smoke, and gases after a blast, and that no man should return to an end, rise, winze, or other close place until the air is free from dust, smoke. and lumes caused by blasting. Measures of Relief. —The following additional measures of relief were recommended by the Com- • : — " That miners suffering, or suspected to be suffering, from fibrosis or superimposed tuberculosis of the lungs shall have free medical advice from the Government, such advice to be given by a medical expert appointed for the purpose. " That in addition to the homes and sanatoria already established, adequate relief be provided from the Gold-miners' Relief Fund for those suffering from miners' phthisis, which for that purpose shall be subsidized £1 for £1 by the Goveernment. Ie qualifications for the above measures of relief to be five years' residence in New Zealand immediately prior to the application for relief, two years and a half of which shall have been occupied in mining underground or working at a crushing-mill in New Zealand."

VII. STATE AID TO MINING. The following schedule shows the amounts expended by subsidies and direct grants out of the Public Works Fund—vote " Roads on Goldfields " —in the different counties, &c, during the year ended 31st March, 1912 :—

Subsidies. Subsidies. Direct Grants. Whangaroa County Coromandel County Thames County Thames Borough Ohinemuri County Piako County Pelorus Road Board Collingwood County Takaka County Waimea County Buller County Inangahua County Murchison County Grey County Brunner Borough Westland County Ross Borough Mackenzie Count} Tuapeka County Vincent County Lake County Wallace County Southland County Public Works Depavan-.nl . Land and Survey Department I s. d. 262 15 0 350 0 0 130 0 0 75 0 0 139 13 2 65 0 0 17 15 0 196 0 0 100 0 0 250 0 0 2d0 0 0 £ a. d. 100 0 0 3,485 5 2 4,959 1 5 537 10 2 2,684 12 0 78 6 8 555 13 0 1,303 2 0 1,321 8 3 100 0 0 8,511 5 3 2,257 17 11 553 9 10 I,858 10 0 331 0 9 > 4,777 17 2 429 8 8 i i 800 0 0 • 904 10 2 939 0 0 442 ii 0 • 976 18 5 974 5 10 400 0 0 1 , 1,786 3 2 ! ,39,281 2 3