Report of the Coloured Labour Compound Commission appointed to enquire into the cubic amount of air-space in the compounds of the mines of the Witwatersrand.

Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Coloured Labour Compound Commission appointed to enquire into the cubic amount of air-space in the compounds of the mines of the Witwatersrand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    ]^liiiu(es oi Evidence. Dr. Irvine. 16 Aug., 1904. Price, the Consulting Engineer for H. Eckstein & Co., Mr. J. R. Williams, and Mr. Denny ; and Dr. Macaulay and myself have agreed to act as advisors to that Committee with regard to the structural conditions, but could not be mem- bers of that Committee because we represented, not the Chamber of Mines, but the Medical Society. {Sir Kendal Franks.) When you talk about structural conditions, do you mean those suggested in the report of the Medical Society?—Yes; I will give you a tabulated list of them. It was the desire of this Sub-Committee to invite the co-operation of your Commission in regulating these tests in any way you might desire. It was their feeling that they should subject the tests to every condition that the Commission might suggest. They propose that the Commission might possibly appoint a delegate, or delegates, to arrange the tests with them. That is the position of affairs, and that is why I think it would be extremely wise if you adjourned so as to allow us to have these tests carried out. The tests will, possibly, require three weeks. The Chamber of Mines has no idea of having this matter decided on anything but facts. {The Chairman.) Then you propose to have these tests made in a com- pound hut, such as has been indicated in the report of the Medical Society ?— Exactly. It was left to the Engineers to choose the compounds where the tests should be made, and they chose the (i) Village Deep, because it is a new compound which can be rapidly altered, and because it is near town and readily open to your inspection. The other one they chose was a Chinese compound, on the East Rand. We thought of having two houses in each of these two compounds altered in the exact way specihed by the Medical Society, and, of course, with the number of boys regulated, etc. {The Chairman.) You are then going to suggest to the Chamber of Mines the structure and the ventilation necessary ?—We are going to do so. We drew up conditions yesterday, and these will be typed, and a copy will be given you. {Sir Kendal Franks.) Did the Medical Society lay down the conditions of the building and how it should be arranged ?—Yes; the structures are to be built according to the plan of the Medical Society. {The Chairman.) Then, gentlemen, from what you have heard are you prepared to adjourn for three weeks after next Tuesday ? Agreed. {The Witness.) Mr. J. R. Williams suggested that analyses should be made by three people, two of whom should be independent of the mining industry, as far as that is possible. The analysts suggested were Pro- fessor Prister and Dr. Bay, who are not directly connected with the mining industry, and Mr. Heymann, who is directly connected with the mining industry. If you have anyone else whom you would like to make analyses, or to check these tests, we should be only too glad. {The Chairman.) The Commission has already appointed Dr. Moir for that purpose. Do the analysts intend to make ‘ their analyses conjointly?— The idea was, that the samples should be taken by Dr. Bay and perhaps Dr. IMoir, and that the analyses might be carried out by different men from those who took the samples. {Surgeon-General Edge.) Do you propose, Mr. Chairman, to ask that samples be taken from any of the compounds we have inspected already ? {The Chairman.) We can consider that. {Sir Kendal Franks.) I think that will be hardly necessary, because, if you have certain conditions in the buildings with 200 cubic feet of air-space, that would be sufficient to experiment with. {Surgeon-General Edge.) Do they propose altering all the compounds to this standard ?—{Dr. Irvine.) They anticipate having to do so. {Dr. Turner.) They have recently sent in a lot of plans, some of which I have here by me, but not a single one fulfils the conditions laid down by the Medical Society ?—{Dr. Irvine.) That is very likely. Dr. Macaulay and I agreed that the only evidence we could lead before the Commission to-day is, that the representatives of the Chamber of Mines see that it is a matter of fact that we have to prove ; and that they have agreed to gi\-e us the opportunity of a prac- tical trial. {Dr. Turner.) Even plans of new buildings do not comply with the stipu- lations of the Medical Society. {Dr. Macaulay.) The mines are prepared to comply in the future.