Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on metalliferous mines and quarries : volume 1.

  • Great Britain. Royal Commission on Metalliferous Mines and Quarries.
Date:
1912
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on metalliferous mines and quarries : volume 1. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    24 June 1910.] Mr. G. J. Williams. [Continued. 1255. (Mr. Bedmayne.) Co I understand as you go down in depth, so proportionately you increase the size of your pillar ?—That is what he means, I believe. 1256. Is that done?—Yes, they do it. In the instance •! mentioned they have their chamber 30 feet wide, and walls 50. In the other case the chamber was 40 and the walls 30. 1257. (Mr. Greaves.) If you increase the pillar or wall by that amount you must decrease the chamber ? -—Yes. 1258. Then it is a question of time; it becomes no chamber and all wall?—Yes. 1259. (Mr. Jones.) There is no definite rule as to the width of the pillars?—No. We have no right to interfere, provided we do not think they are dangerous. 1260. Your business is to inspect the pillars to see that they are safe. You do not mind about the width ?—No. 1261. Who makes the inspection of the pillars and roofs in the slate mines ?—One of the assistant agents as a rule. They do it with a special light, according to the Special Rules, once in six months. 1262. That is carried out ?—Yes. 1263. In blasting the rock from the chamber, is there a rule requiring the bargainer to make an inspec- tion of the face of the rock ?—Yes. 1264. Does he make an inspection of any part of the pillar ?—No. 1265. Is he required to do so ?—He is required to make an inspection of what is within his reach, but not what is beyond. 1266. During the time he is channelling?—During the time he is working, whatever he is doing. 1267. He is only at the side of the pillar when he is channelling ?—No, he may be cutting a free side. 1268. That is what I mean ?—Channelling is applied to a different kind of work. 1269. Free side, then ?—Yes. 1270. Do you find any deficiency in discipline at the slate mines ?—Yes, occasionally. 1271. Is that due to the management or the workmen?—It may be due to both, to a certain extent. 1272. Did you make a thorough inspection of one of the slate mines from toil to bottom ?—Yes. 1273. Which one ?—All of them. 1274. At what time ?—I cannot tell you. I can give you the dates from my diary. I do not always make an inspection of a whole mine at the same time; in some cases it would take several days. I make inspection by sample. I take two or three galleries. 1275. You do not go and inspect until after an accident, to inspect the place of the accident ?—No. I have been doing that occasionally when there was no time for anything else. If there is an accident with explosives, for instance, however busy I am, I try to go at once if it is anything where I think there may be carelessness on the part of a workman or an agent. If it is an accident where I cannot learn much by going at once, I leave it till I make my ordinary inspection, and make inquiries then. 1276. By that time everything will be all right?—I know the nature of the accident. If a block at the bottom falls on to a man's leg and breaks it I do not run to see if it is a block on the ground. 1277. What about a fall from the roof or a pillar? —We have not had any for years. 1278. As regards dressing machines, have you any suggestions to make ?—I have a suggestion if it is practicable. A man at Nantlle has made a guard which is now on trial. It is patented. 1279. (Mr. Greaves.) You have a drawing?—Yes (produced). 1280. (Mr. Jones.) Would you favour a rule com- pelling them to adopt that in the dressing machine ?— Not unless I know the man can dress a slate with it on. 1281. You have not examined a machine with this on ?—Yes. 1282. How did you find that?—The men com- plained of some difficulty. It is on trial at Penyrorsedd Quarry now. 1283. Do you think the number of accidents with a dressing machine justify making a rule to have this compulsory guard on ?—Yes, if it is practicable. 1284. Do you get many accidents ?—A good many. 1285. As far as the pits go you do not favour that method of working a slate quarry ?—Not if it can be avoided. 1286. Do you know many of the quarries that are worked as pits are on Crown property ? There are the Alexandra, the Moel Tryfan, the Cilgwyn, if not others, in the Nantlle Yalley?—At several you have men- tioned there are galleries. There are at the Alexandra and the Moel Tryfan. but they are not altogether on the pit system. 1287. Is there a clause in the lease that those quarries should be worked in galleries ?—I know nothing about that. 1288. You mentioned that Moel Tryfan and Alex- andra are worked in galleries. Is that a fact ?—There are galleries there. There are galleries at Moel Tryfan and at Alexandra, but when they come to their boundary they have to work at sheer side. 1289. Where does the boundary of those quarries come to ? They have the mountain in front of them and touch each other at the side, and they have the mountain to go to ?—True, but coming to the Cambrian conglomerate, there is no slate beyond. They have come to the slate boundary, not the boundary of the lease. They come to the grit. 1290. Which ?—The Alexandra and Moel Tryfan. 1291. They had a fall at Moel Tryfan ?—Yes. 1292. That came down in the igneous rock ?—Yes. 1293. On the other side of the quarry they have galleries now. Are they allowed to work those into one ?—Yes. 1294. They are not in the boundary as far as the slates ?—Not on that side. 1295. On that side you allow those quarries to be worked into pits, although you are against pit working;? —I cannot prevent that. 1296. (Chairman.) He has no power to stop it?—I have no power to interfere with the method of working. 1297. (Mr. Jones.) Would you favour a rule that every quarry must be worked in galleries if it is an open quarry, only with the exception of such pits you mentioned that cannot, on account of the boundary ?— As far as practicable. 1298. There are many versions of “ as far as prac- ticable.” 1299. (Mr. Bedmayne.) Are there many cases where it is not practicable ?—I think so. 1300. For instance, where?—You come to a case where it is a difficult question. There may be reasons from an economical point of view which I do not know of. If we tax these people to such an extent that the quarries will not pay for working, we rain the industry. 1301. There may be beds of hard material. That is the answer. I was wondering if there were more impracticable causes ?—You may have a worthless slate rock. 1302. (Mr. Jones.) They are bound to cart it away some time or other as they come down. They are bound to clear the top ?—Not until they work under- neath. 1303. The tendency is, if you are going down, for the pit at the bottom to be like a cup ?—Yes. 1304. You must clear the top if you are going to open the quarry. There is no slate beyond the hard rock. In the case you mentioned about the poorer slate on the top, they are not bound to clear that off before they work the quarry ?—No, I know similar cases. They sink a shaft. (Chairman.) Really the answer is, where practicable it ought to be done. (Mr. Jones.) I agree, but the difficulty is this: Where you are going to apply what is practicable Mr. Williams and I will not agree. (Chairman.) It is impossible for us to decide between you. (Mr. Jones.) If I try to get some basis I can agree. (Chairman.) Do you disagree with him as to where it is practicable ?
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