[MAY 25.]

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

689

see that the roof and the sides in all working-places are properly
secured by the persons working in them, and that the roof and
sides of every travelling road be made and kept secure.

6. The mining manager, or underground manager, shall visit,
   if possible, daily all the parts of the mine being worked, and shall
   weekly record in writing, in a book kept for the purpose, the
   safety of the works carried on.

7. The underground manager, whenever practicable, must
   personally attend to the matters and duties required by the
   following rules, and the performance and observance of such
   matters and duties shall not be intrusted to a deputy, except in
   cases in which the underground manager cannot reasonably
   perform them, or during his lawful absence. In these cases he
   may require his deputy or deputies to act for him, and they
   shall be bound to do and perform all acts, matters, and duties
   deputed to him or them by the underground manager accord-
   ing to these rules.

8. The manager shall see that all the provisions contained in
   the Act as to the employment of boys and male young persons
   are strictly enforced.

9. The mining manager shall see that all the provisions con-
   tained in the Act and in these special rules relating to the
   use of gunpowder and other explosive substances used in the
   mine are strictly adhered to and enforced.

10. The mining manager or his deputy shall see that proper
    man-holes and signals which are made or provided are kept in
    good order, according to the provisions of the Act.

11. The underground manager, or "boss" of shift, shall with-
    draw men from working-places which are in any way unsafe,
    and shall report the same to the mining manager.

12. The underground manager shall see that sufficient bore-
    holes are kept in advance of and on both sides, to prevent
    inundation in every working approaching a place likely to
    contain noxious gases or water.

Miners.

13. Every miner shall, under the direction of the mining
    manager or his deputy, set a sufficient quantity of props and
    bars for safely supporting the roof and sides in his working-
    place. The timber shall be properly set, and be removed and
    renewed as often as is necessary.

14. No miner shall use, or allow to be used, any gunpowder
    or other explosives, except in conformity with the general rules
    for its use.

15. In addition to any examination by the manager or other
    officer, each miner must examine his working-place before com-
    mencing work, and from time to time during his shift, and
    withdraw in case of danger.

16. Any miner or miners, having been told by the "boss" of
    the shift to work in any ground that he or they consider unsafe,
    shall report to the mine manager the condition of the ground,
    and it shall be considered imperatively necessary that such
    officer shall have such ground properly secured immediately on
    hearing such report; and, should the manager consider it neces-
    sary, such work to take priority in every instance, and no miner
    shall commence work in any such place until it has been
    examined and made secure.

17. Any person discovering any stoppage or derangement of
    the ventilation, injury to doors or air-pipes, or observing any
    obstruction in an air-course, a weakness in the roof, or deficiency
    of timber, weight on the stopes, or accumulation of gas or
    water, shall immediately give notice to the men and boys in the
    mine, and to the mining manager or his deputy; and it shall be
    the duty of every miner to make a complaint to the mining
    manager of the violation of any portion of this rule if he finds
    the same has been or is being violated, and the manager shall
    enter such complaint, with the name of complainant, in a book
    to be kept in the company's office on the claim.

18. Any person passing through a door must instantly close
    it, and no person shall injure a door or leave it open, or do
    anything to interfere with the proper working of the mine, with-
    out an order from the manager or his deputy; and no person
    shall leave any light in any part of the mine, nor shall he leave
    any gunpowder or other explosive, except in an authorized place.

19. Shots must be rammed with soft material not likely to
    strike fire. When a shot has missed fire it shall not be un-
    rammed, but shall be reported to the mining manager or his
    deputy, and the place shall not be approached without the per-
    mission of the mining manager or his deputy within thirty
    minutes after missing fire.

20. In changing shifts no miner being relieved shall leave
    his place of work until the next shift takes his place, and every
    miner on being relieved shall point out to his successor any
    weak place, or any ground that is dangerous or wants securing;
    and it shall be the duty of each miner composing the relieving
    shift to ask of those relieved the state of the ground before
    commencing his shift.

The following special rules shall be in force at every mine
where men are raised or lowered in any shaft:-

Manager.

21. The manager must see that the signals for moving the
    cages are painted upon a board, and placed in a conspicuous
    position.

Underground Workmen.

22. During the time of the mine-drawing every person in
    descending the shaft shall be under the direction of the brace-
    man, who shall, subject to the manager's direction, have full
    control over all persons employed under him, and in ascending
    shall be under the directions of the chamberman, who shall,
    subject to the manager's directions, have full control over all
    persons under him, and no other person than the braceman
    and the chamberman shall give any signals during such time.
    No person shall get on or off the cage after the signal to go on
    has been given, nor until it has settled on the bearers or reached
    the bottom. No person shall take with him down or up the
    shaft tools, rails, props, sprags, or other bulky material, except
    for repairing the shaft. No person shall get on the cage after
    the numbers stated on the board at the pit top and bottom are
    on. Every miner and boy shall leave the cage immediately
    when ordered to do so by the braceman or chamberman. No
    person under the age of eighteen years shall have charge over
    the pit top or bottom.

Braceman and Chamberman.

23. The braceman, or other appointed person, shall be at the
    mine at the appointed time, and shall provide a sufficient num-
    ber of lights on the bank, and shall, before the engine is started,
    and from time to time during the day, see that the pulleys,
    ropes, cages, chains, and landing-doors or frames are in safe
    working condition, and he shall not allow any person to descend
    the shaft until he has put the loaded tubs into the cage, and
    the ropes and the loaded cages have been run up and down the
    shaft, and the ropes, chains, cappings, and cages carefully ex-
    amined by him. If any weakness or defect is found in anything
    belonging to the pit top, or in the engine or machinery, he must
    not permit any person to descend or ascend until it is made
    secure. The braceman shall also attend to the proper signals.

24. The braceman in charge of the pit top shall not let a
    stranger go down the shaft without the authority of the
    manager. The braceman, when he is informed of danger in the
    shaft, shall not allow any person to go down, unless for the pur-
    pose of repairing the shaft. He shall not allow any intoxicate.!
    person to descend or to come on to the brace. He shall himself
    give the signals, and let no other than appointed persons land
    the trucks or tubs, or put them into the cages. He shall listen
    at the pit top when any person is in the shaft, and instantly
    signal the engineman to stop the engine in case of alarm. He
    shall remain at the pit top until all the men and boys are
    drawn out, except in cases where a proper ladder-way or other
    means of exit is available.

25. The braceman or chamberman shall not let a boy under
    sixteen years of age go down or up the shaft unless accompanied
    by a man, and shall not permit more than the number of
    persons stated on the board at the pit top and bottom to
    descend or ascend at one time. The braceman or chamber-
    man shall not allow a person to go down or up against a
    loaded cage in the same shaft, unless it is centred; and shall
    not allow any person to take with him rails, props, sprags,
    tools, tubs, or other bulky materials, or to get on or off the cage
    until it has settled upon the bearers or reached the pit bottom.
    The brace-man shall send all tools down the shaft in a tub or
    tram, and props, rails, and other bulky materials shall be tied
    securely to the cage or rope by the braceman or chamberman
    when being sent down or up the shaft. If a rope is working in
    the shaft for underground planes no person shall ride in the
    cage whilst this is running, unless the rope be cased.

26. The braceman shall see that the fencing is placed
    securely round the top of every shaft under his charge, when
    it is not at work, and shall keep the cages and the pit top clear.

27. The chamberman shall be in the mine at the appointed
    time; he shall be at his station to give signals and perform his
    other duties under these rules; and he shall, when required,
    remain there to see the men and boys all safely into the cage
    and up the shaft at the close of the shift.

28. The chamberman shall report to the manager any
    person that gives a signal or disobeys his directions. He shall
    remain at the bell-handle and give cautionary signals, if neces-
    sary, when any person ascends or descends the shaft. He shall
    allow appointed persons only to put tubs into or take them out
    of the cages.

29. The chamberman shall see that the water-sump or well
    is never uncovered when any person is ascending or descending
    the shaft.

30. The braceman and chamberman shall alone give the
    signals for moving the cages, which are as follow:-

Signals.

When the cage is to be raised from the pit
bottom, the bell is to be struck

When men are about to ascend

Which the braceman shall answer before men
get on to the cage

When men are about to descend, the brace-
man shall signal

Which the chamberman shall answer by sig-
naling

Once.

Three times;

Once.

Three times;

Once.