JAN. 15.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 101

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 commencing 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 mining 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 necessary, 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, without 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 unrammed, but shall be reported to the mining manager or his deputy; and the place shall not be approached without the permission 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 mining 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 braceman, who shall, subject to the manager's directions, 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 number 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 examined 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 purpose of repairing the shaft. He shall not allow any intoxicated 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 chamberman 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 braceman 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 necessary, 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 follows:—

Signals.

When the cage is to be raised from the pit-bottom the bell is to be struck .. Once.
When men are about to ascend .. Three times.
Which the braceman shall answer before men get on to the cage .. Once.
When men are about to descend the braceman shall signal .. Three times.
Which the chamberman shall answer by signalling .. Once.
When men are ready, the signal to go on .. Once.
To stop the cage .. Once.
To lower down the cage .. Twice.
To raise up after being stopped .. Four times.
To call attention of braceman that cage is wanted in any other level .. Five times.
Which the braceman shall answer by .. One knock.

After five knocks and a pause the number of knocks shall indicate the level where cage is wanted, as follows:—

Cage wanted in No. 1 level .. Once.
" No. 2 " .. Twice.
" No. 3 " .. Three times.
" No. 4 " .. Four times.
" No. 5 " .. Five times.
" No. 6 " .. Six times.

Adding one knock for each additional level.

31. The braceman and chamberman shall not allow any person to ride on the cage without the cover, unless by special permission.

32. The following special rules shall be in force at any mine where engines worked by steam or other mechanical power are used:—

Engineer.

33. The engineer or some competent person shall daily inspect the engines, boilers, steam-gauges, water-gauges, feed-pumps, safety-valves, indicators, brakes, drums, ropes, chains, cages, and all other machinery used for the purpose