JUNE 16.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2083

CERTIFICATES BY EXCHANGE.

19. (1.) Every application for a certificate of competency without examination (by exchange) as mine-manager, underviewer, or fireman-deputy shall be made in writing under the hand of the applicant to the Secretary, Board of Examiners, Mines Department, Wellington.
    (2.) The application shall be accompanied by—
    (a.) The corresponding certificate it is desired to exchange :
    (b.) A fee of £1 1s. :
    (c.) A statutory declaration that the applicant is the person named in the certificate, and is the lawful holder of such certificate :
    (d.) Evidence of his practical experience as a coal-miner :
    (e.) A certificate at date from some person of repute as to the general good conduct and sobriety of the applicant.
    (3.) No certificate shall be granted unless and until the Board is satisfied that the applicant is of good character and repute, and is a bona fide resident of New Zealand, and that the standard of training and examinations required for the grant of such a certificate is equivalent to that required for the grant of a corresponding certificate under the said Act.
    (4.) (a.) Certificates by exchange shall only be granted by the Board after the applicant has satisfied the Board by oral examination that he has a satisfactory knowledge of the said Act and the regulations made thereunder.
    (b.) The oral examinations shall be conducted by two members of the Board or a member of the Board and an Inspector of Mines.
    (c.) Mine-managers’ certificates without examination (by exchange) shall be in Form 3 in the Schedule hereto.
    (d.) Underviewers’ and firemen and deputies’ certificates without examination (by exchange) shall be in Form 9 in the Schedule hereto.

DUPLICATE CERTIFICATES.

20. (1.) Every application for a duplicate of any certificate issued under the said Act or any former Coal-mines Act, shall be made in writing under the hand of the applicant to the Secretary, Board of Examiners, Mines Department, Wellington.
    (2.) The application shall state the nature and class of certificate it is desired to obtain a duplicate of, and the number and date of same if possible.
    (3.) The application shall be accompanied by—
    (a.) A fee of 10s.
    (b.) A statutory declaration that the applicant is the person named in such certificate and is the lawful holder thereof. The declaration shall also set forth how such certificate came to be lost or destroyed, the date of the loss, and such other particulars as may be required.

GAS-TESTING CERTIFICATES.

21. A fee of 5s. shall be charged for each gas-testing certificate issued, one-half of which fee shall be paid to the Director of the School of Mines at which such gas-test is made.
22. No certificate shall be issued to any person without first being forwarded to the Secretary, Board of Examiners, for counter-signature.

GENERAL.

23. (1.) In urgent cases individuals may, at the discretion of the Board, be allowed a special examination in Wellington, or other examining centre, after due notice is given, provided that the regulations have been complied with, and that a special fee (in no case less than £2 2s.) sufficient to cover the expenses of the examination has been paid.
    (2.) A register of all certificates of competency granted or issued shall be kept by the Secretary, Board of Examiners.

RETURNS.

24. (1.) The half-yearly returns to be forwarded to the Inspector of Mines under the said Act shall be in the form set forth in Forms 10 and 20 in the Schedule hereto.
    (2.) In such other cases where information is required by the Minister or by the Inspector and no form is prescribed, the Minister, or the Inspector, may cause the information to be supplied in such form as he may require.

COAL-MINERS’ RELIEF FUND.

25. The commission payable to the Public Trustee for managing and administering the Coal-miners’ Relief Fund shall be at the rate of 1 per cent. of the total contributions to the fund in each year.

Coal-miners Relief Fund Local Committees.

26. Each Coal-miners’ Relief Fund Local Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Local Committee) shall consist of not less than three members elected from workmen employed in or about a coal-mine or coal-mines. For the purpose of electing members, votes shall be taken at a meeting of the workmen entitled to vote; at least three days before the date of the meeting, a notice shall be posted at the mine-mouth of each mine concerned, specifying the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. A certificate stating the result of the voting and signed by the person presiding at such meeting shall be forthwith forwarded through the Inspector of Mines to the Public Trustee. In the event of a member of the Local Committee resigning or becoming unable or unfit to hold office from any cause whatever, the remaining members, if less than three in number, shall, within seven days, call a special meeting for the election of a new member. Any changes in the personnel of a Local Committee shall be immediately communicated through the Inspector of Mines to the Public Trustee.
27. Each Local Committee shall nominate two persons, who shall be approved of by the Minister, to act as trustees for the purpose of opening and operating upon a branch account of the Coal-miners’ Relief Fund kept at the nearest post-office money-order and savings-bank. The trustees shall notify the Minister in writing of their acceptance of the office of trustee.
28. In the event of any trustee resigning or becoming unable or unfit to hold office from any cause whatever, the Local Committee shall forthwith notify the Postmaster, and apply to the Minister for authority to appoint another person to act in the place of the trustee vacating office.
29. The Coal-miners’ Relief Fund moneys shall be kept in an Account at the Post Office Savings-bank.
30. No sum exceeding £20 in amount shall be withdrawn from the said account without the prior written authority of the Inspector of Mines.
31. All moneys withdrawn from the said account shall be paid and applied as follows: When any workman has been off work through an injury whilst employed in or about a mine, he shall receive payment at the rate of 2s. 1d. for every day except Sundays from the date of the accident, such payment to be made on the certificate of a medical officer, and to continue so long as such medical officer or Inspector of Mines and the trustees certify that the workman is unable to work by reason of the said injury; but in no case for a longer period than two years.
32. In addition to the foregoing benefit, a workman who is permanently totally disabled as the result of an injury whilst employed in or about a mine shall be granted a sum of £50, and a workman who is permanently partially disabled may be granted a proportionate part of £50, based on the degree of disability prescribed by the Second Schedule to the Workers’ Compensation Act, 1922.
    Every application for payment under this regulation shall be forwarded by the Local Committee to the Inspector of Mines, supported by a medical certificate. The Inspector of Mines shall certify whether or not the claim is in order, and shall transmit the application, together with his certificate, to the Public Trustee, and no payment shall be made by the Local Committee until the approval of the Public Trustee has been first had and obtained.
33. Any workman who meets with an injury in or about a mine which disables him from work shall send, or cause to be sent, within seven days of such injury occurring, a notice in writing, together with a copy of the medical officer’s certificate, to the Inspector of Mines; and all applications for relief must be made within fourteen days of the accident, or the claim cannot be entertained, unless specially authorized by the Public Trustee.
34. Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, the trustees may, on the recommendation of the Inspector, pay to any coal-miner who, through any injury sustained in the course of his employment as a coal-miner, is permanently totally incapacitated from work of any kind, such weekly allowance as may from time to time, subject to such conditions as he may impose, be authorized by the Minister.
35. No workman shall be entitled to relief from the Coal-miners’ Relief Fund for any accident caused by drinking intoxicating liquors, fighting, or any kind of athletic sports or game of amusement, or for any accident caused by the misconduct of such workman.