The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-09-11 00:00:00

KIN VER.

II .

NON-PAYMENT OP POOR RATIS.—At the Brierley Hill
Police Court, on Monday, twenty-eight persons were
summoned for non-payment of poor rates. Orders were
made in most cases, for payment in 14 days.

Good value for money is desired by all, with articles
that cannot be judged of by appearance, careful pur-
chasers rely on the high standing of those with whom
they deal. For 30 years, Horniman's Pure Teas in
packets have given general satisfaction, being exceeding),
strong, of uniform good quality, and truly cheap. Agents:
Stourbridge—Clarke,lsl, High•street ; Baker, 124, High
street; Hewit, Market Place; Morris, 136, High-street
Brierley Hill—Rawlings chemist ; Kidderminster, Bul
Ring; Halesowen, Adam, chemist; Lye, Jones, chemist
Wordsley, Turner, chemist; Kingswinford, Pearson
Brettel Lane, Collings, chemist ; Birmingham, Beaks

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE AND EAST
IN ORCESTERSHIRE INSTITUTE OF MINING

ENGINEERS.

On Monday night an ordinary general meetiag of the
members of the above institute was held in the ecologi-
cal Museum, Dudley, Mr. John Hughes, the president,
in the chair. Among the members were Mr. Thomas
Latham (vice-president) Mr. Henry Johnson, Mr. Thai.
Brettell, Mr. T. Parton, Mr. W. G. Davies, Mr. W.
Spruce, Mr. J. M. Fellows, Mr. J. Field, and Mr. J.
1 omson.

The following gentlemen were then elected, they bar-
ing been duly nominated :—Mr. W. Blackwell Keen,
mining surveyor, Cradley Heath; and Mr. J. Lewis;,
' mechanical engineer, Netherton. Mr. Chas. J. Homer,
of Chatterley Hall, Tustall, was nominated as a mem-
ber.

The Secretary reported that the Duke of Sutherland
had written that he was afraid the accommodation at
Dunrobin was too small to admit of the South Stafford-
shire Institute and the North Staffordshire Institute
meeting in one year, but it had been arranged that 20
gentlemen from each institute were to attend. It was
shown that the council bad ballotted for the choice after
it had been agreed that the president, secretary, and
those of the council who had applied in time should go
without being subject to election.

Mr. Thomis Pirton, F.G.S., read a paper on "Th.
Duties and Responsibilities of Managers under the Mines
Inspection Act." He said the personality, duty, and res.
ponsibility of what the Act of Parliament relating to the
regulation of mines, termed "owner, agent, or managers,"
were matters of grave consideration for the profession.
The strit gent measures and new matter introduced into
the Act were startling in the extreme, and, as Mr. Peace
said, there was now the responsibility for a manager to
prove his innocence instead of the prosecution proving
his guilt. ;Mr. Parton then referred to the expressed
opinions of the mining inspectors, Mr. Willis, Mr.
Dickinson, and Mr. Alexander (Scotland), who pointed
out the present law as affecting managers is not working
altogether satisfactorily. It was thought that really
practical men would be deterred from work for which
they were eminently qualified, because of the high
standard of qualification required. Mr. Alexander, in-
deed, spoke of the advantage of second-class certificates
to enable practical men to work small mines. Mr. Par-
ton, resuming, said the Act provided that every managt r
should be a practical miner, a chemist, a practical me-
chanical engineer, and a philosopher, for the Act said
that any contravention by any person should be visited
on the owner, agent, and manager. Every mines' mana-
ger, he felt sure, was anxious to do his duty, and, above
all, to save life; but the carrying out of the strict letter
of the law would lead to much evil. This would not be
felt so much in the North as in the South, where the
mode of working was so different. Mr. Parton then cited
a case where, under Rule 16, the manager was bound to
see the roof and sides of all travelling roads secure. He
may have given strict orders for timbering, and after
that had been done a small piece of coal falling from
between two faults and killing a loader rendered the
manager liable. The manager ought, therefore, to pos-
sess the power of omnipresence. With a system like
theirs, where the timber was being removed and shifted
from morning until night and from night until morning,
how was it possible for a manager with only one pit to
see and direct everything? The common-sense view of
the thing was that each individual miner, whose duty it
was to set the timber, should be held responsible for his
owl. ;safety. As it was, all—even the doggy or deputy,
and the collier—were free from all responsibility, and so
likely to become careless, whilst the manager had all the
responsibility. In long wall working, systematic timber-
ing could be carried on to a great extent, but there were
cases, and always would be, where much should be left
to the practical judgment. The duties of managers
should yet have the most careful consideration at the
hands of the Government. It was not the spirit of the
present law they complained of, because an Act was
wanted to compel care, but the law was too often mis-
applied. The law, as it at present stood, professed to
accomplish universal safety ; its varied requirimenta
were in themselves valuable means to an end, but the
mistake in application was self-evident. It treated the
mining world like • physician who insisted on treatiug
all his patients with the same medicine. First, it was
deemed advisable that the responsibilities of collier, de-
puty, and manager should be more clearly defined, and,
Record, if the status of the working collier was to be im-
proyed, there should be an issue of second-class certifi-
cates for skilled workmen. He (Mr. Parton) would go
further, and have certificates for (a) general manager, (19
manager, (c) deputy, and (d,special) engineering depart-
ment. Then the responsibility would be divived, as it
was in the marine service of the country, where the cap-
tain and three or four officers had each separate func-
tions and liabilities. A captain could not direct the ship
night and day, neither could a mines manager be pre-
sent at every operation. Let him be as skilful as possible
he could not use that skill in half a dozen places at once,
or see everything which passed. Therefore, certificated
competent persons, to carry out and be responsible for
orders, should be appointed.
After the reading of the paper.
Mr. W. Spruce said he agreed with nearly every word
which Mr. Parton had said, for mangers were expected '
to perform duties which were impossible. He moved a
vote of thanks to the writer of the paper, which should
be printed and circulated among the members.
Several members thought it would be better to have
the paper as a whole before they discassed it.
Mr. Perten said he could either supply the remainder
of the paper at the next meeting, or he would supply the
manuscript to lhe secretary (Mr. Alexander Smith, U.E.)
in tune to have it printed. Mr. Parton said the seeoad
paper on the subject would be a definition of the duties
of managers and others in connection with the manage-
ment of pits.
Mr. Field asked whether it would not have been wise
to have left out all allusion to the case tried. It would
not be judicious for the institute to discuss any question
which had been settled by magistrates. The Act of Per.
liament pinched diem very tightly, but it would seem
even to the putlic they were not trying to act up to the
Act. What was wanted were suggestions for the amend-
' merit of the Act, and they might prevent oppression by
showing those at head-quarters that legislation did not
act fairly.
The President said the twelve inspectors of mines had
taken up the matter. and it would be well for a strong
institute like theirs to help in elucidating the question.
Mr. Tomson seconded the vote of thanks to Mr.
Parton, which was carried unanimously.
Mr. Parton replied, and said he only cited the case to
show that the Act was not working right —not because he
wished to discuss the matter at all—(hear, hear). It was
fair to argue by analogy, and that when the weaknesses
of the Act were shown they should be used as arguments.
Mr. Thomas Bridgwater, of Kingswinford, exhibited a
new signal bell for wing purposes. A vote of thanks was
p 'seed to the exhibitor.
The Secretary said the following was the result of the
election and ballot alluded to above :—Mr. John Hughes
(president), Mr. A. Smith (secretary), Mr. Thomas
Koper, Mr. W. J. Davies, Mr. Henry Johnson, Mr. J.
M. Fellows, Mr. Thomas Parton, Mr. John Skidmore,
Mr. W. Spruce, Mr. W. Blakemore, Mr. D. Rogers, Mr.
Thomas brettell, Mr. M. Fletcher, Mr. J. Dando, Mr. S.
or J. Bailey, Mr. Addenbrooke, Mr. H. Hughes, Mr.
Nicholson, Mr. R. Mason, Mr. 8. Rowley, and Mr. J.
Turley.
The Secretary read au important letter from -the sec-
retary of the South Midland Institute, in whiah a desire
was'expressed that the two institutes should be amal-
gamated, many members of the Wolverhampton body
desiring to join the South Staffordshire and East \Nita-
cestershire institute.

It was moved by Mr. Hughes, the president, acid sec-
onded by Mr. Henry Johnson, that a meeting of the
council of the Institute should be convened to receive
the proposed deputation from the South Midland Insti-
tute.