1930.

VICTORIA.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

VICTORIAN COAL MINERS' RELIEF BOARD

FOR THE YEAR 1929.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND •.

[Appro.a.Wai60.,c·.rr~.-Prepara&ion, not given. Printing (200 eopies), £4.]

B-. J. QB§EN, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MR:LBOUI{NS, No. 8.-[6n.]-7I06. Victorian Coal Miners' Accidents Relief Board.

Department of Mines, , 26th February, 1930. The Hon. J. P. Jones, M.L.O., Minister of Mines, &c., Melbourne. SIR, We have the honour to submit to you herewith the Statement of Accounts of the Victorian Coal Miners' Accidents Relief Board for the year ended 31st December, 1929, duly certified by the Auditor~ General. INCOME, The gross income, viz., £3,655 16s. 4d., was slightly less than that received during the preceding year; the amount remitted to the Board by Committees showing a reduction of £186 17s. lid. The allowances paid by Committees (£1,442 2s.) exceeded that disbursed during 1929 by £518 4s., when £923 18s. was paid in respect of cases of temporary disablement resulting from accidents in coal mines. An amount of £1,931 Is. 6d. was deducted from wages of employees in or about coal mines (Table I.). This represents an average employment of 1,981 men,' a number greater than any previously experienced in the coal mining industry in the State.

INVESTMENT AccouNT. The invested funds of the Board total £29,110, the sum of £1,560 having been invested in 5l; per cent. Commonwealth Government Inscribed Stock during the period under review.

AcciDENTS. It is with regret that we report the occurrence of five fatal accidents at coal mines during the year ; three of these occurred at the .Tumbunna Coal Mine, and two at the State Coal Mines, . The number of non-fatal a9cidents-615'-shows a considerable increase, and the percenta.ge of these accidents as set out in Table II. is easily the highest yet recorded. · . From the inception of the, Fund, viz., 2nd April, 1910, to the 31st December, 1929, accidents have been recorded as follows :- Fatal 48 Non-fata.l 6,588

Total 6,636

During that period the amount deducted from the wages of persons employed in m about coal mines was £29,395 9 1 whilst there has been paid from the funds of the Board to persons inj~red, or their dependents £34,254 2 10

Four children attained age fourteen during the year 1929, but as the names of four others were added to the list in that period, the number of children in respect of whom payments are now made rt'mains at 36. The total of persons permanently disabled is now 29-the names of three permanently disabled miners having been included (Ta.ble III.).

GENERAl,. It was considered that additional regulations were required to enable the Board to deal more -effectively with the various cases of disablement which have been experienced in recent years, and steps were taken to have this effected. It is hoped that these additional regulations, which are now in force, will have the desired effect. The present constitution of the Board is- Mr. S. J. Prowse (Chairman). JVlr. T. Platt {representing the Mines Department). Messrs. Geo. Nicholson and F. T. Wimpney (representing owners of mines). Messrs. J. E. Goldsmith and K. Mcinroy (representing persons employed in or about mines) . . The Board desires to acknowledge the services rendered by the Inspectors of Mines in the various districts, and to express its appreciation of the manner in which the duties entrusted to the Accidents' Committees have been carried out. We have the honour to. be, Sir, Yours obediently, SAMUEL J. PROWSE, Chairman. \ J. A.· DAY, Secretary. 3

TABLE I.-SUM~IARY OF EMPLOYEES' CONTRIBUTIONS AND ALLOWANCES PAID BY THE COMMITTEE OF EACH COAL MINE.

Em~Joy~es' Allowances Paid. Name of Mine. Contnbutions.

£ 8. d. £ 8. d. Austral Mine ...... ~2 11 10 14 8 0 Dudley Mine ...... 12 4 6 11 4 0 Howitt Mine ...... 17 7 0 ... Jumbunna Mine ...... 13 15 4 ... Mine ...... 31 1 9 38 8 0 Mirboo Mine ...... 2 8 4 ... So11th .Mine ...... 40 8 6 62 14 0 ...... 1,734 16 11 1,315 8 0 S\mbeam Mine ...... 56 7 4 ... £1,931 l 6 £1,442 2 0 Allowances paid by Board £1,449 6 10 Allowances paid by Committees 1,442 2 0 Total £2,891 8 10

TABLE H.-SHOWING PROPORTION OF ACCIDENTS TO EMPLOYEES AND COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS YEARS.

Fatal Accidents. Non.Fatal Accidents. Average Number Yea1·. o! Employees. Number," Per 1,000 Employees. Number. Per 1,000 Employeea..

1910-1914 ...... 6,853* 11* 1·61 1, 152* 168•1 1915-1919 ...... 6,58g* 13* 1·97 1,450* 220•19 1920 ...... 1,592 2 1•25 377 236•81 1921 ...... 1,497 4 2·67 343 229·12 1922 ...... 1,634 ...... 352 215·42 1923 F' ...... 1,491 2 1·:>4 318 213·28 1924 ...... 1,882 3 1·59 434 230·6 1925 ...... 1;900 2 1•05 393 206•842 1'926 ...... 1,609 2 1·24 ;)/3 231•82 1927 ...... 1,800 2 L·ll 366 203•33 1928 ...... 2 1·19 415 246·29 1929 ...... 1,981 5 2·52 615 310•45 • Aggregate for period.

TABLE IIL-HBNEFICIARIES AS AT 31sT DECEMBEH,' 1929. (a) As 1'HE RESULT OF FA'rAL AcciDENTS. ·widows 16 ~I others 2 Children 20 (b) NoN·FATAL. Persons permanently disabled 29 Children of persons permanently disabled ... 16 The Hoard pays dimct allowances to t,he above-mentioned beneficiaries.

VICTORIAN COAL JJHNERS' ACCIDENTS RELIEF HOAHD. STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31sT DECEMBER, 1929.

-~------.------Dr. Gr. £ 8, d. £ s. d. lst Jan., 1929. 31st Dec., 1929. To Hal:tnce- By Members' Fees and Travelling Ex- N ational Hank 120 9 0 penses, Secretary's Allowanee 221 6 8 31st Dec., 1929. Allowances paid by Hoard 1,449 6 10 'To State contributions 863 13 6 Committees' Expenses ... 93 3 2 Owners' contrib11tions 871 13 4 Advances to pay allowances 88 9 3 Hemittances from Committees 577 8 9 Investment Account­ Interest- Commonwealth Government 5:!% Victorian Govemment Inscribed Stock 1,560 0 6 Inscribed Stock ... £589 17 6 Balane~National Hank 363 19 5 Commonwealth Govern- ment Inscribed Stock 7 5:5 3 3 ----- 1,343 0 9

Total .£3, 776 5 4 Total £3,776 5 4 4

INYJl:~~~N~ 4-.000UNT ~S AT 3l~T DECEMBER, 1929. Victo#~p. Govt1mffi~I).J; 3! p

Tot.al £29,110 0 0

F vr tht~ Victorian Coal Miners' Accidents Relief Board,

SArviDEL J. PROWSE, Chairman. J. A. DAY. Sl:lCl'j=)tp.~:y~

Audited and found corre~t,

J. A. NORRIS, 26th :Vebrqary, ~930. Auditor-General of V;pporia •

. r,

By Authority: H. J. GREEN, Government Printer, MelbournE>