84 COALFIELDS AND COLLIERIES OF AUSTRALIA. 



Every quarter, the different working places to be cavilled 

 for are chalk-marked with a number; similar numbers are 

 written on paper and placed in a hat, or hurdy-gurdy, like- 

 wise the names of the men. Two miners, called scrutineers, 

 draw the papers in the presence of the undermanager. The 

 men generally work in pairs, but special cavils may require 

 four men. The special cavils are drawn first. The manager 

 has a right to object to a member of a special cavil if he does 

 not think the man is good enough for the work. Those men 

 who are drawn for any place work there till the end of the 

 quarter, or till the place is worked out, when, in the latter 

 case, they are given the next nearest vacant place. Should 

 several places be worked out about the same time, an interim 

 cavil is held. Sometimes places worked by machines are 

 cavilled for, but generally the men are paid wages. The 

 shooters and fillers, however, cavil for places. 



Accident Relief Fund. 



In Xew South Wales the Miners' Accident Relief Act, 



1900, and the Miners' Accident Relief (Amendment) Act, 



1901, applies to any mine in or about which fifteen or more 

 persons are employed. For each mine a committee is formed, 

 consisting of an Inspector of Mines, appointed by the Minis- 

 ter, three persons employed in or about the mine and ap- 

 pointed by persons so employed, and two persons appointed 

 by the owner or manager of the mine. Every person em- 

 ployed must subscribe 4kl. for each week, or portion of a 

 week, during which he is employed; the mine-owners have 

 to subscribe 2Jd. for each man, while the Government donates 

 2d., making a total towards the fund of 9d. per week for 

 each man or boy employed a'bout the mine. Should an 

 employe meet with a non-fatal accident he receives a weekly 

 sum of 12s., and should the disablement be permanent a 

 further allowance of 2s. 6d. per week is payable in respect 

 of each child (if any) of the person disabled, until such child 

 attains the age of fourteen years or dies. In case of fatal 

 accidents, a sum of 12 is paid for funeral expenses, the 

 widow (if any) of the deceased gets 8s. weekly while unmarried, 

 and 2s. Gd. in. respect of each child (if any) of the deceased is 

 paid to the widow or guardian of the child till the child 

 attains the age of fourteen years or dies. Provision is also 

 made to pay 8s. per week to the guardian of motherless 

 children until there is no child below the age of fourteen 

 years, or to the mother, sisters or father of the deceased if 

 they were dependent on the deceased at the time of his death. 



As the existence of such a fund is liable to encourage 

 malingering with lazy men, certain precautions are made to 





