26 



service were put a stop to, on the other hand the capacities of the candidate 

 became the principal consideration in making new appointments. 



Reforms in the workmen's class are of no less importance than the reor- 

 ganization of the officers' department. In the present condition of things, a 

 man may come to work or not, just as he pleases. The consequence is, that at 

 the time of field-work, or after pay-days, on festivals &c. he is simply bioki, 

 that is, does not make his appearance. In this case he of course receives no 

 wages, hut neither does he, when he is actually laid up with sickness. The 

 result of this liberty for the workman to remain away whenever he likes, is 

 that the works at times are denuded of workmen, or — and this is more fre- 

 quently the case — that they engnge more workmen than necessary in order to 

 be secured against all eventualities. Here also an improvement could be made 

 by the establishment of workmen's funds. Into these the workmen should pay 

 a certain percentage of their wages as well as eventual fines for transgression of 

 the working regulations, for unauthorised absence from work, while any defici- 

 ency is supplied by contribution from the works themselves. From this fuud 

 the workmen would receive assistance in case of sickness, and when he had been 

 a contributing member for a certain time, and had become unfit for work, a 

 pension. To prevent the men from shamming sickness, and also to attend the 

 sick, the presence of a physician would of course be absolutely necessary. 



MODEL-WOEKS. 



Another means, which the Government possesses for improving the mining, 

 consists in setting private mine-owners a good example by the establishment of 

 modern model works. It must be admitted, that in this respect as well as in 

 the establishment of colleges the Government has done what lay in its power, 

 even if — as already observed — the success not always has been in proportion to 

 the efforts made. The Gorvenment is now again occupied in organizing on 

 modern system two works, which may be made very productive, and of which 

 it has lately become possessed. Their success, which may safely be predicted, 

 must have the more influence on private miuing, as one of them is a copper- 

 mine, and copper is the very metal, which is profitably produced also by private 

 mine-owners, while hitherto no establishment on a large scale for working the 

 same on modern system has been in existence here. 



Even if, as already remarked, not all the mines and reduction works of modern 

 style have had the desired success, it is the duty of a Government by its own 

 initiative to open the way for new methods. As it, however, is a notorious fact 

 that a Government always works at a higher cost than private individuals, a 

 Government acts wisely when it surrenders well organized establishments to be 



