98 
Engineers before taking charge shall examine all machinery committed to their care, and, should tiioy 
perceive any defect, shall report the same, so that it may be remedied immediately; and the man beiim 
relieved shall report to his mate faking charge anything which may have gone amiss during the shift. 
Safety valves and water gauges to be particularly attended to, and, without authority, you shall not 
allow any strange person to handle the engine or any machinery connected therewith. 
Pay attention to the signals, and if they arc not run distinctly neither raise nor lower the cage, until 
they are rung so as to ho clearly understood. 
While men are on the cage, ascending or descending, drive at a moderate speed, and never leave the 
brake nor lose full control of the engine. 
In the absence of the manager or other person in charge, allow none but workmen or persons 
properly authorized to descend the mine. 
it Braceman will look to the ropes and safety gear daily, and report if faults or any defects are observed, 
ie will not leave the brace while the shifts are changing, and must allow no one to descend who is intoxi¬ 
cated or the worse of liquor. 
Miners are requested to ring the signals distinctly so that they may be clearly understood. 
If working three shifts, do not leave your place until relieved; then point out to your mates any 
source of danger, should such exist, also report the same to the manager. 
. n. tra T ve ^ n S ' m the shaft, keep well within the cage, and on no account lean over the winding 
slialt, from the plats, or attempt to get on or off the cage while it is in motion. 
All tools are to be placed securely in a truck before being sent up or down the shaft. 
You must not incur unnecessary risk from want of timber, or baulked ground, in your stopcs, and 
before starting work see that everything is safe around you. 
i str ictly to the instructions contained in the Act for the Regulation and Inspection of Mines, 
and the directors and managers cordially invite the co-operation of all employed in the mine in reducing 
accidents to a minimum. ® 
APPENDIX D. 
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR MINING ENGINE-DRIVERS. 
r° the Honorable J. F. Lcvien , 31. P., Minister of Mines for Victoria , fyc., fyc., fyc. 
Sir, 
V o ha\o the honour to report that the first series of examinations of mining engine-drivers is now 
completed, and we trust that the results will he found to be satisfactory. Several instances of persons 
eni eavourmg to obtain certificates of service by means of incorrect and misleading testimonials having 
occurred at the commencement of our labours, it became necessary to exercise every care to guard against 
ie possibility of such attempts proving successful; and, in view of this, we took the precaution, in doubtful 
cases, to make applicants furnish affidavits as to the correctness of the testimonials presented. 
Vv e found throughout the examinations that it taxed all our practical experience to obtain from 
candidates such evidence as would justify us in passing them for “competency” certificates, as only a few 
were able to make even the most simple mechanical calculations, so that their claims for certificates rested 
entirely upon the practical experience they possessed of mining machinery in operation. 
When candidates for “ competency ” failed to satisfy us as to their practical knowledge of steam 
machinery, we granted them “service" certificates, provided they furnished us with satisfactory evidence in 
accordance with the provisions of section 10 of Act No. 783. 
Siiice the date of our appointment (3rd March, 18S4), examinations have been held in every mining 
centre of importance in the colony, viz.:—At Sandhurst (2), Ballarat (2), Melbourne (3), Stawell, 
Beechworth, Bright, Valhalla, Bairnsdale, Egerton, Scarsdale, C res wick, Allendale, Daylesford, Cluncs, 
iieautort, Castlemainc, Maryborough, St. Arnaud, Inglewood, Jamieson, and Gaffney’s Creek ; altogether 
80 sittings. J ° 
The total number of a.pplieaUcflB for certificates was 1,487, and the fees received from candidates 
amounted to £813 10s. The applications were dealt with as follows:— 
First Class Service 
Certificates issued. 
Second Class Service 
Certificates issued. 
First Class 
Competency 
Certificates 
issued. 
Second Class 
Competency 
Certificates 
issued. 
Candidates 
who failed. 
Persons who did 
not produce 
satisfactory 
evidence to 
entitle them to 
Service Certifi¬ 
cates. 
Applications 
not relevant 
to the 
examinations. 
Applications 
in 
Abeyance. 
1,021 
217 
Ill 
42 
21 
8 
13 
54 
ISote. I lie holders of 1st class certificates of either service or competency are entitled to drive any 
engine used for mining purposes. The holders of 2nd class certificates of service or competency are entitled 
to drive any engine used for mining purposes except a winding engine. The name and address of each 
candidate who passed will be found in Appendix E, page 100. 
, . If every competent mining engine-driver is not the holder of a certificate by this date, it is certainly 
ns own fault, for every facility has been afforded to persons to present themselves for examination, each 
applicant having been advised a week beforehand where and when he would be examined. 
