REPORT UNDER THE METALLIFEROUS MINES ACTS. SECTION I. The following table (No. 14) gives the counties in which mining under these Acts was carried on, the number of mines, and the number of persons employed in each. County : TABLE (14). PERSONS EMPLOYED. Table (No. 15) gives the quantity of each kind of mineral worked in the district, and the quantity worked in each county : Wanlockhead Lead Mine is the only mine in the district from which any of the metals are produced. For many years this mine was worked by the proprietor, the Duke of Buccleuch, but it is now in the hands of a company who intend to develop the work vigorously. Inquiries are being made regarding other mines of the more valuable ores. which were formerly worked, and if the enhanced value of these ores continues, probably the working of some of these may be resumed. SECTION III. No fatal accidents took place during the year, but I received notice of three non-fatal accidents which are summarised in the following table (No. 16) : TABLE (16). SUMMARY of FATAL and NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS, classified according to PLACE The following table (No. 17) shows the quantity of each explosive used during the year : REPORT UNDER THE QUARRIES ACT. SECTION I. PERSONS EMPLOYED. The number of quarries worked in each county, and the number of persons employed in connection therewith, are given in the following table (No. 18). The number of persons given includes those working at all the factories, except brickworks, connected with the quarries but not exceeding a mile distant from them. TABLE (18). Comparing these figures with the year 1905, there has been a decrease of 409 in the total number of persons employed. As regards the persons employed inside the the quarries and those employed outside, the figures given do not indicate the relative numbers of persons employed in quarrying proper and those employed outside such operations. At many quarries sett makers, hewers, and men engaged in sawing and planing stone are employed inside the quarry, and are returned as being employed inside the quarry, while at other quarries men similarly employed, but outside, are returned as being employed outside the quarry. According to the Annual Returns, there were, in addition to the number of persons. given in the foregoing table, other 66 persons who were occasionally employed at the quarries. SECTION II. Table (No. 19) gives the quantities of the various kinds of mineral obtained during the year from the quarries in each county. TABLE (19). Although the annual returns show a decrease of 409 in the number of persons employed as compared with the year 1905, they show an increase in the output of 122,941 tons. SECTION III. ACCIDENTS. There were five fatal accidents, four of which happened inside the quarry, and one happened outside. Each resulted in the loss of one life. By 35 non-fatal accidents 37 persons were injured. Table (No. 20) gives a summary of the accidents, and the details of the fatal accidents are given in Appendix I. TABLE (20). SUMMARY OF FATAL and NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS, classified according to The death-rates from accidents inside the quarry per 1,000 persons employed were 143; outside the quarry 449; and inside and outside the quarry 995. The only fatal accident to which special reference may be made occurred at Cove Quarry, Dumfrieshire (No. 189 in the list in Appendix I.). It appears that a steam crane excavator, or navvy, had just been started to remove the overburden of clay. The steel truck on which the excavator was mounted was fitted with two pairs of wheels to run on the standard 4 feet 8 inch railway gauge, and also with two pairs of additional wheels to run on a 7 feet 2 inch gauge when excavating, so as to give more stability. The quarry manager, however, made the fatal mistake of putting the truck on the narrow gauge rails only and setting the excavator to work. About 7 hours after the start, the engineman, after the bucket was filled, was swinging it round, and when the jib was nearly at right angles to the rails the weight of the bucket and contents overbalanced the whole apparatus, and the excavator toppled over. The deceased was on the platform in front of the boiler fire, and was fatally injured by being caught between the platform and the ground. Three of the six non-fatal blasting accidents were caused by the injured men recklessly unramming shots which had missed fire, and another was caused by the injured man pressing unthawed gelignite cartridges into a shot hole. SECTION IV. PROSECUTIONS. There were no prosecutions during the year. SECTION V. GENERAL REMARKS. Docks, wharves, and quays.-The wharves or quays at which minerals from the quarries are shipped, and under my inspection, number 21. The greater number of these are simply quays built on the side of the estuary of a river, or sheltered arms of the sea, where only small vessels are loaded. Only a few of these quays are provided with cranes for loading the vessels. Eleven quays were visited during the year, and at seven of them it was found that one or more of the requirements of the Regulations under the Factory Act for Docks, Wharves, Quays, &c., were not being complied with. The attention of the quarry owners was at once directed to the omissions and they all undertook to put the matters right. I received no complaints for failure to comply with the Order, and no accidents were reported in connection with any of the quays. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant, J. M. RONALDSON. The Right Hon. H. J. Gladstone, M.P., |