§ In any mine or part of a mine in which safety lamps are required by this Act or the regulations of the mine to be used—
- (i.) A safety lamp shall not be used unless it has since last in use been thoroughly examined at the surface by a competent person appointed by the manager for the purpose and found by him in safe working order and securely locked; and a record shall be kept of the men to whom the several lamps are given out:
- (ii.) Such competent person as aforesaid shall also examine every lamp on its being returned, and if on such an examination any lamp is found to be damaged, he shall record the nature
1502 of the damage in a book to be kept at the mine for the purpose, and the person to whom the lamp was given out shall be deemed to have wilfully damaged the lamp unless he proves that the damage was due to no fault of his own and that he immediately gave notice of the damage to the fireman, examiner, or deputy: - (iii.) A safety lamp shall not be unlocked except at an appointed lamp station (which shall not be in a return airway) by a competent person appointed by the manager for the purpose, nor, except in the case of electric hand lamps, shall it be relighted except by such a person at an appointed lamp station alter examination by him, and no person other than such person as aforesaid shall have in his possession any contrivance for relighting or opening the lock of any safety lamp:
- (iv.) No part of a safety lamp shall be removed by any person whilst the lamp is in ordinary use.
§ Amendments made: In paragraph (i.), after the word "appointed" ["appointed by the manager"], insert the words "in writing."
§ In paragraph (ii.), after the word "and" ["for the purpose, and"] insert the words "the damage shall be deemed to have been due to the neglect or default of."
§ Leave out the words "shall be deemed to have wilfully damaged the lamp."
§ At the end of the paragraph insert the words "or some other official of the mine appointed in writing by the manager for the purpose."
§ In paragraph (iii.), after the word "appointed," insert the words "in writing."
§ At the end of paragraph (iv.) insert the words, "(2) Where in any such mine or part of a mine as aforesaid any damage is caused to a lamp through the neglect or default of the person to whom the lamp was given out, that person shall be guilty of an offence against this Act."—[Mr. Masterman.]