Federation University Historical Collection
Booklet - Reports, John Ferres, Government Printer, Safety Mining Cages. Report of the Board of Enquiry on Safety Cages 1878-9; together with proceedings of the Board and Appendices, 1879
... john keam... william collard smith j.h. seymour john s. delbridge william ...
From the Argus, Friday 18 July 1879:-
SAFETY MINING CAGES.
The report of the board on safety mining cages was laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly fortnight The board, which has tested the following inventions Nances, Williams patent, Jackson and Middleton's patent Sesmours patent, Allans patent, and Hassan a patent, reports as follows -
1. That the preponderance of evidence given by miners and others qualified to form an opinion is strongly in favour of the adop-tion of a safety cage for general use in the mines of this colony, provided that a reliable invention can be brought forward, and its practical utility satisfactorily determined
2. That in view of the rapid increase of cage accidents, and supported by the evidence before them, the board are of opinion that some special provision should be made to check such a prolific source of danger as is shown to exist in the working of the shaft and machinery employed for winding purposes.
3. That this check could be imposed by means of such a regulation as that at present contained in the statute, i e -" Every cage used in a mine shall be fitted with special and suitable appliances to prevent its sudden fall down a shaft and also to prevent its coming into contact with the poppet heads."
The board, however, consider that mine proprietors should be permitted to exercise their own discretion in the selection of safety cages, but safety hooks and balance catches must be used in connexion with every case
4. That the board have witnessed trials of all the inventions brought under their notice, and from the result of their observations the members are of opinion that the adoption of these safety appliances will afford additional security to the large section of the community engaged in mining operations.48 foolscap pages report stitched together. safety cages, safety mining cages, george collins levey, mining, mitchell and osborne's patent safety catches for mining cages, mining cages, seymour's patent safety cage, pryor's safety cage, white's safety cage, mining accidents, dyke's freehold gmc creswick, angelo mining co castlemaine, britannia qmc ballarat, alexander kennedy smith, george r. fincham, henry roberts williams, robert clark, r. richardson, allan's patent balalrat, hassan's patent daylesford, david white, charles stewart, w.h. grainger, h.b. nicholas, t. hassan, r. allan, a.k. smith, james thomson, william collard smith, j.h. seymour, john s. delbridge, william buttle, james davidson, j.p. carolin, r. clark, thomas eyre, george marshall, g. thureau, william bottoms, robert carr, j.c. march, john keam, david park, j.a. lewis, lester's hotel, ballarat, robert allan, nancarrow saftey cage, robert malachi serjeant, robert henderson, g.f. smith, r.w. newman, william benson, f. bennett, john sharp, thomas couchman, john a. wallace, john small, william h. grainger, james cowling, tools
Federation University Historical Collection
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.