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Clause 54—(Barometers)

Volume 529: debated on Thursday 1 July 1954

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I beg to move, in page 38, line 1, to leave out:

"There shall be provided and maintained."
I think it would be convenient to discuss this and the following three Amendments together, because they give effect to a series of undertakings that I gave during the Committee stage. First, we wish to provide that barometers shall be placed in conspicuous places where the men are used to seeing them and where they have been provided hitherto under the terms of the 1911 Act. We also seek power to prescribe for the provision of thermometers and hygrometers in appropriate circumstances.

Besides wanting to continue the provision of barometers in places where the men are used to seeing them, we want to make progress and to provide for rather more advanced scientific instruments, not necessarily placed in the old positions, but in positions where they will be most effective. For example, the new instrument for measuring humidity will not necessarily be placed only at the bottom of the upcast, as it was in the past. It will also be placed in the damp working places. This series of Amendments provides satisfactorily for these new arrangements.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 38, line 4, after "present," insert:

"there shall be provided in a conspicuous place and in such a position as to be easily read by the persons employed at the mine."

In line 5, at end, insert:

(2) Provision may be made by regulations for requiring—
  • (a) the provision at any such mine as aforesaid of a barometer of a prescribed kind in addition to that required by the foregoing subsection to be provided thereat;
  • (b) the provision at the prescribed places in mines of the prescribed instruments for measuring the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere.
  • In line 6, leave out from beginning, to "shall," in line 7. and insert:

    "Every instrument provided at a mine in pursuance of, or of regulations having effect by virtue of, the foregoing provisions of this section shall be properly maintained, and regulations may require that any such instrument.—[Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd.]