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3461. That is from bank to bank?— Yes. When the men are working Igo two hours before they come in and look round all the places, and I come away two hours before they knock off. 3462. The Chairman.] How long do the men w 7 ork?—Eight hours, from bank to bank. 3463. Mr. Broivn.] How 7 many hours would that be at face ?—I should think about seven, or a little over. 3464. Are you aware of any restrictions recently put on the men as to the output ?—I did think that some of them could have done a little more if they had been wishing to do it. 3465. Mr. Moody.] If they did more than a certain amount they had to pay it into the union?— Yes. 3466. Mr. Brown.] Do you think the union recently established has been beneficial to the miners on the whole ? —Well, it is a hard question to answer. If the unions were conducted as they ought to be they would be beneficial, but when fools get to the head of affairs it makes things bad, and the unions do more harm than good. 3467. You think everything rests on a wise administration ? —Yes. 3468. From your experience, you think the administration ha 3 not been wise ?—No, it has not been wise. 3469. Do you refer to local unions or to unions generally ?—All through I think they have been very unwise. 3470. The Chairman.] What point would you take exception to in the action they have been taking?—ln the first place, as to the shipping affair; as soon as they found the officers giving over they ought to have let the men go into work. 3471. Mr. Broivn.] What is the principle they are standing out for?—To protect the shippingofficers. 3472. In New Zealand, do I understand? —It started in Australia first, I think. 3473. You do not know of any dispute between the shipping officers and employers in New Zealand? —Nothing, but just the Union Company. 3474. Nothing except that their big brother in Australia is grumbling ? —Yes. 3475. And when the officers went back to work, you think the men should have been allowed to go back too ?—Yes, if they had acted wisely. 3476. Were they prevented from going back by their own body or some outside body ?—They were prevented by the Maritime Council. 3477. Why?— The Maritime Council was held in a species of admiration by the executive here, and because a few of the leaders were headstrong. 3478. Do you know anything about the accident to Eobert Cherry ?—No; that was in Wallsend. Mr. John Geeen sworn and examined. 3479. The Chairman.] You are a coal-miner, are you not ?—Well, yes, I have been brought up to coal-mining, although during the last three years I have been occupying a position in the company. 3480. You have been overman for three years, have you not ?—Yes. 3481. In the Wallsend Mine ?—Yes. 3482. Have you any knowledge of the other mines?—l have worked in all of them ; but it is a considerable time since I was in the Coal-pit Heath. 3483. What was your duty as overman in the Wallsend Mine?—My duty was practically this : To keep the mine in proper working-order and safe, and to get the men's coal away from them. 3484. So that you were constantly in the mine—every 7 day?— Yes. 3485. Had you the whole mine under your charge ?—During the last six months the whole of it was under my charge, but prior to that there were two overmen. 3486. Were you there from the beginning of the working, after the second shaft was sunk?— No. 3487. How much of the mine was worked before you took charge ?—The furthest distance away from the shaft would not be more than 300 yards to the west. 3488. Were all the east and north workings done during your time, or before ?—The north working was not far extended at that time. The north headings would be about 100 yards, and the east about the same distance. And there was nothing done to the dip on this side. 3489. What was the character of the coal ? Was it pretty uniform ?—I do not think the quality was as good as these other mines. 3490. What was the drawback ? —lt seemed to be crushed up, and to have been affected by heat at some time. 3491. Do you mean that it was coked?—lt appeared chemically altered. It seemed to me that fire had been somewhere not very far from it at one time. 3492. Do you mean that it was so all through the mine?— Practically speaking it was through all parts of the mine. 3493. What w 7 as the thickness of the seam?—lt varied from 10ft. to 16ft. 3494. And what was the effect of this alteration of the coal? Did it make it hard?—lt crushed a good deal more after it was cut. 3495. It made more small ? —Yes. 3496. Smaller than the Coal-pit Heath or the Brunner?—More small than the w 7 hole coal of either the Brunner or the Coal-pit Heath. 3497. How did it compare with the Tyneside coal ?—There was not a great deal of difference between the Tyneside and this. 3498. It was like the Tyneside?—Very much like it. 3499. What was the proportion of slack in it do you say from that cause ?—lt was worked out