Examination of Candidates for First Class Certificates-continued.

II.-COAL MINES REGULATION ACTS.

Marks.

1. What are the requirements of the Electricity Special Rules respecting stationary haulage motors?

2. What are the requirements of the Mines Act and Special Rules respecting the fencing of discontinued, or abandoned mines, working shafts, machinery, and working places which are dangerous or temporarily out of use?

3. What are the provisions in the Electricity Rules regulating shot firing from a power or electric light circuit?

4. State briefly the duties of the Engineer as defined by the Special Rules.

5. What are the provisions of the Coal Mines Regulation Act respecting plans, the scale, information to be recorded thereon, how often to be made up, and what is required to be done at the close of a colliery, or the abandoment of a seam?

6. State the provisions of the Coal Mines Regulation Act and Special Rules respecting the examination of Machinery above and below ground.

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Preliminary.

State your name, age, and address.

PART II.-Time allowed for Subjects III., IV. and V., 1.30 P.M. to 5.30 P.M.

III. PRACTICAL MECHANICS.

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Marks.

1 Show by dimensioned sketch how you would construct the foundations for a pair of high pressure horizontal winding engines with cylinders 36 inches diameter and drum 20 feet diameter, 5 tons of coal to be lifted at each wind. State the materials you would use, giving reasons.

2. Why are electric machinery and cables required to be "earthed "? How is it best effected? Describe any difficulties there may be, at times, in "earthing" underground.

3. Sketch and describe the joint in a boiler flue which you consider the best, and give your reasons. Also sketch a low water safety valve.

4. A feeder of water is found to fill 10 water tubs per hour to a depth of 1 foot 6 inches, the tubs being 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. What size of pump would be required to raise this in 8 hours to a height of 150 feet? State size of rising main you would use.

5. What construction of winding rope would you specify for ordinary winding and sinking respectively? What relation should the safe working load bear to the breaking strain? Describe, with sketch, the best type of cap with which you are acquainted, and say what relation its breaking strain bears to that of the rope.

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1. Four shots in a sinking pit are ready for firing. What are the objections to firing them(a) by tape fuse? (b) by electricity?

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How can these objections be overcome?

2. In working down brow in a mine dipping 1 in 3 with hard roof and soft floor a 25 yards upthrow fault is met with crossing the main brow at an angle of 45 degrees. Show by plan and section how you would win the coal on the other side of the fault,

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3. Describe, and show by sketches, how you would prepare the site and construct a dam to resist a heavy pressure of water in a heading 8 feet wide, the coal being 4 feet thick. The stream must flow through the dam during construction.

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4. Describe how you would lower and fix electric cables behind wooden bearers in a shaft fitted with wooden conductors where the depth is such that the cables will not support their own weight, and show how you would support such cables in a wet shaft.

5. At a colliery situated on a hill it is decided to reduce the head on the pumps by driving a water tunnel to deliver the water into the valley. How would you ascertain the depth in the shaft at which the tunnel should be started to allow it to fall 1 in 100? Give copy of a portion of the level book which would be used in taking the surface levels, showing at least three settings of the instrument.

6. How would you work a mine with top coal 2 feet, dirt parting 6 inches, bottom coal 4 feet, the roof being rock 30 feet thick and tne floor hard warrant? Depth from surface 500 yards, inclination 1 in 3.

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Examination of Candidates for First Class Certificates-continued.

V.-MINE GASES, LIGHTING, AND VENTILATION.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using spirit in a safety lamp. and what is your opinion of an igniting arrangement inside a safety lamp? Give your reason.

2. At a colliery ventilated by a fan the water gauge at the separation doors at the shaft bottom reads 4 inches whilst the one in the fan drift at the surface reads 37.5. What is the cause of the difference?

3. If 20,000 cubic feet of air is passing through one airway 7 feet 6 inches wide, 4 feet 6 inches high, and 1,000 yards long, what total quantity would pass if the air was split into three divisions, the first airway being as above, the second 1,200 yards in length, 8 feet wide, and 6 feet high, and the third 1,600 yards long, 9 feet wide, and 7 feet high, the power remaining the same?

4. What precaution would you take to prevent a dust explosion from spreading from one ventilating district to another, and do you consider it advisable, where two collieries belonging to the same firm having workings approaching each other, to connect them with a view to having an additional means of escape in case of an explosion?

5. Show how you would ventilate the workings on the accompanying plan, having due regard to haulage. Coal being wound at the downcast shaft only, show by arrows the direction of the air currents, putting in the necessary stoppings, doors, brattices, and lamp stations.

Marks.

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EXAMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR SECOND CLASS CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY,
DECEMBER, 1906.

Preliminary.

State your name, age, and address.

PART I.-Time allowed for Subjects I. and II., 11 A.M. to 1 P.M.

I. ARITHMETIC.

Marks.

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1. If a collier produces on an average 23 tons for which he is paid 37 per cent. on a standard of 5s. per day. What is the cost per ton?

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2. A water tank is 5 feet 6 inches, 1 foot 9 inches deep, and 3 feet 0 inches wide inside measurements. How many cubic inches and how many cubic feet does it contain?

3. A contract for repairing a road is set at 4s 9d. per yard, bars 2s. each, emptying dirt 3d. per tub. Three men employed on this in one week repair 10 yards, set 9 bars and empty 44 tubs of dirt. They work 5 shifts each. What is their average wage per shift ?

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II.-COAL MINES REGULATION ACTS.

Marks.

1. What are the provisions of the Coal Mines Regulation Acts and the Explosives in Coal Mines Order 1899 respecting the care of explosives underground; the charging, and stemming, of shots; and the storage, custody and use of detonators above and below ground?

2. What are the requirements of the Act and Special Rules as to inspection of the working places and roadways? 3. What are the requirements of the Electricity Special Rules respecting coalcutter

motors?

4. What are the requirements of the Mines Regulation Acts respecting the provision of Ambulance material, and how are they carried out at any time within your knowledge? 5. What precautions are required by the Special Rules to be taken in re entering a sinking pit?

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Examination of Candidates for Second Class Certificates—continued.

Preliminary.

State your name, age, and address.

PART II.-Time allowed for Subjects III. and IV., 1.30 P.M. to 5.30 P.M.

1. Describe fully with sketches how you would build a stopping in a pack road to seal off a fire and mention any special precautions you would take.

2. Describe with section and sketches, the method of working you are best acquainted with, showing the system of supporting the roof, ventilation, and how the coal is got away from the working faces.

3. How would you set a chock in a mine dipping 1 in 33, where all chocks should be recovered. Would you let the ends of the timber overlap, or set them flush, and why?

4. Show with sketches how you would timber a road :-1st with bad roof, 2nd with bad roof and soft sides, 3rd with bad roof and soft floor.

5. Describe in detail the operation of charging, stemming and firing a shot where there is no coal dust, showing how you would deal with a miss-fire and giving the precautions you would take throughout.

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IV.-MINE GASES, LIGHTING, AND VENTILATION.

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Marks.

1. In ventilating an upbrow tunnel with a fan, using air pipes or brattice tubing, would you arrange the fan to exhaust or blow? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each system?

2. Give a description of the safety lamp with which you are best acquainted and state how you would ascertain if it complied with the provisions of the Coal Mines Regulation Acts.

3. What is the minimum amount of force (due to the pressure of the air only) required to open a separation door 6 feet high and 4 feet 6 inches wide with a 2-inch Water Gauge? 4. How would you proceed to remove a large body of gas in two upbrow places with cut-throughs every 40 yards and what precautions would you take?

5. Show how you would ventilate the workings on the accompanying plan having due regard to haulage. Coal being wound at the downcast shaft only, show by arrows the direction of the air currents, putting in the necessary stoppings, doors and brattices.

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