Directory_and_Chronicle_1905 — Page 484

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TEMPORARY MINING REGULATIONS IN CHINA

XXI.-If police protection for the works is deemed to be necessary, application should be made to the local authorities who will consider and decide the matter. Only Chinese must be employed to guard the mines. It is, moreover, essential that all persons employed by the company, excepting those in charge of the machinery and those who keep the accounts, should be natives of the district in which the mine is situated. In the event of a strike, natives of other districts may be engaged, but on no account must foreigners be employed. The ratious for the guard and all expenses incider:tal to their maintenance must be defrayed by the mine owners. In the event of the mine owners wishing to establish a school of mining for the purpose of increasing the standard of efficiency of the men, the mineowners are at liberty to take such action as they may desire.

XXII.-If it should be desired to make small railways for the convenient trans- portation of the ore, application must be made to the Board by petition stating whether there is any railway or port within a distance of ten li from the mine and inquiry should be made as to whether there are any local obstacles or objections. The Board will consider the information and decide whether the line may be made or not. If the length of the proposed line exceeds 10 li the proposal must be regarded as a distinct matter [i.e. a railway governed by the Railway Regulations.-Translator.]

XXIII.—If the area covered by the permit to mine does not exceed 10 square li, a fee of 100 Kuping Taels will be charged for the permit, and for every additional square li Taels 10 must be paid. No concession will be granted exceeding 30 square li in extent. When the first year's rent for the concession has been paid to the local authorities, the latter shall afford due protection to all employed on the mines, Chinese and foreigners alike, but the officials must not interfere with the manage- ment of the mine. If losses are incurred, action must be taken according to (Chinese)

the Chinese Government is under no obligation to indemnify.

law;

XXIV. Operations must be commenced within six months after a permit to work a mine shall have been granted, alike in the case of Chinese and foreigners, and the date of commencement must be reported to the Board. If no such report shall have been received by the Board within the aforesaid period of six months, the per- mit will be cancelled and other persons be invited to carry on the operations. If delay is caused by any unforseen circumstances, a report explaining the causes of the delay should be made to the Board, who will make an investigation, and will grant an extension of time if there has been no misrepresentation of the facts.

XXV. The boundaries of a concession must be marked by the permit-holders with stones so that the limits may be clearly seen. They must also adopt proper measures to protect the engineers and workmen from accidents; and if, notwithstanding the adoption of precautions, an accident should occur, it must be promptly reported to the local official who will inquire into the matter, In the event of any workman being killed the employers must pay liberal compensation, the amout to be determined by the circumstances of the fatality, a generous allowance being made.

XXVI. As there are but few Chinese mining experts at present, mine owners will be permitted to employ foreign engineers to whom the local authorities must afford complete protection on pain of impeachment and punishment. The mining engineers must conduct themselves with propriety, and if they fail in this respect they must bear the consequences. On complaint by the local authority of offensive conduct on the part of any foreign employees, the manager of the mine will be required to discharge them and employ others. The offenders must be impartially

dealt with.

XXVII.—The high officials of the provinces in which mining operations are being conducted, must direct the district officials to issue proclamations for the pur- pose of avoiding local disturbances. Should the inhabitants of the district or the workmen at the mine become contentious, the dispute must be brought before the nearest district magistrate, or sub-prefect, and the facts be adjudicated in a just It is particularly necessary for the officials to prohibit persons employed at the Yamen from extorting money on any pretext whatsoever. If the local officials

manner.

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Original from

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN