MINE FODDED OUT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1708, 27 March 1913, Page 4

MINE FODDED OUT.

IJJ3N OUT OF WORK. (Uy lyipsraph- - ABsp'qiation.) 1 Whangarei, March 2S. Tlie Isortljei'fi CpaJ Gppipapy's "n«K mips at Jtijairapgi j? flooded. ' Last week it ivas fpund tjiat the ground was getting, uneasy, and lporo water was cpniiiig |i|',' Tlie watpr grpflually increased' till flip workings wera. flooded, and theii over||o)vpd tq the piaip' sljaft. Tho pjiuip became submergpil opd was thrown put of aetjqii. aiid the. water continued to visp jp thp inpip shaft toiOOft.' 'Water cpges arp now bting used to bail the >yater out till they can get down to tho i pumps. A reporter visiting the mino at 10 last |ijgl|t ippni) tho water had decreased 18ft, (p seven hours. ' ] Thp piiiiipg engineer , states tho works hnyo prpbably stnjck a ivater pocket in limestone formation, as it rose , very slpwly after reaching 60ft. There was piiiiply'jit first, ps jt was thopghtspringa |ii|<l'beeii tapped, but as tlipWpter 'only rosis s|pvly between GO ami 100 ft. it is calculated that' an underground reservoir Jips been .struck. It is considered Unlikely that the flooding is pf a perniqnqnt nafiiro. The tipibers in the mine broke,' but this was caused by tho . weight pf wafer, an'fj ppf by a creep as was ■at first, feared.' ' Fifty-five men have been thrown ouf of employment.

'• . MANAGER'S OPINION. ' Auckland, March 26. Jn pojiTiection with thp fioqdiug of the IJ-ikuraji'iii hijiie, t)ip chairman of director'spf'the Northprn Coal Company (Mr. E, V?. Alison) stated that, by 11 a.m. today, the watpr nail been reduced by 20ft Ftp cqijsiflprod ('hat' apy suggestion that tho liiiiio might'ba .receiving j)|| inrush of.' water .from (ha Hilturaiigi Swamp was ridiculous. Tho land overlying is absolutely dry, and there is a thick cover of |inWt<m<» over it. Moreover, the adjoining Swamp is drained and' carrying stock'. Any suggestion as to the existence of a layer of quicksand in tho dip js absolutely' without foundation. Thp ppnipaijy, haying, |:\|-o nijnps, would npf ho hapipered in resp«|: to supplying its pust'oiiiei'? with coal without pny delay.