THE HUNTLY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2263, 24 September 1914, Page 3

THE HUNTLY DISASTER

FORTY-THREE VICTIMS MINERS MAKING TROUBLE (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Huntly, September 23. The body of Thomas Berry, enginedriver, aged 29, was recovered from tho Huntly mine this morning. So far as is known,-only one body, that of William Smith, a deputy, aged 60, married, is now below. John Jackson, aged 20, a clipper, 6inglo, one of the three injured men taken to the Waikato Hospital, died this morning. The third man injured—Alfred Peckham, jun.—is making a slow recovery. Young Jackson's death makes tho third victim in the Jackson familyfather and two sons. Altogether forty bodies have been recovered, two deaths have taken place in the hospital, and one man is still entombed.

INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS. WAS THE MINE SAFE? MANAGER'S EVIDENCE. Huntly, September 23. The inquest ou the Huntly victims opened at mid-day before Mr. Rawson, S.M. Mr. P. Macaseey, of the Crown Law Office, represents the Crown, and Mr. C. J. Tunks is present on behalf of tho company. . There was a crowded Court when the inquest opened. James Fletcher, general manager of Taupiri Coal Mines, Ltd., said that on tho day 'of the explosion he' was not in charge, being incapacitated at the time. He appointed William Gowans as de-puty-manager. Gowans was one of the victims of the explosion. The day of the explosion was an. off day at the mine. There were six workings in oporation. In compliance with the Coal . Mines Act the whole of the working places were examined each morning by three competent persons,- who entered •within two hours prior to the main body of men commencing work. Reperts of the three examining deputies for that morning were found in tho office in the mine, and, showed that the barometer registered from 37 to 37} degrees in different parts of the mine and the thermometer froni 48 to iS degrees. . All three reports that the roads were safe at 7 a.m. and the ventilation good. Deputies always carried safety lamps on their daily inspection. No actual mining was done that morning, the men descending merely to straighten up the tunnels. Tours of the old workings were made continuously by an inspector specially appointed. The last report, on September 11, stated that all was well, there being no falls, while the ventilation was good.

Fire-damp In the Mine Witness stated that fire-damp had been found in small quantities on several occasions in pockets. The last occasion was on August 17, when Inspector Weir reported that he found diluted .'gaa in No. 4 bord, which was dispersed. by the air current. Gas of this nature was usually caused by a fall. Witness considered tho mines fairly immune from fire-damp, unless a big fall occurred. On July 9 William Kelly, one of the victims, was working in No. 6 etone overhead drive, a short distance from a pot-hole that was "bleeding" Ras. He went to the pot-hole for a drink, and haying a naked light on his head he ignited an accumulation of gas in the pot-nole. pis hair was singed, and he was off work for fourteen days. This particular section was examined at 8 a.m. on the same day ;ind found safe. A 'good current of air was going through tho drive and a request was made to Deputy Darby by one of tho contractors to reduce the current as the men complained of the cold. The request was refused. Jn witness's opinion tho accumulation of gas was caused by the disarrangement of the ventilation because of the air intake pipe being .blocked by a brattice oloth. Ho considered that the mea had found the working too cold to be comfortable, and had blocked the pipe. The whole incident was reported to. the Government inspector. During the four years witness had been engaged at the mines tho accident to Kelly was the only one ot this nature. So far as witness could recollect he never received complaints from any man working in the mine of a-i accumulation of gas, and had no reason to suspect that gas_ was in the mine in dangerous quantities.

Accumulation of Dust. On August 26, continued witness, signs' of heating were noticeable in the old workings, and on a search, being made, the- trouble was located. The conditions were reported normal at midnight. There had been ro other sighs of heating except on one occasion, ten weeks previously. Witness admitted receiving a letter from the Government Inspector, Mr. Bonnie, regarding the dangerous condition ofthe mine, particularly in the old workings and main drive, owing to the accumulation of dry dust. The letter instructed the company to immediately undertake the spraying of .the dust with water, to remove the danger. The letter added: "Although I previously wiirncd tne company of the danger, little or nothing had been done to comply with the request." Regarding tho spraying in the old working, in view of tho. accident to Kelly, Mr. Bennie requested that shot iirers should bo appointed, as required by Special Rule 25, and that the accumulation of dry coal, dust should be dealt with in an adequate and proper manner. The report concluded: "Failure to comply with my request will be followed by jHosecution for breaches of the Act." Safety Lamps. On August 25 tho company received intimation from Mr. Bennio that it might bo necessary to insist on the use of safety lamps'. Replying to Inspector Wright, witness said that spraying had been done regularly in the main shaft, but it nas not considered necessary to spray the old workings. Asked if ho had any theory as to how the explosion occurred, witness replied in the negative. The company carried its own insurance risks. Continuing, Mr. Fletcher said that if the men had expressed a dosiro fur ssfety lamps they could have had them. One hundred electric safety lamps had been ordered by the company, while none but safety lamps would be used in future. The mine was considered to be a damp and cool one. A number of men who had succeeded in escaping uninjured stated that the workings seemed as usual on tho morning of the explosion. All dwlared that they had previously found it free of gas, though tho majority had noticed dry coal dust in varying quantities at different places. Tho inquest was at this stage adjourned till to-morrow. TRADES HALL FUND. A NATIONAL MOVEMENT. gj rj —in order to make ample provision for the dependents of those who lost their lices in the recent catastrophe at Huntly, it was decided, at a representative mooting of Labour men, held in Wellington on September 17. to inaugurate a national fund, to be known as

the Huntly Disaster Relief Fund. To ensure the success of this most worthy project, the assistance of your valuable paper is sought. It has been decided that tho headquarters of the fund be in Wellingtono, from which centre the National Ccmmitt.ee will, acting upon the advice of a representative local committee in Huntly, administer assistance to all entitled to it. Already appeals liaye been issued to ministers' associations, various churches, labour organisations, racing clubs, and all other bodies that might assist in any way. The committee feels certain that, despite tho heavy donations made ti) the Patriotic Fund, tho people of Now Zealand will liberally rospond to assist the widows and orphans whose breadwinners were snatched by death under sucli tragic circumstances. Tho following have been appointed as a management committee of the fur d:—Mr. A. H. Cooper (Wellington Butchers , chairman; Mr. F. Cornwell (Painters), treasurer; Mcssts, L. M. A. Kearden (United Labour Party) and J. Read (United Federation of Labour), jointsecretaries ; Messrs. H. E. Holland, S. Gordon, trustees; "Messrs. Laracy (Shearers'), P. H. Hickoy, W. Noot (Tramways'), G. Blatherwick (Carpenters'), A. Croskery (Drapers'), and W. Watenvorth (Tailors'), committee. A. H. COOPER, Chairman. L..M. A. REARDEN, , J. READ, Joint-Secretaries. Trades Hall, Wellington, September 19, 1914. RECEIPTS TO DATE. The Trades Hall advises receipt of the following amounts to date: — , £ 6-. u. Previously acknowledged ... 232 11 1 The "Wnimate Advertiser" 11 1 6 T. J. Fiske •• 119 10 . L. M. Isitt (Christchurch) 110 H. J. Archer 1 1 « Soft Goods employees 0 7 ■■ U Total to date 248 1 5 All amounts are being immediately remitted to Huntly to a committee consisting of tho Rev. M. J.Evans, the Rev. Father Edge. Messrs Mellmgs and Knapper, who will distribute funds tor urgent cases. Donations forwarded to tho joint secretaries, Trades Hall, Wellington or the Bank of New Zealand, To Aro will be greatfully received and acknowledged.

MAYOR'S RELIEF FUND. £ E.,d. Amount previously afknow- ■ _ ledped 36 5 0 W. M. Hannay , \ 0 " Mrs. Walter Nathan. ..i 60 0 W. A. Chote .;.... 1 1 0 Pastor David Nield 1 1 0 £48 7 0 MINERS REFUSE DUTY.

INCREASED PAY DEMANDED. ' Huntly, September 23. The Extended Mine, at which about 250 men are usually employed, should have started work this morning, but the miners refused to recommence operations' unless they were granted ■an increase from 2s. 53. to 3s. per ton, ae they declare the compulsory use of safety lamps will reduce their output owing to the reduced volume of illumination compared with naked lights. The company offered an increase of one penny, but this the men refused. The shiftmen also demanded a rise from- 11s. 4d. to 12s. 6d. per day, and the truckers from 9s. _Bd. to 10s. Gα. A deadlock therefore exists. The Miners' Union _ held a meeting this morning, and decided that a deputation should approach the directors on the matter. Tho meeting also decided not to recommence work until all the bodies had been reco-vered. .

MEETING OF THE UNION. ATTENDED BY MESSRS. SBMPLE AND WEBB, Huntly, September 23. It transpires that at a meeting of one hundred members of the Huntly Miners' Union last night, at which Mr. Semplo and Mr. Webb wero present, it was decided to request Mr. Stuart Dixon, the president (who secured a verdict for one thousand pounds damages in the' reoent libel action against the "Maoriland Worker"\ together -with all tho membors of the executive, to re-si.crn. CONTRIBUTION FBOM THE TROOPS. In the House of Ecpresentatives last evening, the 'lon. J. Allen stated that the troops in tho Palmerston North camp had forwarded £103 through tho Rev. Bush King'for the relief of those who had suffered'.through the Huntly colliery disaster. Mr. Allen added that he understood that the troops in the other camps wore following this example. The'troops, in a- message, said that New Zealand had done a great deal for thenij and that they desired to do something-.for New Zealand. Tho announcement was received with applause. . BENEFIT "SOCCER" MATCH. Arrangements have been made for a benefit match to he played on the Basin Reserve next Saturday aid of the Huntly Relief Fund. Tho teams competing will be Corinthians (1914 champions) and Thistles. As a curtainraiser, Y.M.C.A. will play Brooklyn in tho final for the Fourth Division championship. These two teann have met m the final for the past three seasons, Y.M.O.A. having won two games and Brooklyn one.