THE HUNTLY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2270, 2 October 1914, Page 7

THE HUNTLY DISASTER

INQUEST CONTINUED

PROFESSOR DIXON ON EX-

PLOSION TESTS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) Huntly, October 1. TJio Huntly inquest was resumed tliis morning. Professor Dixon, continuing liis evidence, said that probably only a few hundred feet of gas would be necessary to start an explosion. Asked if he connected the seismic disturbance at White Island with the explosion, lie said he did not know enough of the geological formation of" New Zealand coal fields to give an opinion. He did not know of any' instances of earth tremors being connected with explosions. A minor would never 6ee tip to two per cent, of gas by testing. It was only ill recent years that tho explosion of coal dust nad been investigated. Very few managers were awaro of tho dust danger. Professor Dixon added that it was remarkable with such ail accumulation of coal-dust as in Ealph's mine that an explosion had not occurred before by blown-out shots. The presence of 2i per cent, of gas was not dangerous itself. The explosive point was 5.6. All the evidence pointed to- the initiation of the explosion being duo to the presence of gas, clear gas, since it had come in considerable quantity from the points of origin. Questioned by the jury, \Professor Dixon said that the hydrogen lamp was jnore delicate for testing than the ordinary safety. He doubted whether there' was one in New Zealand. Asked for his opinion asto. life-saving apparatus, he said that in Lancashire there were stations where men were specially trained in the use. of the apparatus, and a contingent was always ready ;for any emergency. He suggested that the New Zealand Government 6hould establish a central station for .training experienced miners in the use of the apparatus.

Other Evidence, Daniel Dear, the company's inspector, recalled) said that in testing for gas it was not the practice to examine every board. His instructions were to look for fire, not gas. No one was deputed to test for gas in the old workings. Any tests made wore quite voluntary. Brownlie, a driver, recalled, stated that on tho morning of the explosion he with others was instructed to enter the old workings to draw out the rails. Martin probably received similar instructions and entered the old workings first. _ Boyd Bennie, Government Inspector of Mines, said that during the past two years two accidents had occurred through gas in tho Extended Mine and two in Ralph's. Witness twice warned the company of the danger owing to the quantities of eoal-dust, and threatening prosecution. l ! if not watered-, both in 1 the old and tho present workings. He had never found gas in tho present working's in sufficient quantities to warrant the compulsory use of safety lamps. In reply to Mr. Napier (for Ralph's trustees), Mr. Bennie- said had he had the power he would certainly have insisted on the compulsory use of safety lamps. Old workings should be examined more frequently in future. ■ Jury's verdict, Aft6r a retirement of 40 minutes the jury returned the following verdict: — "That the victims met their deaths in No.- 5 scction of Ralph's mines as the result of an ignition of gas, which, caused an explosion of coal-dust." : 1 The foreman stated that the jury did not bring any riders, considering that the Royal Commission would go fully into the matter. .

ROYAL COMMISSION OPENS. A BRIEF SITTING. ' Huntly, October 1. The Government Commission of Inquiry into the Huntly disaster was. formally opened to-day before Commissioners Burgess, Brown, and Dowgray. The company is represented by Mr. Tonics, the Ralph trustees by Mr. W. J. Napier, the Mines Department by Mr. Macassey, the Taupiri Miners' Union by Messrs. Newton and Wilford, the New Zealand Miners by Mr. Goiild. The report of the Commission, will be handed to the Minister by November 1. Tlie proceedings will probably last n week. To avoid the inconvenience of the two inquiries sitting together, the Commission adjourned till to-morrow, when the inquest will be completed; NEW COAL-M ( INES BILL. SOME OF ITS PROVISIONS. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. The Coal-Mines Amendment Bill, which.was introduced into the House of Representatives yesterday, contains 21 clauses, and is largely on the lines of last year's Bill. ■■ j Ventilation. 'Amendments are proposed in Section 40 of the principal Act m regard to ventilation. It is provided that an adequate amount of ventilation shall bo constantly produced in every-mine to dilute and render harmless inflammablei and noxi-; ous gases to such an extent that all shafts, roads, levels, stables, and workings shall be in a fit state for working and passing therein, and, in'particular, tliat the intake airways, up to within one hundred yards of the first working place which the' air enters, shall be kept substantially free from inflammable gas. A place shall not be deemed..to be in a fit state "for working or passing therein if the air contains either less than nineteen per cent, of oxygen or more than one per cent, of carbon-dioxide. The Minister may, by warrant under Ms hand, and subject to any conditions specified in the said warrant, exempt any mine from the provisions of the foregoing paragraph on the ground that tlie coal therein is particularly liable to spontaneous combustion. Not less than 150 cubic feet of air per minuto shall •bo provided for evory person, and 600 feet for every horse employed underground. The measurements are to be -taken at the entrance to each ventilat-' ing district. The total number of men ordinarily employed in any ventilating district shall not without the consent in writing of the inspector exceed fifty at' any one time, and in no case shall the number exceed seventy. Thero is power to prohibit the use of electricity under dangerous circumstances, and provision for the withdrawal of the men in case of danger. Section 48a makes certain provisions in regard to the right of workmen to have the mine inspected.

Naked Lights. A place shall bo deemed to be dangerous if the pcrcentago of inflammable gas to tho general body of tho air is found to bo 2i or upwards, or where naked- are used 1J por cent, or upwards. Workmen discovering inflamniablo gas .must immediately withdraw and inform the foreman or deputy. No lamp or light other than a looked snfoty lamp shall be allowed or used: In any seam where the air current in tho return airway from any ventilating district in tho seam is found normally to contain moro than one-half por cent, of inllammablo gas; in any seam (except in tho main intake airways within two hundred yards from- tho shaft) in which #ii explosion of inflammable gas causing

any personal injury whatever lias occurred within the previous _ twelve months, unless an '-exemption is given by tlie Minister on the ground that on account of the special) character of the mine the use of safety lamps is not required; in any placo in a inino in'which there is likely to bo any such quantity of inflammablo gas as to render the uso of naked 1 lights dangerous; in any working near a place in which there is likely to be an accumulation of inflammable gas; in any place where the use of safety lamps is required by the special rules or by regulations. There are also provisions regarding the construction aud examination, of safety lamps.

Tlie Oity Council last night agreed that tflie council's percentage of the gate receipts for the Association football match held on September 26 on tlie Basin Reserve, in aid of the Huntly mine disaster fund, should be remitted 011 condition tliat an amount equal to double the rent remitted be handed over to the Mayor's branch of such fund.

MAYOR'S RELIEF FUND. £ s. d. Amount previously acknowledged 11l 4 6 Charles" Haines 2 2 0 Margaret Peter ' 0 10 0 116 16 6 "THE DOMINION" RELIEF FUND. A fund for the relief of sufferers in the Huntly disaster la now open at The Dominion office. We have to, acknowledge the following donations £ s. d. Previously acknowledged ... 26 1 6 "H. 8." - 0.10 0 Total 26 11 G TRADES' HALL RELIEF FUND. The joint secretaries of the Huntly Relief Fund, Messrs. L. M.' A. Iteaiden and J. Reed, acknowledge receipt of the following amounts:— £ 8. d. Previously acknowledged ... 537 8 5 Tailors' Union ' .... 5 0 0 Furniture Workers' Union 10 0 0 Section of Post and Telegraph Offices 1 IS 0 , Total to date £564 1 6