THE HUNTLY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2273, 6 October 1914, Page 4

THE HUNTLY DISASTER

ROYAL COMMISSION

MINE-MANAGER EXAMINED

(By lWe2ra»h.—Prose Aisooiatlon.i Auckland, October 5. The Commission, of Inquiry into the mining disaster at Huntly continued its sittings at Huntly, when a ; great deal of evidence was heard.

Several deputies were called, one of whom said that he was quite satisfied that the mine was very well ventilated a.nd the air good. It had never been suggested that he should take an air test. Had there been o large accumulation of gas overhead in a board over seven feet high he thought he would have found it. _ He did not think that gas could remain stationary in the roof and not mix with the air.

Jas. Fletcher, general manager of the Taupiri Mines, and manager of Ralph's mine,-said, in reply to Mr. Wilford, that the watering in the mine was done by Hugh Ranfcome, one of the victims, who was 63 years old.

Mr. Wilford: Was.the appliance used a Iterosene line in a wheelbarrow?— : Yes, and'piping. Will you swear that the travelling way had been watered on the morning of tho disaster?—No, it could not have been. None of the men who were lost had etarted work. Did you ever tear of an " occasion when there was an explosion which put 'out all the lights of the men in a certain portion of the mine?—l knew of an ignition of gas two years ago, but not of any lights being put out. Did yon ever hear of a miner getting his boots burnt?— Never.. .. ■ I suppose you admit that Ralph's is a gaseous mine P —No, Ido not. I consider it a mine free from gas. Do you know, for instance, of men igniting gas from bore holes?— No. If they occurred they were never reported to me. Witness said he did not know of certain men being kept out of one of the workings until it was cleared of gas by a deputy on August 26. Two men. did not report gas to him. The air was bad on that day through a culvert beine disturbed. Did you report this to the inspector? —No. . .-■•■• Is the present main shaft at Ralph's safe?— Yes, perfectly. To Mr. Dowgray: He had every reason to believe that his deputies were conscientious men. Up to the morning of the accident he thought that the mine was a safe one. In view of what had happened, however, he now thought it would bo better to use safety lamps, at any rate, until further ventilation was provided. . , The inquiry was adjourned until tomorrow.

: .TRADES HALL FUND. The joint secretaries of the Trades Hall Relief Fund, Messrs. L. M. A. Reardon and J. Read, acknowledge the following donations:— £ B. d. Previously asknowledged ... 615 11 11 N.Z. Sheepowners' arid Farmers' Federation 25 0 0 Waterside Workers' Band Sunday performance 11*10 0 Typographical Union ' 10 10 0 Waterside Workers' Union, Oamaru ..: 10 0 0 Woollen Mills employees ... 80 0 Social Democratic Party collection 6 17 6 Inangahua Miners 6 16 0 Moulders' Union, Christchurch 5 5 0 Archbishop*'O'Shea .'itvu.i.v *■ --8 3 0 Whitehead' and Pears ...... 2 2 0 J T. Riske 2 2 0 F. AV. Rowley 110 Dr. and Mrs. Martin 110 Soft : Goods Employees 0 15 0 Mr. Montgomery ..' 0 10 6 Total .-. 710 i 11 MAYOR'S RELIEF FUND. , £ s. a. Amount previously acknow- , lodged 130 19 6 "Evening Post" subscription list \ 51 14 6 Central Mission Band collection 16 0 "W.G." 110 185 T 0 "THE DOMINION" RELIEF FUND. A fund for the relief of sufferers in • the Huntly disaster is now open at The Dominion Office. We have to acknowledge the following donations:— £ e. d. Previously acknowledged ... 26 11 6 John M'Master 2 0 6 "J .IV 1. 0 0 Total 29 12 0 Saturday's and Sunday's efforts at Palmerston North for the Huntly Relief Fund produced about £38.—Special correspondent.