HUNTLY EXTENDED MINE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2507, 7 July 1915, Page 4

HUNTLY EXTENDED MINE

A' SERIOUS SUBSH)ENCE. - By Telegraph.—PreAssociation. Huntly, July G. Tho, subsidence which occurred at the Extended Mine, Huntly. is gradually increasing, in- extent. ■ irom -the'' surface appearance it is that of a huge crater between 30 to 40 feet deep by 60 feet wide,.-. the cup of which is tilled with water to a depth of 12 feet. This was'first thought to have found its way in from Lake Hakanoa, situated; 200 yards, away, but it now-proves to;be only the soakage from the adjoining land. - The indications of subsidence were first noticed about a fortnight ago, when large cracks appeared on tho . surface. . About a week ago a small! slip occurred, and during last niglit ; the hollow widened- considerably; and caved right in, taking with it a cottage'garden a quarter-acre in extent. The slip is; in tho- centre of a fairly thickly populated -'neighbourlioocl; with houses on tliree sides, and tlie .rcnts intho earth extend' right up to several dwellings, which threaten to collapse in consequence. ' ; / The earth- sank considerably lower during this morning,, and;the management thought it "aavisable to withdraw the men from . the pit, though the-tun> nel broken through is part.-of old workings, which -was used, as, a .return airway ..only, and .below .it is impossible to get close to the fracture owing to the sliish and water, which id fast dripping through. / The distance from tho surface to the roof of the tunnel is about 120 feet,' and though a large gang of men is employed endeavouring -.to block the of the cra-ter with sacks Jot. pumrco and bundles of fasoines, the task appears almost impossible.. -, ■ 'Apparently the only .measure to check tiui spread is to build up the tuiinels, below for a considerable distance round the area affected. Should tho rents so • spread as to create an'inlet from, the lake,. it is highly probable that the whole workings will be flooded, and to get them -into working order again'would then be an enormous undertaking; .

Rain is- falling; and should a storm 'develop "it is probable the breach will be .considerably widened,-as.,the earth is, of very loose, fino sand. • About 280 , men are thrown out of work 4