THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1868.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 440, 7 November 1868, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1868.

A discussion recently took place in these columns concerning the present dangerous condition of the workings in the Brunner Coal 'Mine. It was then pointed out by "A Miner" that the mine was not being worked upon proper scientific principles, and that very little regard was shown for the lives or limbs of the men who were there employed by the Government The statements then made were plain and immistakeable, and although they have been questioned, they liave not yet been disproved. The disclosures which have been made have proved undeniably that the Nelson Government, in order to compete, with private enterprise in the other mine, have not scrupled to risk the occurrence of a most serious disaster, and the sacrifice of the lives of their servants. When the mine was in the possession of the Ballarat Company, it was known to be in a dangerous condition, and it was thought that when the lease of that company was cancelled, the Government would have spent some money in improving its condition by introducing a better system of ventilation, and reducing the quantity of foul air in the mine. But instead of doing this they have carried on the workings in the most primitive style, and paid very little attention to the frequent explosions of fire-damp which have taken place since they commenced working the mine on their own account The denials which have been giveu to these statements have not come from any official source, but a confirmation of/the accusations which have beeu brought against the system of mining conies, strangely enough, by the last mail from Ballarat, where a new company is in course of formation for working the Brunner Mine, from one whose opinion cannot be disregarded. The "Ballarat Courier" of the 21st ult. reproduces the first letter we published from *' A Miner," in which the reckless system carried on by the Nelson Government in working the mine was exposed, and they were called upou to take precautions to secure the safety of those in their employment Appended to the letter are the following remarks from Mr J. Usher, late manager of the Brunner Mme :— ;■■ "I may state that during an experience of thirteen years in some of the most diflicult description of coal and iron mines in England, as well as from a personal inspection of some of the most fiery collieries in Wales, I never saw one in a more dangerous state than the Brunner Coal Mine in July last. " A visit to the Brunswick Quarries, near Melbourne, would better illustrate the workings of that mine than any written description of even a gifted scribe. "With reference to the ventilation, 1 may safely state that the fact of a drive being " 250 yards without any upcast, air course, bratticing, dam-doors, or other means of ventilation," in a mine so highly charged with explosive gas, is withoxit parallel in the annals of mining science. , "When I inspected the mine at the time aforementioned, in company with the worthy Warden Dutton and Mr Dent, the mine overseer, our safety lamps were " filled" (i.e., the gas exploded in our lamps) some distance from the face of the leading exploring drift. A friend of mine, an experienced collier,- sorrowfully discussed with me as to the most rude appliances then unsuccessfully in use for airing this portion of the mine. Another collier informed me that a few days prior to my visit, and at other times within a short period, on a change of the atmosphere "the whole mine was filled to the month," that in fact sudden discharges of fire-damp frequently "backed the^air," i.e., stopped the natural ventilation altogether. An explosion at such a time would equal in extent anything that has occurred in the coal mines of Europe or America, and certainly not less lamentable. "A copy of Mr Burnett's reports, «&c, on the working and ventilation of this mine is in my hands, and shall be submitted to you for publication in an early i3sue. "In my promise and estimate of the capital required for winning a colliery on the Brnnner estate, &c., I shall, of course, include the ventilating apparatus so much needed at the present time." This is . the strongest possible corroboration , that the remarks of (t A Miner" could receive, and proves the justice of the accusations which have been brought against the Government.

During the last few months several explosiona have taken place, and it is a most serious matter that the lives of so many men should be jeopardised. We h\ye no desire to further the interest of the one mine above the other — we ivrite simply in the cause of humanity, trusting that the Government, yill speedily take measures to improve the condition of the mine aud prevent the occurrence of some great calamity.