THE DOBSON MINE TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3572, 7 December 1926, Page 4

THE DOBSON MINE TRAGEDY.

THIRD BIG EXPLOSION COMPELS FLOODING. LAST OF VICTIMS SUCCUMBS. Greymouth, December 6. Following a third big explosion in the Dobson mine at 9 p.m. on Friday, experts decided that the only course was to flood the mine. Accordingly the Power Board staff was engaged yesterday installing the wiring for the pumping plant, the work being hampered by the fact that the explosion on Friday brought down the wires. However, pumping began at 3.40 p.m. yesterday at the rate of thirty thousand gallons per hour from the Grey river, the water entering at the exhaust on the outlet on the western side. It was feared further explosions might occur, but this apprehension was not borne out. The pumping apparatus to-day was augmented enabling fifty thousand gallons hourly to be lifted, at which rate it will require a couple or three days to extinguish the lire which is deep down in the dips, where five miners were engaged at the time of the explosion and whose bodies remain underground. Friday night’s explosion was preceded by a warning rumble, otherwise some of the workmen then engaged in sealing the mine would have probably been killed. One man hurried away calling out to his mates to follow him, and they just got to a point of safety when a terrific! explosion hurled debris hundreds of yards, sending a rock about 150 pounds weight a distance of a quarter of a mile, near a hotel. Another big stone crashed through the roof of Mr Roberts’ house, falling close to a sleeping child. About ten houses were then vacated in North Dobson.

The first explosion blew one block of concrete 20 tons in weight from the entrance of the mine, and last night’s explosion blew the same block a further ten feet. Friday! afternoon’s explosion at 2.55 o’clock was not so severe.

The death occurred yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock, at the hospital of Eric. Ashton, a trucker, and the fourth of the men got out on Friday morning. Thus every one of the men in the mine when the original explosion occurred lost his life. Ashton regained consciousness for a brief interval and was thought to be recovering, but sank rapidly, dying yesterday afternoon without giving any information as to the location of the explosion. His father and brother arrived half an hour later by express from Ashburton. The wife of Thomas Black —one of the men whose bodies remain in the mine—after giving birth to twins a few days ago is reported to be in a grave condition consequent on learning of her husband’s fate. IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL. A crowd of between three and four thousand attended to-day the funeral of the four victims at Karoro cemetery, viz.—Deputy John Richards, aged 43, single, a native of Brunner; John Lindsay, miner, 40, single, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland; Eric Ashton, trucker, 2(i, a native of Ashburton, and till recently a railway employee; and Robert Hunter, aged 21, single, winch; driver, son of Manager Hunter, Iletherington’s Collieries, Rotowaro.

A train of twenty cars from Brunner to the cemetery conveyed the bodies and people from all over the Grey Valiev, many more coming from the State Collieries district and other parts. The municipal band played the .dead march and other appropriate items. The burial service was carried out by Archdeacon Carr, the Rev. Martin, Methodist, and also the Salvation Army Captain. Worshipful Master Hugh Hart represented the Masonic Lodge of Brunner. The Druids were also present as Richards was a Druid. The services were very impressive and deep feeling was evident on every hand.

The ages of the men whose bodies remain entombed are: Ernest Brammer, married, 42; Alfred Noakes, 40; James Marshall, 40; Edward Partington, 34. The Mayors of Greyniouth, Brunner and Runanga, also Mr James O’Brien .and others pre moving for the organisation of a relief fund. The Mayor of St. Kilda, Dunedin, has already lent co-operation. It is expected Walter Leiteh, the original manager of Dobson Mine, will arrive on Tuesday and Directors Hogarth and C'hellington (chairman) and Catchpole (Auckland) are also coming here. Many messages of condolence were received by the Mayor of Brunner. The Coroner (Mr Meldrum, S.M.) holds an inquest to-morrow at noon. An inquiry will follow later.