The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1879.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5610, 22 March 1879, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1879.

The verdict pronounced by the jury on the fatal disaster in the Kaitangata mine was to the effect that the explosion was caused by Archie Hodge entering.the old workings without ordinary precaution; and secondly, that William Hodge had not used the necessary precautions to prevent an explosion of fire-damp in the mine over which he had the management. So far as it went, there was but little to cavil at in the verdict; but it is strange that no reference whatever was made to the fact that the managing director claimed the title but ignored the duties of his office, and allowed all the responsibility to rest on the working manager, William Hodge, a man admitted on all sides to have been altogether unfitted to. undertake the duties of managing director as well as working manager. The Government Inspector of Mines only a week or two before the explosion examined the mine and stated his opinion that it was dangerous, , and said plainly, “If it had “ been known that there was fire-damp in “ the new workings great negligence was “ shown in the failure to have the precautions mentioned ; the manager of the “mine certainly had power to provide “them.” Another witness proved that the presence of fire-damp was conclusively shown by the burning of a man called Jarvie six months before. It was the duty of the managing director to see that William Hodge (who is described by another director ‘‘ as only a practical ‘ ‘ miner, ”) took all duo precautions agains t accident,. and this duty was, we think, completely ignored by the managing director, as he appears to have been satisfied with a simple consultation with the working manager, and was content with an assurance from the latter that there was no danger. In that the verdict attaches the blame to subordinates who wefe killed and could not extenuate themselves, and omits all mention of the superior officers, it is imperfect, and unduly hard upon the two Hodges. The law which has been put in operation since the accident makes ample provision against any such neglect in the future.

Strange to say, the verdict has since been questioned by Mr. T. T. Ritchie, one of the directors, who states his belief that William Hodge was far. from being a careless or an incautious man. This gentleman undertakes to champion the cause of the dead men, and, hoping to clear their memory from reproach, has appealed to Dr. Hectoe to corroborate the view he holds. He believes it can now be shown that there is a strong probability that the gas which caused the explosion appeared suddenly, and originated in the lower mine. The water which, had been lying in the upper mine was drained off a few days before the accident into the lower mine. This water would force any dangerous gases from the lower mine into the upper. That fire-damp was forming very rapidly has been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt by the fact that since the explosion the old workings had filled with fire-damp up" to within sft. of the floor. All the gas in the mine must have been cleared out by the explosion, and yet within a fortnight of that date there was enough gas in the old workings of the upper mine to have caused another disastrous explosion if the old working had- been entered with a naked light. Dr. Hectoe, in reply to tho letter of Mr. Ritchie, admits the full force of the arguments brought forward by his cor-

respondent, and after going at some length into the cause of the evolution of the gas, he explains how the fact of the water being allowed to accumulate in the lower workings through the temporary stoppage of the pumps, would naturally displace the gases which had gathered there. In summing up, Jie states his conviction that the gas has latterly been accumulating with great rapidity, and concludes his letter as follows ;—“Moreover, had it “ ever previously formed with the same “ rapidity it could hardly have escaped “ detection. Mr. Binns was in the old “ workings with Hodge on January 28, “ and he thought the mine dangerous if “ gas were to accumulate so as to be “ easily found, and in about two weeks, “ time only a very large body of gas “ had collected. This, therefore, to my “ mind, raises a strong presumption that “ the first appearance of gas in the “ old workings was sudden, and in large “ quantity, and that it came, and is still “coming, from a 'blower’ that has “ broken out in some part of -the old “ workings, and as an indirect conse- “ quence of Shoee’s workings. If this “ view be correct, neither poor Hodge, “ nor anyone else, could have foreseen “ that it was necessary to take unusual “ precaution. I did not form this opinion “ till after the inquest had closed, but I “ expressed it firmly on the ground to “ several persons, and have no hesitation “ in placing it at your service, if it will “in any way clear Hodge’s memory of “ culpable carelessness of the lives of “ those under him.” This letter will be hailed with satisfaction by the great body of those who have taken an interest in the case. It is always a painful thing to hear of a man being condemned unheard, and a mental modification of the jury’s verdict is sure to be made by all right-thinking persons after hearing Dr. Hectoe’s defence, which practically exonerates Wm. Hodge from almost all blame. A simple practical miner could not bo expected to foresee or to make due allowance for a sudden change of conditions in the safety of the mine. Experts know and informed the directorate that the mine was unsafe, but no sufficient steps were taken to introduce the reforms required. The law will enforce the necessary reforms in the future, as it ought to have done ere now, but before the law stepped in the duty rested upon the shoulders of the directorate, and more especially upon the managing director. It is true that the blame is distinctly less than at first sight appears, as the mine was well ventilated, and had been proved to be remarkably safe until within the past few months.