Floods Stop Work In Hikurangi Mine

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1037, 30 July 1930, Page 1

Floods Stop Work In Hikurangi Mine

250 MEN AFFECTED WATER RISES RAPIDLY From, Our Own Correspondent WHANGAREI, Tuesday. Serious flooding lias again occurred in the Hikurangi Coal Company's mine. Early yesterday morning the tubing burst in one o£ the four boilers which operate all the machinery in the mine and it was necessary to cool it before repairs could be executed. The day shift resumed work as usual at 7.30 a.m. In the meantime, there was a large increase in the water pressure, probably attributable to the heavy rains of the past few days. After the shift had been working three hours the management ordered all the men out of the mine on account of the rising flood. The electrical pumps dealt with the situation until 2 o’clock this morning, their rate of discharge being 30,000 gallons an hour. However, the water rose rapidly, submerging all the underground machinery, including the pumping plant and making it useless. Two small pumps were rescued and taken to the top of the mine. Efforis are being made to salvage a nine-inch pump—the largest in the mine—which lies at the bottom of No. 2 shaft. The situation is regarded as very serious. “We cannot do anything now until the water subsides,” said a mine official, “and it is problematical whether it will do so.” The water attained a height of lift and continues to rise quickly. All the employees, numbering 250, have been thrown out of work. The mine was reopened only last February after a closure of 11 months It ia unlikely that conditions will permit of further hewing for a long perl* 1. Mr. Mackenson, the mine manager, went to Auckland this afternoon.