SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY MINE THAMES.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 100, 2 May 1885, Page 2

SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT THE QUEEN OF BEAUT Y MINE THAMES.

One o f the most serious accHeuts which; .have occurred at.jjhe.-Tha.niJs in connec tion v^itU mining, liajVpem*! at'the Qm i k n of Beauty G.M L . GoiVmi/io alio^fc 8 a.m; 'Mumlay last. Jt AppeaVs that the

machinery.had been stopped on fcundftyj,; in order to change bnokots, an I pumping wa*s not s Resumed till 6 o'clock the ' same evening. "Abont 3 oV)ock Monday ' morning the engineer (Hi 1 R. McQti&le j was engaged in oiling the machinery, when he felt a sudden jerk, and anticipating that something had away, speedly tnrnod trff the water and steam. The main shaft of the pnmping gear, which" is 9£ inches' in diameter, "and of wrought iron, appears to have been' the first to break, having given away where there wes an old flaw in the iron. ' Tk£ breaking at this point threw the driving wheel out of position owing to Uhe bearing falling, and tiie two intermediate pinions forcing it around, caused the cogs to break off in some places and crack in others, while about one-third of the driving-wheel is broken off altogether. A piece of the main shaft, broken otjfc shows a large flaw, besides which the iron itself has not been weW welded together, and has also become oxidised. The dam.ige is estimated at between | £500 and £600. it really does seem most unfortunate that having sunk the shaft to the present depth, and menced to open up the ground with sutrfi encouraging prospects as they have met with in the crosscut at the bottom level on No 3 reef, thnt operations should have to be suspended. That it will detrimentally affect L .hfi whole field im one can question, as tlie operations at No. 11 level w#re look d upon by many people as Ihe means by wfffbh the great secret of whether deep level prospecting would pay, wouhl be set at rest. An opinion obtains in several quarters that it will Ciiust) some of the mines to be floo/led, as the water from the'siaft will prohtiSljg rise high, and force its waythrough the ground into other workings. | We understand that it is nut the intention of the directors^to''repair the damage dooft.^— Thames Star.