ENGLISH MAIL NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 173, 9 October 1886, Page 2

ENGLISH MAIL NEWS.

London, August 20th. Terrible Colliery Explosion. An explosion ocoured in a colliery in Southwest Lancashire, near Leigh, on August 13, by which 38 lives have been lost. The colliery where the disaster occurred is known as tho Woodend or^Bedford Colliery, j about? one mile from West Leigh, and is owned by Mr John Speakman. At 6 o clock 159 men and boys descended by the cage at the Crombouke 4-feet mine. Of these the greater number proceeded to the No. 2 Jig Brow, about 150 yards distant from the No. 1 Jig Brow, at which about 40 hands were employed. The pit, which was opened two" years ago,, is 470 yards deep, and has a connection" with a pit sunk five years since. The explosion occurred at half -past 11 o'clock, and although it was scarcely audible above ground, yet the violence was very great, the whole of what is known as the brattice cloths having been blown away. These cloths are used for, the purpose of ventilation, and when .they go nearly all hope goes with them. The workers in No. 2 Jig felt the shock severely, and eeveral men working 80 yards away were thrown to the ground. The proprietor of the collieries, Mr John Speakman, was ill in bed, and the task of securing an exploring party fell upon his eon and the assistant manager and underlooker. The exploring party proceeded along the level in the disaster, but on arriving at the bottom of the Brow they found further progress impeded by the great volume of afterdamp, the presence of which gave small hope to the brave fellows of rescuing any of their comrades. The work of exploration was continued unceasingly through the nexc day and night. Large crowds flocked to the pit, and with breathless anxiety waited for news from below. The bodies, as they were brought to the surface, were romoved to the wheelwright's shed, close to the downcast shaft. They were frightfully diefigured, and in some cases unrecognisable, and identity had to be proved by some article of dress or trinket. On the morning of the 14th 32 bodies had been sent up. The explorers, who consisted chiefly of working miners from other collieries, had worked boldly. The 38th and last missing body was found on the morning of the 16th in the farthest part ot the colliery. The unfortunate man must have crept into this placeaftertheexplosion, for it was in his lamp that the explosion originated. Extraordinary Colliery Accident. An accident occurred on August IS shortly before 11 o'clock, •at Coulodge Colliery, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, resulting in the injury, more or less serious, of 13 workmen. It appears that the backshift men vvere riding on tubs, drawn by the engine, after one of the sheaves through which the rope connected with the tubs passes had broken, and was hanging from the roof of the seam. As the engine was going at a considerable speed the men were upon it before they became aware of its being out of order. A string of 50 tubs had got about threequarters of a mile in when the accident occured Thirty of the tubs coutained three men each, und many of whom were struck and crushed about the head and shoulders by the loose sheaf, which is of metal, and three feet in circumference. When the first news of the accident came to the bank it created great alarm, which, however, was considerably allayed when word was sent up that there were no deaths. As quickly as possible the colliery officials made arrangements for getting the men to the bank, both shifts being in the workings at the time, numbering in all 200. Several of the injured men were in a dreadful condition. The wounds wore mostly on the head, the men being in a sitting attitude in the tubs when the accident took place. Purchase of Land by Tenants in Ireland. It is reported from Cork that the tenants on the property of Captain Harrison, of Castle Eiarrioon, near Charleville, have ju&t completed the purchase of their holdings under Lord Ashboume's Act. There are nearly 30 tenants on the property, which is situated near the rich >nd thriving district o* Charleville. The /alue of the land formed an important element of consideration in the negotiations which were carried on in the National League rooms during a period oi four or five months. The basis finally arrived at, upon which the tenant should purchase their holdings and upon which thelandlord was agreeableto sell wasls'years' purchase of the existing rents. This was equivalents 23^ yeara'purchase at Griffith's valuation. The hanging gale was wiped out, and the agreement involved an understanding to pay the half-year's rent, due in September, based on the amount of the annual instalments to be paid to the Government under the terms of the Purchase Act. New Zealand Midland Railway Company. The first general meeting of this company was held on Tuesday at the offices, 79, Gracechurch- street, the Chairman, Mr Thomas Salt, M.P., presiding. After the Secretary had read the notice convening the meeting, the Chairman Btated that at present he was not able to make any very important announcement, owißg to the fact that New Zealand was some distance from England, and it was necessary to communicate with the colony on several points. He could, however, state that the firet issue of shares was freely subbcribed, and that a contract had been entered into for constructing a portion of the line A beginning was to be made at Greymouth, a poat on the West Coast. This would enable the company to construct their line either way, eastward or northward, as they wished A gentleman had been sent out to Mew Zealand who would act with a committee out there in surveying and choosing the land which the Government had granted to the company. The relations of the company with the New Zealand Government were of the most friendly nature, and he (the chairman) had no doubt would continue to be so, as they were very desirous of aiding the company in completing the line. There was a considerable degree of misapprehension about the railways at New Zealand. According to the official returns, it was shown that the railways which are open for traffic make a return of £3 Ss 3d per cent. But this ie for the whole ,island. When the traffic for the two islands was compared, it would be found that those of the South Island averaged £4 16s per cent, while in one case the line returned £5 9s per cent. This line wag the Greymouth line, which the company was about to extend either way, and he (the chairman) had little doubt the returns would increase as the lino increased. When, moreover, the profit from the sale of land granted to the company by the Government was taken into consideration, it was" surely not an unreasonable hope that the company's dividends would be satisfactory. There were signs of improvement in trade in New Zealand, as wae instanced by the fact that wool had risen another Id in the pound within the last few days Although he did not wish to prophesy, he had he thought ' every

reason at present to feel sure that the enterprise would prove a success. A reso lution was passed appointing Messrs Cooper Brothers, of George -street, Mansion House, auditors to the company. A shareholder asked whether tho capital of the company would be called up quickly, and the chairman said that depended upon tho progress of the works, but that plenty of .notice would be given.— After a vote of thanks' to the chairman the' proceedings came to a^ end. . •