A HERO IN DISTRESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 71, 14 September 1911, Page 5

A HERO IN DISTRESS

DIVER HUGHES FALLEN ON EVIL DAYS. Melbourne, September 12. Diver Hughes, of West Australian mining rescue fame, has fallen on evil days. Illness prevented him from working during the past year. A public appeal having brought only a poor response, a deputation asked Mr. Fisher, the Federal Premier, to provide Hughes with work to enable him to maintain his wife and six children.

Mr. Fisher requested that the matter should be left in his hands. He declared that if ever there was a hero in this country it was Hughes.

Diver Hughes acquired his fiimc Indie rescue of an Italian miner named Varischetti from Hie Hooded workings of the Westralia Kast mine about four years ago. Nine men were caught bv an inrush of water in tlie mine, and all eseaped but, Varischetti. wlio was imprisoned at the end of a rise on the IfKlOft level. The task of unwateriii"' the mine occupied about ten days. Divers descended the mine and succeeded in passing food to Varischetti. in order to reach liim it was necessary to go down the shaft from the !Ml)ft, level, through water, down a ladderwav. to the lllOOft level, then to ascend IKlft up a rise, at the top of which was Varischetti. Hughes, who is a miner used to (living, volunteered to assist. After three attempts he reached the imprisoned man. to whom he made four trips, and whom he linallv brought out safelv. Hughes received the thanks of the Italian (loverninent, and King Edward VIL conferred upon him the Albert medal.