THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 129, 24 October 1914, Page 2

THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

SITTING ill' COMMISSION. Hy Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Wellington, October 23. The (.'ommissioii of hiquirv into the Iluntlv mining disaster »ai in Wellingfen to-day. JCvidcnce was given by I'. icy Gates Morgan, dinidor of the'geological survey of New Zealand, and formerly director of the W'aihi School of Mines, lie ci.ncuiTeil with the opinions already .expressed that there was a considerable cinissiui of firedamp from the fall in No. o hold previous to the explosion, that fiiis mixed uith air was ignited by Martin, whose body was found in the adjoining Lord, and that thi\ resulting ga.-i explosion was continued as a coal dust explosion to the haulage road, whenre it n ached past No. 0 cabin in one direction and to the top of. the ■main shaft In ihe other. It seemed probable that there was a comparatively large body of liredamp in No. 5 bord at the. time of the explosion. Some of this would be too pure to explode, whilst some, largely by diffusion, would have formed an explosive mixture with the air present, liords 4, 5, and (i were on, or near, the summit of a small dome, or short anticline structure known to all with oilfield experience as favouring the accumulation of gas in the strata. It was therefore probable that the strata immediately above these holds contained a large amount of inllanuimble gas under pressure, and that this was liberated previous to and after the explosion by cracks or fissures communicating with the fall in No. 5 bord. It was evident that amy similar domes or anticlines in Waikato coal mines ought to he regarded, as potentially dangerous, unless the contrary was proved. The hypothesis advanced' tliiit there was a connection between seismic disturbances and colliery disasters remained unproved, and had found little acceptance. Witness iwommended an experimental tc4 of the coal dusts from all the. New Zealand mines, and the frequent analysis of mine air, especially in the returns; one more rescue apparatus station; and an increased opportunity of technical education for all classes of miners.