THE HUNTLY DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 31 October 1914, Page 4

THE HUNTLY DISASTER

OF THE OOMMISSIOIf LAX (MANAGEMENT OF THB MINS, By Telegraph.—Per Press Associates, Wellington, Last Night. The report of the .Royal Commissioa' oi the Huntly disaster finds that the CJti plosion way caused bj a naked ligbt used by Martin, deceased, thereby igniting a gaseous mixture in No. 6 bord. lamps were used by the miM olhcials, but naked light by the workmen. The ventilation of the mine was generally .efficient, hut was defective as regards section 5. Examination of the mine as a whole was satisfactory, but tke inspection of the old workings was inadequate, and the absence of ladders in the high bords prevented a thorough examination in such places for gas. the Commission finds that there wm mot to its knowledge in the past history ot lio mine any occasion on which it was necessary to withdraw workmen. Means of escape in case of accident was affordky three shafts which, In the opinion of the Commission, was adequate* the Commission criticised the management as follows:

| "The management of the mine wag, speaking generally, good, but in certain respects, e.g., prompt carrying out of the inspector's orders, precaution taken against danger from ga3, ordering of safety lamps, and examination of old works, was lax and unsatisfactory." Of the Inspector of Mines, the Commission states: "The Inspector of Mines is a careful, competent officer, zealous and conscientious in his work; but he was remiss in not exacting prompt and strict obedience to his orders, in not more frequently visiting tho old workings. He committed an error of judgment in not insisting on safety lamps being used in the mine after the Occident to the miner Kelly. The inspection by the workmen's inspectors was infrequent and valueless. No inspection was made of hords 4, 5, and 6 of section 5 in the old workings by any person on the morning of the accident before the workmen were permitted to enter. Tlie door at the end of bord No. 6 of section 5, where it connects with the working part of the mine, was not locked, nor in any other way securely fastened. If there had been no neglect with respect to these matters, the disaster in the mine could not have happened." ' RECOMM ENDATIONS.

The Commission made a number of suggestions for the prevention, as far as possible, of similar accidents, and for the cafe working of this and other mine# in the future, hut they found in most instances that their intended recommendations had been anticipated by the Coal Mines Amendment Bill now before Parliament. Regarding coal dust in mine% the Commission deemed it imperative that legislation should be passed with the object of preventing, if possible, or mitigating, danger arising from the presence of coal dust in mines and, recommended the adoption of legislation on this matter similar to that in Great Britain. The Commission considered the provisions for the reporting of injuries to workmen were somewhat loomj and uncertain, us it was left to the judgment of the mine manager in every ease to decide whether or not the injury was serious. The following should be incorporated in the Coal Mines Act: "In all dry and dusty mines where the Inspector of Mines is of opinion that duit of a highly inflammable nature existe in dangerous quantities, and also in mines where safety lamps are in no explosives but those permitted by the Chief Inspector of Mines shall be used, and all the shot-firing shall be done by an official specially appointed by the manager. The Commission was ol opinion that the existing law did not give the Inspector of Mines direct authority to order the use of safety lamps or other appliances, and recommended the insertion in the Act of a definite section giving such authority. A QUESTION OF EXPLOSIVES. The sittings of the Court of Arbitration inquiring into whether inonobel powder is an explosivo which may be safely used in the coal mines at Huntly have concluded. The award will be announced as soon as the arbitrators have arrived at a decision.