SAFETY IN MINES.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1922, Page 5

SAFETY IN MINES.

THE DANGER FROM GAS. CHARGE AGAINST MANAGER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, La-st Night. A case against the manager of the Pukemiro colliery of allowing naked lights to be used in the mine was con-' tinned at the Magistrate’s Court. Mr. Ostler said the defence would call an overwhelming body of expert evidence to prove there was no danger of an accumulation of inflammable gas in the mine. They would, not say there was no possibility for an accumulation of gas, -but that there was no likelihood. Counsel said there had been no ignitions, with the exception of those in May, 1920, regarding the amount of which the evidence was vague and unsatisfactory. No one had ever been injured, since May, 1920. Dozens of faults had been cut through, but no trace of gas had been found. When gas developed in 1920 the fan did not work all night, but since then thp,. ventilation system had been improved and the fan now worked well. The mine was admitted to be the best ventilated in the Wai-* kato. Thorough tests had been carried out; the ventilation had been stopped three times for 14, 8 and 15 hours re* spectively, and on no occasion was there any trace of methane. An analysis of the air showed tha.t the quantity of methane in the retained air was practically negligible. The hearing was adjourned.