Serious Collapse at the Piako Mine.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3337, 2 September 1879, Page 2

Serious Collapse at the Piako Mine.

Damage to the Extent of Several

Thousands.

At four o'clock this morning half tho population were aroused from their slumbers by a loud noise resembling the. firing of a cannon followed by a brisk succession of minor sounds like a sal to of musketry. Those who hurried out to ascertain the

cause found that the strange noises arose from the collapse of a largo piece of ground ntar the Pialto engine house, the cavity being fully fifty feet' across. The sinking of the ground carried with it the winding engine aud gear, and an enurmoua mass of concrete and :;briclc-wdrk---a portion of tho foundation of the engine. The failing of the engine did not bren.'c the winding roped, which wore in position for working, but one of tho cages was pulled to the poppet heads. Tho enormous strain this caused, and from the fact that the collapse had taken away the foundation of one of the poppet legs, canted the poppets and engine house inducing a fear these also would come down. About 100 feet of the large mid air tramway was destroyed. The shaft is seriously damaged/ and the whole of the No. 1 level full of slush. For many yards from the margin of the chasm, the surface of the ground in cracked, to that it is probable that a further collapse will take place, and it ii not improbable that the * whole plant will be swallowed up. The cause-of the disaster is attributable to the rotten character of the ground and the action of time on the old timbers at the No. 1 level, which have been there six or seven years. It is Also evident that the collapse has been materially assisted by surface; leakage,' as surface water was to be seen trickling from the cavity. The damage can hardly be estimated, though it must amount to several thousands of pounds. At an early hour Mr R. McDonald had men employed placing timber in the hole to stop further sinking. The Bank of New Zealand holds a mortgage on the property.