WEST COAST DISASTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 November 1940, Page 7

WEST COAST DISASTER

MINE VISITED BY MINISTER & OFFICIALS FUNERALS OF VICTIMS TODAY. MANY MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) GREYMOUTH. November 7. The Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, accompanied by Mr G. Duggan, Chiei. Inspector of Mines, and Mr C. H. Benney, Under-Secretary for Mines, arrived this afternoon by plane from Wellington and later visited the scene of the explosion which took place at Kaye and Party’s co-operative coal mine at Ten Mile yesterday morning and caused the death of live of the seven employees at the colliery. After the initial inspection.the Ministerial party returned to Greymouth, and tomorrow will attend the funerals of the victims, leaving in the evening on their return to Wellington. The Minister stated this afternoon that he would not comment further on the disaster at such an early stage, and. could not state in the meantime whether an inquiry would be held. Today the Inspector of Mines, Mr W. Parsonage, and Mr J. McArthur were engaged in an attempt to restore ventilation in the mine as a preliminary to further investigation of the disaster. The fan was completely wrecked by the explosion and in the meantime attempts will be made to provide air by natural means by the erection of brattice and stoppings, this work being entrusted to rescue squad members, equipped with prototype gai. resisting apparatus.

The two injured men. Messrs Adam. Boote and William Burnett, continue to show further improvement at the Grey Hospital and their condition is satisfactory. Mr Boote is a son-in-law of his late partner in the mine, Mr J. W. Kaye. Senr.

Further investigation today shows that rails, pieces of timber, winch machinery, wheels and other portions of the small coal trucks were hurled varying distances up to 200 yards. One of the props from the mine mouth itself was hurled over a chain, while the inch wire rope down the mine was cut as if by a giant knife. One of the mine employees in the vicinity claims that trees on the opposite side of the bluff were scorched by a tongue of flame which suddenly belched out of the pit mouth and the air vent, while small pieces of machinery and articles close up to the mine mouth were carried right over to the opposite hillside. Messages of sympathy with the relatives of the victims of the disaster have been received from all over the Dominion, including the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, the Mayor of Brunner, Mr J. Smeaton. on behalf of citizens of Westland, the Provincial Patriotic Council, the Miners’ National Council, the Hotelworkers’ Union, the Dredge Workers’ Union and the Dobson Miners' Union. The Minister of Mines today received the following message from the aide-de-camp to the Governor-General, Lord Galway:—“The Governor-Gener-al and Lady Galway are deeply grieved to learn of the tragic mine disaster yesterday and would be grateful if you would convey to the relations of those who lost their lives in the accident an expression of their Excellencies’ sympathy in their bereavement.”

Mr Webb replied: “Please convey to their .Excellencies my sincere thanks for their kind message and assure them that I shall be pleased to transmit their message of sympathy to the relations.”