DEATH OF LAST SURVIVOR

FURTHER HEAVY EXPLOSIONS

FUNERAL OF THE VICTIMS,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, Oth December. Following the third big explosion at 9 p.m. on Friday the experts decided that the only recourse was to flood the mine. Accordingly" the Power Board staff were engaged yesterday installing the wiring for the pumping plant, the work being hampered by tho fact that the explosion on Friday night brought down the wires. However, pumping;began at 3.40 p.m. yesterday at a rate of thirty thousand gallons per hour from the Grey River, the water entering at the exhaust on tho fan outlet on the western side. It was feared that further explosions might occur, but the apprehension was not borne out. The pumping apparatus to-day was augmented and enabled fifty thousand gallons hourly to be lifted. At this rate it will require two or three days to extinguish the fire, which is deep down in the clips where five miners wore engaged at the time of the explosion, and whose bodies remain underground, j STONE CRASHES THROUGH ROOF. J Friday night's explosion was preceded by a warning rumble. One man hurried away, called to his mates to follow, and they just got to a point of safety when a terrific explosion hurled debris hundreds of yards and a rock of about 1501b weight a distance of a quarter of a mile. Near the hotel another big stone crashed through the roof of Mr. Roberts's house, and fell close to a sleeping child. About ton houses were then vacated in North Dobson. The first explosion blew one block of concrete of twenty tons weight from the entrance of the miue, and last night's explosion blew the same block a further ten feet. Friday afternoon's explosion .at 2.55 o'clock was not so severe. The death occurred in the hospital at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon of Eric Ashton, trucker, the fourth of the men got out of the mine on Friday morning. Thus every on; of tho nine men within the mine when the original explosion occurred have lost their lives. Ashton regained consciousness at brief intervals, and was thought to be recovering, but sank to a dying condition yesterday afternoon without giving any information as to the location of the explosion. His father and brother arrived half an hour later by express from Ashburton. The wife of Thomas Black, one of those whoso bodies remain in the mine, after giving birth to twins a few days ago, is reported to be in a grave condition consequent on learning of her husband's fate. IMPRESSIVE SCENES. Between 3000 and 4000 attended the funeral of the" four victims to-day. The deceased were:— -Deputy John Richards, aged 43 years, single,Vaud a native of Brunncr. John Lindsay, miner, 40 years of age, single, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland. Eric Ashton, trucker, 26 'years of age, a native of Ashburton and till recently a railway employee. Robert Hunter, aged 21 years, single, w'_ h driver, and a son of tho manager of tho Hunter Hetherington .. llieries, Rotowaro. A train of twenty coaches conveyed the mourners from Brunner to the cemetery, and residents from every district in' the, Grey Valley, as well as other mining centres, were present. Tho Municipal Band played tho dead march and other appropriate music. The burial service was a combined one by Archdeacon Carr, the Rev. Mr. Martin (Methodist), Salvation Army captain, and the Worshipful Master, Mr. Hugh Hart, of the Advanced Masonic Lodge of Brunner. The Druids were also present, Richards being a member of that Order. The services were impressive, and deep feeling evident on every hand. ■ ' FURTHER DETAILS. The ages of the men whoso bodies remain entombed are:— Ernest Brammer, married, 42 years of age. Alfred Noakes, 40 years of age. James Marshall, 40 years of age. Edward Partington, 34 years of age. The Mayors of Greymouth, Brunner, "and Runanga, also Mr. James O'Brien and others are organising a relief fund. The Mayor of St. Kilda (Dunedin) has already lent his-co-operation. ft is expected that Mr. Walter Leiteh, tho original manager of the Dobson mine, will arrive on Tuesday, and the directors, Messrs. Hogarth, Chellington (chairman), and Catehpole (Auckland) are coming here. Many messages of condolences have been received by the Mayor of Brunner.