The Huntly Mining Disaster.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 31, 6 February 1891, Page 3

The Huntly Mining Disaster.

«£& ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE. PROSECUTIONS AT BUNTL-T. 'BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN REPORTER.) Hr/N-LY, this day. The charge againab John Kayo and James McLellan of omitting to make safe for tha employees the new dip portion oi Ralph's mine ia proceed ing again to-day before Cap tain Jackson, R.M. William Collins further stated that ho told Tracy at 4 p.m. on the 22nd to leave the face and stay the timbers, and also to breast up the face before placing the main set. On the previous Saturday witness arranged with McLellan to stop work until the steam pump was ready, being troubled with water. He told Tracy on tho Monday to be particular and strengthen the sides and face to prevent the mullock being washed down. Tracy came back to the unstayed sets, and witness left him there, thinking the bracing would be done outside the mine. Witness met McLellan and advised him to give Tracy a hand. Ho believed he did so. Be did not again go into the dip before the accident. When the four men were buried, six sets of timber had given way, and about twenty-four feeb from the face caved in. At four o'clock, three sets were unstayed, and at nine o'c'ock six had caved in. No timber was broken. He believed bhe false set gave way. Since the accident, he had straightened up the drive and, as advised by Mr -*W T "fson7ixo-}*M&in <* wooden toms. The ground ab the dip was soft pipeclay in parts. Where -he" contractors started there were three chains of coarse sand, next was a mixture of clay and line pumice sand, lasting to near where tho cave-in occurred. He had never seen worse country than that. Near the accidenb the. timbers used were strong enough, but cosld not resist the pressure, nob being braced, The dip would have been strong were the timbers braced as he instructed. It w. r ;s reasonably practicable 60 make these sets safe.

The Bench warned witness that any answer likely to criminate him need not be given. Collins said the sand was the worst ground'to work. Still the dip should nob have fallen with bhe timbers used.

Answering; Kaye, witness said he would not be certain that he ordered Kaye to brace the timber on Sunday, the 21sb. He believed he did. Witness did instruct defendant to drive tbe side slabs to the face of the drive.

Mr Tole announced that he appeared for McLellan.

Cross-examined, Collins said defendant. and Tracy were all experienced miners. They never, refused to carry oub his instructions. Witness did nob think the ground or timbering unsafe 011 the 22nd, neither did the men say ib was. At four p.m. he still considered tho dip quite safe if the instructions re

timbering were carried out as promised by Tracy. Ho did not thi_k the false sob

flipping would have carried away tho man: sets so far back. The false sot giving iva-,

on one side of tho dip would bring down the nearest main set and might brin_. more. The dip was to close bhab night after the last main set was placed, till the steam pump started. There was litsle side pressure in the dip. Re-examined, Collins said had tho main sets been properly stayed, they would have resisted greater pressure than that brought upon them. He considered the dip might have been sate at four p.m., but ordered the contractors to brace the sets in accordance with the specifications, to make them safer. Tracy had the timber ready in tho drive to erect the sets. James Smith, the carpenter, was on that shift to at the sets. In answer to bhe Bench, Colliua said he did not see enough timber taken from the dip to have braced the three main sets. Ad the braces recovered had naila in thenr. Thoma3 Carless, bhe next witness, produced the model of timbering' in the new dip. His sets were at right angles. It- waa nob bo in bhe dip. There are still a number of wibnesses to examine, including several experts. The cases against Collins have been adjourned till noon on Monday, and it is expected they will take next week to finish.