THE WAIHI ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 156, 3 July 1901, Page 4

THE WAIHI ACCIDENT.

LATER PARTICULARS

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

waist, ftiiwy.

Of the two injured men, victims of the explosion this inorrilhg, at the Waihi Company's mine, Gibbs has been, sent to the Thames Hospital, while McNaught is under the care of Nurse Arnaboldi. Further particulars disclose the fact that the men had just fired two moile holes in the face of the drive, and on going back it was noticed that one hole had not done much work.

McNaugM then set about preparing another hole, and on driving the moile down an explosion occurred. It is therefore surmised that some of the plugs of the previous charge had dropped into a crevice or pug hole, and had mat exploded, eons.eq'uently causing the explosion when the mojle came into contact with these.

Gibbs had only just been married. The affair was a shocking instance of the urgent need of a hospital in Waihi. McNaught had to be earned from Nurse Gilmore's hospital to the other end of Waihi, with blood pouring out of him, and in a terrible state, generally. Nurse Gilmore did all she could, but every room was taken up with patients. The injured men were contractors, and it is stated that now the. contract system is being worked hexe so much these accidents wiil be more frequent. __,