DOBSON EXPLOSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 11

DOBSON EXPLOSION.

OFFICIAL INQUIRY OPENED. EVIDENCE BT MINERS' CHIEF. INSPECTION OF WORKINGS. •By Telegraph.—.»-„,niiilon.i GREYMOUTH. Friday. The inquiry into the Dobson colliery diaster was opened to-day. Mr. E. Page, S.M., presided, and with him were Mr. John Watson, superintendent of the Taupiri mines, and Mr. William Baldest one, secretary of the West Coast Miners' Council. The commission first inspected the mine and workings. ohn Smeaton, president of the Grey Valley Miners' Union, the first witness called, said he was working at the mine on the night of December 2, and ho detailed circumstances of tlie explosion, which occurred at" about 3 a.m. on December 3. He. considered the mine officials honestly endeavoured to keep the colliery free of gas'. For 10 weeks prior to the explosion witness had heard no complaints of gas, until the night before when there were complaints. Regulations Satisfactory. Witness considered the mining regulations would be satisfactory if fully enforced. In his opinion the Dobson mine officials had too much work, and a need existed for .stricter supervision of the men. The explosive used was one to which there was no objection. Gas was always accumulating in the rise workings at Dobson, and the east level was cut off last August in consequence, continued witness. After that the mine seemed to improve. The department inspectors were always thorough. There was no danger from electric lamps, but witness considered holing at the face for blasting should be 3ft deep. Origin of Explosion. Witness thought the explosion originated in the dip workings where one of the victims, Brammer, worked, and he considered the great force of the explosion was due to ignition of coal dust rather than of gas. Shot-firing had, in cases, been improperly done at Dobson. Witness considered that the firers needed more qualifications and that if dsputies fired the shots it would be safer. Except in the rise there were not more indications of gas in the Dobs °>n than in oilier mines in which witness had work-1 cd.

Xvitness d I not credit t'ne Vspory that electric sparks below cause-i the cxplo-1 sion. Men at the face should know i how to test safety lamps. The State mine rescue apparatus w.is not suitable for the Dobson mine. Tlrere was more air going down the Dobson than any other mine on the West Coast, but witness warned his union in August that if the fringe did not improve there would be trouble. Superintendent's Belief. Isaac A. James, State mine superintendent, said the regulations were sufficient if officials supervised. Coal dust should be examined half-yearly, or as often as deemed necessary. He did not favour monthly tests, ns in England, where the mines were deeper ami lirtier. The State mine used stone dust from Ross to lay coal dust. Witness did not favour giving safety lamps to any but reliable men, as lamps were sometime# left hanging and by heating could ignite gas. He considered electric lamps were safe? in gas. Mr. Balderstone: Yon would not get many to agree with that. e Witness thonght if the explosion .ras not due to a naked light, the cause was spontaneous combustion. He considered the explosion originated in the risa workings and not from shot-firing.