THE DISASTER IN THE NIGHTCAPS MINE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12966, 20 November 1907, Page 7

THE DISASTER IN THE NIGHTCAPS MINE.

—♦ FINDINGS OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION

SEIMOUs REFLECTIONS ON THE MINE MANAGER. LAXITY ON THE PART OF THE INSPECTOR.

(SFKCIAL TO -TDK TRESS.") j' WELLINGTON, November 19. The report of the Hoyal Commission (Messrs W. H. Hasolden. H. J. 11. Eliott. Henry A. Gordon, and Alex. Forbes) appointed to enquire into the disaster in the Nightcaps coal mi lie on 12th Juno last, was presented to Parliament to-djy. Tho Commissioners had to rind regarding the personal character oi the mine manager (Mr John Lloyd), his conduct at the time ot the disaster, and his general competency. They report as follows:—"Lloyd is a man of iiitcmjx»rate habits, who Ills (several times during the past few years had piohibition orders made against him. It is said, however, that since the disaster he has been a total abstainer, and his employers retain their confidence in him. He has passed no examination in mine management, but obtained his certificate beeau.se he was actually in charge of a mine when the Act of 1885 governing the issue oi mine managers certificate* came into force. He is, however, a man of considerable intelligence, who has risen horn a working minir to that of mine manager. His employers evidently value his service-, highly. They have ntainecl him in their employ for 2(1 years, and in June last were paying him £tto a month. Ip to this disaster he has been very >iiccefsl'ul in winning all the available coal at a minimum cost, anil in making the mine remunerative to the owners. On the evening of the 20th June he went to the house occupied by tho Cnrsons, mid befor« 10 p.m. had consumed tha greater part ol a bottle of whisky, lie then went to sleep on a sola in Carson's kitchen until about 3 a.m., when he loft, and wa.s proceeding to his own home when ho met Dixon. Instead of going to tho mine he occupied from three-quar-ters of mi hour to an hour in calling up three or four men. After five hours' sleep, ho was probably in appearance sober, but he would hardly be in the best condition to grapple with such an emergency as ho was called on to moot.'' THE ACTUAL DISASTER. Dealing with the actual disaster, the Commissioners state that when Lloyd entortd the inino at 4.20 on Friday morning, he should have withdrawn all tho men, madie a careful and cautious j examination, «nd only have sent men to work when it had been ascertained that they could do so with safety. After sending Carson and Welsh down the dip, he allowed far too long a time to elapse before ascertaining whether they were safe. Ho took more drink in the mine, and this, combined with the effect of the over, night potations, and the foul air in the mine, incapacitated lam from exercising sound juda. ment. • THE FINDINGS. Dealing with the questions referred to them, tho Commissioners find that the death of the three men—Carson, Welsh and Duncan—was caused by poisonous gases. Th© -cause of the disaster was the disregard by tho manager of all precautions, statutory and otherwise, for the aafoiv of the coal miners in the conditions existing at the timo, nnd in sending the men into a poisonous atmosphere and leaving them there for an unreasonably long time. The Commissioners find that the provisions of the Coal Mines Act, 1905, and the rules thereunder, wero not observed in several particulars. On occasions the ventilation was insufficient. THE INSPECTOR OF MIXES. As to the competency of the Inspector of Mines, the report states:—"Mr E. R. Green is a well-trained and experienced man, with a competent knowledge of !his duties, but in thu v instance ho has not acted with sufficient caution and firmness. Mr Green did himself grave .injustice in the way ho gave his evidence. He seemed to have to some extent lost his memory and judgment in" tho witness-box, and advanced theories to account for what actually happened which were plainly erroneous." The report, details *ix matters in which the Inspector had shown laxity, and the Commissioners add:—"On tho whole we do not consider him deserving of serious censure, but remissness in mllttors of detail adds to the probability of remissness in important matters." •» Mr Forbes dissents from the wording of the paragraph rogardi'ng tho mine manager, nnd substitutes a minority report as to his incompetency. During tho course of his remarks, he says:—■ "As tho result of the inefficient inspection and management, threo lives were lost. The amount of the work the Inspector had to do in no way excuses incapacity. Tho quality of his work on tho occasions of tho inspections ho made was bad, and the ignorance he displayed regarding mino gases when giving evidence before tho Comroves him to bo incompetent ns an inspector of mines for the purpose of protecting the lives of the workmen."