MILLERTON MINE TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 8 February 1927, Page 8

MILLERTON MINE TRAGEDY.

AN EXPERT'S ACCOUNT.

RECOVERY OF THE BODIES. INQUEST TO BE OPENED TO-DAY. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELIORAM.) WESTPORT, February 7A cood deal of information bearing on Saturday's tragedy in tho mine at Mi:. Creek, whereby four lives wero lost, was gained from Mr Francis Duffv, underviower, at Denniston. He arrived at Millerton with the Proto apparatus. Arrangements had boon made to explore the fire area in No 1 dip section of the Millerton Mine. Mr Duffv was requested to go to Millerton on account of his knowledge of the Proto apparatus. Operations commenced about nine a.m. on Saturday, six Proto machines being fully charged and in good order and condition. Under ordinary circumstances they would last two hours. The stopping was broken down under the supervision of Mr Pearson, the miuo manager, ana was allowed to stand while they were putting on the apparatus. lUes-i* Pearson and Duffy entered the stopping at 9.30 a.m., carrying safety ana electric lamps. . . Beyond the fourth opening on the left hand side, the safety lamps went out. They then stepped back a few yards and attached their mouth pieces and nose clips. Mr Duffy saw that Mr Pearson's machine was 6°™?**"' and thev proceeded to the foot of No. l dip to the stopping. Thev then came hack tatfo. 4 opening. Mr Duffy then nt Ford and Maher down to there, ti:ev also having n plan with them. Thev consulted the plan and let them know where Messrs Pearson and Duffy wore going and the time when they would come*" back—within one hour. The idea was that if they did not come back, Messrs Ford and Mather were to go to look for them. Dip Explored. Pearson and Duffy then, traversed from the bottom opening of No. 1 dip affl proceeded along the road towards daylight. Two chains from tie end of the drive they discovered a fall and "returned to the point agreed upon within the hour. Thia would be between 11.30 and 11.46 a.m. They had lunch and then explored the Evans horse road and returned in the agreed time. They made a further traverse along an old road previously taken and returned to the starting point. This completed the work of ex* ploration. The underviewer and Maher and Ford wero anxious to have a look through, but .they only had to traveree the dip, half an hour being allowed to them. After Duffy aaw them properly fitted with the machines before entering the stopping, they were asked if they felt all right and both replied in the affirmative. They were told to keep the oxygen going. They then went through the stopping. When half an hour had expired, as they were expected back, the deputy, Obwan, went to a fourth opening on the left to see if he could pes them. He said he could see their lights in the distance, and they concluded that Ford and Maher were coming back. Men Fail to Return. Ten minutes elapsed, and as they did not return, Duffy went down to No. 4 opening on the left and saw the lights were not moving. He came to tho conclusion that something was wrong and crawled from there to between No. 5 and the opening and found Maher lying on his back. After examining tho apparatus, Duffy struggled back with him to No. 4 opening, where he got Pearson. They carried Maher a little further up the dip to where tho air waa fresher.

He took off his machine and applied artificial respiration immediately. As ho (Mr Duffy) was abont exhausted, ho gave Pearson instructions to send Mr Tom Pearson down to him, and also to toll the deputy, Mr Cowan, and Mr Smith to put on their machines I and roscuo Mr Ford. Mr Smith passed Mr Duffy, and he noticed that he was all right. Mr Duffy himself was nearly out.

Shortly after, Mr Smith returned and told him that Mr Cowan had gone in and collapsed. Mr Tom Pearson and Mr Duffy carried Mr Maher out to the stone drive, and while doing so he passed Mr Pearson with a Proto on. Mr Duffy sent for medical and other assistance.

When he camo back to No. 1 opening, where ho last saw'Mr Pearson, ho found he had gone down the dip to try and rescue Messrs Cowan and Ford. Then the other mine manager arrived and took charge of operations. Mr Pearson also collapsed. In subsequent rescue efforts the bodies of Messrs Pearson, Cowan, and Ford wero recovered by Messrs Brownlee and Pfeffer, a rope being attached to the bodies to draw them out of the danger zone. The inquest opens to-morrow for identification, and is likely to be adjourned for a week to enable the Inspector to attend!

MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY. (SFECHI, TO TBI FBCSS.) GREYMOUTH, February 7. The following telegram was dispatched today to the chairman of the Buller County Council, by the DeputyMayor of Greymouth, Mr J. W. Greenslade: "I deeply regret the deplorable accident at the Millerton Mine. Please convey to the relatives and friends the heartfelt sympathy of the citizens of Greymouth."

Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., telegraphed 'the Hon. Mr Melntyre as follows: "Please convey my sympathy to the relatives of the miners who lost their lives in the Millerton Mine disaster. The sympathy of the people of Westland goes out to them in their sorrow." Mr W. H. Parfitt, Mayor of Greymouth, telegraphed Mr Holland, M.P., from Wellington, expressing deep regret at the Millerton disaster, and forwarding condolences to the relatives of the victims.