LIVERPOOL COAL MINE IDLE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27668, 26 May 1955, Page 12

LIVERPOOL COAL MINE IDLE

WORK FOR DAY STOPPED BY MANAGEMENT (From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, May 25. The Liverpool State coal mine at Rewanui was closed by the management for the day today after a stopwork meeting held at the mine. The management sounded the mine whistle signifying that no work would be available for the day and the men returned to their homes. Such action has not been infrequent at the Wallsend, Dobson and Strongman mines but this was the first such stoppage at the Liverpool mine. A statement on the stoppage released by the executive of the union today said that for the last fortnight men had been engaged on the erection of stoppings in a section of the mine in an effort to smother what was described as “a sickening odour” like kerosene emanating from the area. No traces of gas had been found with safety lamps or the carbon monoxide detector in the actual working places, though a slight trace of carbon monoxide has been detected near certain stoppings. Two men had been off work for a week from the effects of the smell. Others had been distressed and one man actually had to return home this morning as a result of inhalation the previous day, the statement said. The union had therefore decided to call a meeting before work as a safety precaution and to inquire into the cause of the sickness of the men. After the meeting had been in progress for one hour the management sounded the whistle. The acting manager, the union’s statement said, had been advised before the meeting that it was proposed to discuss the safety issue involved. The meeting continued for .another hour.

The Inspector of Mines, Mr S. Kennedy, at the request of the State Miners’ Union, made an examination of tlfe affected area later this morning and his findings will be reported to the men tomorrow morning when another meeting is scheduled.

The men were indignant at the management’s action in sounding the whistlg. because the meeting had been held to discuss a safety clause, a union official said today. Only three times in the last 12 years had the two hour monthly meeting allowance been exceeded.

The acting manager of the mine, Mr J. Gray, had no comment to make when the union’s statement was referred to him.