MINING OFFENCES PROSECUTION

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28397, 2 October 1957, Page 5

MINING OFFENCES PROSECUTION

Sequel To Explosion

(New Zealand Press Association) GREYMOUTH. Oct. 1.

A miner who appeared in the Greymouth Magistrate’s Court today, wearing dark glasses and with his right wrist bound up. pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Coal Mining Regulations, 1939—failing to wait one hour before approaching a misfired shothole, and firing a shot when not an authorised shot-firer. The man was Leonard Maurice Swan, of Runanga. He was fined £4 and costs, £l, on the first charge, and convicted and discharged on the second. An Inspector of Mines, Mr E. J. Richards, prosecuted. While prospecting a coal drive in the Rewanui Mine on August 7, Swan bored, charged and tamped three shot holes. He successfully exploded one, lighted the next and went to the surface to wait for it to go off.

After 20 minutes, he concluded it had misfired and went back. As he was re-lighting the misfired shot-hole, it exploded. He received a compound fracture of the right wrist, lacerations to the chest, and his eyes were filled with small particles of coal. “Whilst one feels sympathy lor him, he could have been killed,” said Mr Richards. The incident showed the need for only qualified and authorised persons to fire shots. The action had been brought as a deterrent, he said. Swan said he was a married man with four children. He had received I no Compensation and was on social security. He would be unable to work before Christmas.

“You have been punished more than I can punish«you,’’ said the Magistrate.