WORK ON STOPPINGS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31276, 24 January 1967, Page 1

WORK ON STOPPINGS

(From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, Jan. 23.

“Progressing favourably” was the report from the Strongman mine this afternoon on the erecting of more durable stoppings in the Green’s rise No. 2 section of the mine.

The first 20 volunteers began work at 6 a.m., and were replaced at noon. A third group took over at 6 p.m., and a fourth at midnight. This schedule will be maintained until the temporary stoppings erected on Friday are replaced. The 80 men were chosen from more than 400 volunteers among members of the Runanga State Miners’ Union. If the Strongman mine re--opens on Thursday exactly a week will have passed since the explosion. Because the I weekly production of the mine is about 3000 tons, and in strong demand, the Government may be forced to I bring in coal from Australia to make up for the loss. | It is thought that the Green’s rise section—which (will not be used again—provided about 10 per cent of i the colliery’s output. A brick gate will be placed in the middle of the concrete 'wall of the main entrance to

the section so that it can be knocked out in about three weeks, when further attempts will be made to recover the bodies of four miners.