The Dominion. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1907. THE NIGHTCAPS DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 49, 21 November 1907, Page 6

The Dominion. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1907. THE NIGHTCAPS DISASTER

In connection with tlie fatalities which occurred at the Nightcaps Colliery, Southland, last June, a commission ol inquiry was set up. The scope of its investigations was to be wide, no restrictions being imposed as to the nature of the evidence to be called. It was directed to inquire into the causes of the deaths which occurred, to allot the blame if culpable negligence had been displayed, and to seek to discover whether similar casualties could be preyented in the future, and whether—failing this—any means could he employed to mitigate their illeffects. At its final sitting, after some five weeks had been spent in examining witnesses, there was much mutual felicitation between the members • of the court and the counsed engaged on account of the celerity and completeness with which the work had been carried out, the Chairman remarking that they had " secured over 400 pages of typewritten evidence, much of it of a most, interesting nature." After deliberations extending over another five or six weeks the report has now been issued.

The average citizen has learnt by experience to expect' but little from Royal Commissions, but it has seldom happened that a similar body has issued bo barren a report as the present. Worst of all, it is so vacillating in its tenor as to be, in some respects, practically valueless. It says, for example: " The cause of the disaster was the disregard by the manager of all, precautions, statutory and otherwise, for the safety of ctfal-miners in the conditions existing at the time, and sending the men into a poisonous atmosphere, and leaving them there for an unreasonably long time." Now, this practically amounts to a recommendation to the Minister to indict the mine manager for manslaughter. Again: "As his employers desire to retain his services, and it is stated that he has been an abstainer for more than three months, and in view of his twenty-six years of successful management without serious accident, we are not prepared to say he should be called upon to show cause why ho should not _be disqualified as a certificated mine

manager." How can these two paragraphs be reconciled? Speaking of the Inspector of Mines it says that ho had " shown too much laxity in not insisting upon obedience to the existing Mining Acts and in not apprehending the danger from the generation of certain noxious gases." This is described as " laxity," and later the report speaks of "probable remissness in important matters," but adds, " we do not consider him deserving of serious censure." It suggests the appointment of a chief inspector of coal-mines, and submits a specification of his capabilities and character. If such a man can be secured for the Dominion we must agree with the recommendation. It was supported, however, by only two commissioners, the remaining pair—representing the practical knowledge in such matters—opposing it. j Unfortunately, the Commission seems to have utterly failed to realise the opportunity presented df doing something towards lessening the dangers of ihe colliers' calling. It failed first in that it .omitted to call before it anyone versed in the subject of minegases and their effect on the human' system. In a case of poisoning by white-damp, so long as the sufferer continues to breathe, there is some hope of snatching him back from the brink of the grave, or at least restoring him to. consciousness. How much that may mean for the rescuers, who are seeking to .enter again the lethal atmosphere from which the sufferer has just been brought, any intelligent person can realise. But for this restoration pure, undiluted, oxygen must be administered. This gas can be purchased in iron bottles from dealers in limelight apparatus at a price that is by no means prohibitive, and can be stored almost indefinitely. No modern work on mine ventilation fails to mention it as a specific; at the terrible Courrieres disaster it proved of the utmost value in the hands of the German rescue-parties. But our Commission contented itself with calling a local medical man, who confessed to but scanty knowledge of the subject, and no questions were asked in this connection. A physiologist puch as Dr. J. S. Malcolm, of Otago, or a chemist such as Dr. Maclaurin, the colonial analyst, should undoubtedly have been examined on this important matter. Finally, it failed in that it did not draw attention to the great part played in the precipitation of this disaster by the ignorance,' not of officials, but of the working miners. It is probable that there exists in no other mining district in the whole of. the Dominion a want of knowledge equal to that displayed by witnesses in the present case. One reason for this is the difficulty of procuring experienced men,_ this being more marked in a district ■ where the mines are small and no efforts are made to recruit men from other countries. Even experienced men, again, may be called upon to face an entirely new set of conditions when mining a class of coal new to them. To gain a real grasp of the matters that concern most his personal safety a miner must be taught._ Now, there is no school of mines in 'either Otago or Southland. Otago certainly possesses the University "Mining School, but this, though subsidised, is iiot under the direct control of the Minister, is not readily accessible to miners, and does not cater for the working man, its course being highly academic, and its lectures delivered in the daytime. By failing to send out lecturers on mining matters into the remoter districts it misses an opportunity of benefiting the mining public. In conclusion, it is a matter for regret that a Commission composed of gentlemen each with a record of which he may be proud, and entailing considerable expense to the country at large, should, after nearly three months of application, have produced a report ;o barren of suggestions of value. It is a certainty that mining literature will not benefit greatly by its report.