THE FATAL EXPLOSION AT MAHANGA BAY.

Evening Post, Volume LVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1899, Page 5

THE FATAL EXPLOSION AT MAHANGA BAY.

— ♦ — THE EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. COLONEL PENTON'S THEORY, ADJOURNMENT OF THE ENQUIRY FOR A WEEK. After the luncheon adjournment yesterday, further evidence lyas taken* at Mahanga Bay — before the District Coronex (Mr. J. Ashcroft) — sis to the cause of the death of Sergeant Olive, Corporal Wick, and Sapper Teague, killed at the explosion at L'orl Gordon, Mahanga Bay, on Monday afternoon. The following is the evidence which followed that published in yesterday's Post : — THE SAPPER WHO CONNECTED THE DETONATORS'. Ernest Tomkies, first-class sapper in No. 2 Service Company (hul i manue mining), said that 'on Monday morning l.c ■was under the direct command of Sergeant Olive, and was connecting up the detonators during the operations prior to the accident. Had filled the detouator3 to the wires, which were not con nccted with, the electrical apparatus. At the timo of tbe explosion was about 40 feet away, on the upper side of tho bill, from tho pit, to which witness's back was turned. Tho explosion seemed a loud one. Was stooping down at tho time, but did not feel its force, only so far as to bo a litllo dazed. Had not taken notice of Olive ramming, and did not see anything to smggest danger. Bad tested 13 detonators, two were used, and 11 were still left. Took them out of the magazine himself. Was sure no detonator had got loose. (On the canister containing the detonators being examined it was found that there were 11 still in it.) Was positive that the explosion had not been caused by detonation. To Inspector Pender — Had been a sapper for five years. Had had most of his experience with detonators. At yesterday's operations nothing had been left undone which had always been done at explosion operations. Captain fc'tilconer was superintending the operations. Witness took his instructions from Olive. Before tho explosion Head was assisting witness in connecting the detonators. Could not say where Head was standing when the explosion took place. To Captain Falconer — Had passed tbe first-cl,ass test as a sapper, and also that of non-commissioned officer under Colonel Ponton's regulations. Had been in charge of the testing-room at Shelly Bay for three years, since Qoldie left. * SERGEANT PARRELL HAS A THEORY. George J. Parrell, Regiment SergeantMajor in the No. 2 Company, and Submarino Mining Instructor, said ho was accompanying Captain Falconer on a tour of inspection on Monday morning, and with that officer went to the o'u pit, the soeno of the accident, reaching there about 10.30 o'clock. Saw the party at work under Sergeant Olive, the latter filling in the guncotton. Captain Falconer now and then gave instructions to tho party as to the procedure for the explosion, telling the men how to break up tho guueotton and to tamp well. At the time of the explosion witness's attention was attracted to some work going on below the hill, and he was standing with his back to Olive's party, about 16 feet away. Did not £<jol the shock severely, and was not knock sd down, but was struck by small pieces of debris. Was sure that the explosion did not take place from the use of the detonators. As to a theory, thought that dry guncotton, confined, and tamped hardly or with force, and under heavy pressure, might detonate. If the guncotton was perfectly dry, a small piece, struck severely on a piece of concrete, or smartly struck by a stick, might explode. Witness would not have used dry guncotton for Monday's operations. He would have tamped with wet, and covered the detonators with dry guncotton. Would not go so far as to say that the use of dry guncotton for uch as Monday's operations was rashness, but be (witness) would not have used the dry stuff. There were no rules laid down as to the tamping of holes for land explosions. Had had 18 years' ucEerie,nce with explosives in the Imperial ervice. to Captain Falconer — Had never undergone a course of land boring and blasting instruction PREVIOUS OPERATIONS WITH GUNCOTTON. Thomas Quinn, first-class sapper (examined by Captain Falconer), said he had been engaged with Captain Falconer on the blasting operations in removing rocks at Nelson. They were threo months on the work, and had prepared and fired as many as five charges a day. Witness explained how the charges were made up. A dry tamp was used between the discs hi each case, and he never found the slightest danger in any case. Captain Falconer was never absent whilst charges were being made, and used the wooden tamp also with the others, force being used. Witness would assist Irs Captain making up such charges tomorrow without any fear. Corporal F. Greene, of No. 2 Company (also examined by Captain Falconer) said that in November, 1897, he was engaged with Captain Falconer's party in removing the Mid-channel Rock at the Bluff, some 100 charges being made up for the work. He corroborated the evidence of the previous witness as to the preparation of the charges. Had never seen an accident with guncotton, and had no fear in the handling of it. THE COMMANDANT OF THE FORCES GIVES EVIDENCE. Colonel Polo Penton, Lieutenant- Colonel, Royal Artillery, and Commander of the New Zealand Forces, said that as an artillery officer he personally had nothing to do with the handling of high explosives, but was familiar with tlie theory of detonation and the explosion of guncotton. There were four ways of detonating — (I) Fulminate of mercury-? whioh was invariably used in service detonators j (2) by ignition in confined spaces ; (3) by percussion ; and (4) by friction. The first method ho did not consider \n regard to Monday's accident ; tho second might have been caused by a spark caused by some means unknown ; and as (or T. O e third or fourth means, he though* that very considerable forcewould hay« x o bo employed. He did nob think vhat, friction between o wooden tamper and guncotton would be <sutli eient to cause detonation, and thatv was no probability of snob occurring in tho case under enquiry. The piec* of guncotton which he (witness) bad given to Captain Leah (of the Mildura) 'op testing had been taken out of tho |-.ox in the pit from which the material oad been taken for the operations on Monday He (witness) had only one theory, but he could not say much as to its value. His theory was that the exposure of tl.e guncotton to tbe sun's rays on Mond.\v had rendered it more sensitive and Hobfa to detonation, for the more guncotton was heated tbe more sensitive it became. Ho thought it hardly probable that a spark could have been communicated to the guncotton by friction. The eu - torn in tho colonies had been to u«e guncotton dry. but if using it himself L would make it damp, for greater s.ifety After Monday's experience he would X sue instructions that in future for sm\; operations guncottou should be used in a damp state whenever possible. Cap taiu Falconer interjected a remark

to tli«. <;!;u :h.i' he had always been taught ut home to mo giincoltou diy. Continuing, witness .said that he could ■not, so far, attt Unite blame to anyone for Monday's explosion. Sugeanb Olive /was ono of the heat men that ho hud jcomo across in tho force. Tho Coroner remarked that tho match *>r spark theory was the most piobablo tof the various theories put forward at the inquest. •AN ADJOURNMENT NECESSARY. As this completed all tho ovidonoo bvailablo, it was decided to adjourn tho inquest until 2.30 o'clock next Tucj•day, in tho hope that Head, who is lying in the Hospital, might be sufficiently recovered to be able to give evidence. Beforo the Coroner rose, Colonel Pon*on informed Ma-. Ashcroft and the jury that tho Defence Department desired tho fullest enquiry into tho causo of tho fatality, and would give evoiy possible ffacflity for helping towards, investigation. Ihe Colonel added that there hud never been any wish on tho part of tho Department to concoal anything whatever. ° At half-past 3 o'clock .the- Coroner, (Jury, and other partios interested in the onquiry, returned to town by the \ (Ellen Ballance.