TELEGRAMS. MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES.

Evening Post, Issue 51, 29 February 1908, Page 9

TELEGRAMS. MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES.

NIGHTCAPS COLLIERY ACCIDENT. JURY DISAGREES. [Bt Teusobaph —Special to The Post.) - INVERCARGILL, This Day. Considerable interest has been taken during the last few days in the hearing by the Supreme Court of a case in which John Lloyd, manager of the Nightcaps mine, was charged with the manslaughter of William Carson, William Duncan, and Patrick Walsh, who disd as tho result of the mine disaster on 21st. Juno last. The suggestion of the prosecution was that Lloyd knew tho mine was dangerous, and look insufficient precautions for the safety of the men. Mr. Hanlon, for the defence- argued that Lloyd had j« reason to know that the mine was dangerous. He certainly had reason to know that part of it was dangerous — that portion in which his own lamp was put out — but immediately that happened he withdrew his men. He had a right to assume that the rest of the mine was safe. The men whom he sent down wero sent by the main air course, taking air with them. His own lamp was blown out in the return air course. It was argued by the Crown Prosecutor that Lloyd must have known of the dangerous condition of ths mine owing to all the men working on the previous night being ill, and showing signs of distress from the effects of noxious gases. This, Mr. Hanlon urged, was not remarkable, because these men had been fighting the fire — one of them for some fourteen hours, and tho others for varying periods of less than that. The jury stayed out the regulation four hours! and then reported that eleven favoured acquittal, but that one held out for conviction. Mr. Justico Williani3 said that that amounted to a disagreement, and discharged the jury. The' Crown Prosecutor asked that the re-hearing of the case be fixod for next sittings, intimating that he had been instructed to take proceedings at the discretion- of the Government, and that meantime he would make representations to the Government. Bail was fixed, Llo\d in £200, and one security of £100, which was immediately iorthcoming.