MINE TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 7 February 1927, Page 10

MINE TRAGEDY

FOUE LIVES LOST

FATAL EXPERIMENT

MEN OVERCOME BY GAS

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WESTtOBT, sth February. A tragedy occurred at Millerton mine to-day, when four men lost their lives. The names of the dead are as fol-

low:—

William Mahcr, undervicwer, married, with a family.

William Mamey, underviewe-r, married, with a family. ■ James Cowan, married, with a family.

Michael Ford, the well-known Buller representative footballer. An investigation of the old fire area was being made by William Pearson (mine manager) and Duffy (underviewer), and was made tho occasion for a demonstration in the use of gas maaks equipped with Proto breathing apparatus.

Pearson and Duffy set out at 7 a.m. and made a thorough examination of the fire area. On returning to the station outside they decided, after a conference, that William Maher (underviewer) and Michael Ford (deputy) equipped with the apparatus, should also make an examination of the mine and return in half an hour.

As Maher and Ford did not return in that time Duffy went to look for them, and, seeing their lights in the distance, concluded that they were returning; Pearson and Duffy waited a further ten minutes, and as Ford and Maher did not return Duffy reentered the fire area and' there found the body of Maher, which, he carried out.

Assistance was summoned, and Pearson, accompanied . by Deputy Cowan, went into the mine to try and recover Ford, but they were both overcome by gas, and it was not until 9 p.m., after numerous attempts by relays of men, that the bodies of Ford, Pearson, and Cowan were recovered.

The men worked heroically, and were ably assisted by many women who gathered on the scene with refreshments. The operations were conducted by the district manager (Mr. J*. C. Brown) and the mining manager (Mr. Strongman), who had been previously summoned from Westport, where they were attending a conference of disputes

committees.

William Pearson, who has been with the mompany since he was a rope-road boy, with the exception of a year speut in mine work in the North Island, was a native of Woodstock, near Hokitika. He was 40 years of ago, and leaves a widow, a married daughter, and two sons, one married and the other a youth 16 years of age.

William Maher, underviewer at Millerton, was a native of Bungaree, Victoria, and was 47 years of ge. Ho joined the company at Millcrton, transferred to Denniston in 1909, and later returned to Millerton. Ho leaves a widow and six children, the eldest of whom is 16 years of age. James Cowan,' deputy at Millerton, came from Fifeshire, Scotland, and had been 16 years at Millerton. He was 45 years of age and leaves a widow and family of two girls (16 yours aad 5 years) and a son of 13 years. He was a lay preacher at the Presbyterian Church, and was to have taken the service at Granity on Sunday night.

Michael Ford, deputy, was a Buller Rugby representative footballer, and was a native of Solway. Ho was 35 years of age, and was a big-hearted, good-natured Irishman. He formerly worked on the railway line at Tekuha and at Denniston and Millerton. He joined the Westport Coal Company at Denniston, and latex became a deputy at Millerton.

An inquest will be opened on Tuesday.

At a meeting held in the Town Hall on Saturday night, at which Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P.,- was to have delivered an address on the Chinese question, a resolution of sympathy with the bereaved was carried, all standing.

The Minister of Mines (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) to-day telegraphed expressions of his deep sympathy to the relatives of the victims.