DOBSON DISASTER

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 136, 13 June 1927, Page 11

DOBSON DISASTER

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY

DIFFERENCES OF OPINION

,'By Telegraph —Press Association.)

GBEYMOUTH, 12th June,

At. the .-inquiry.-into the Dobson disaster, John Ford said that he worked No. 2 dip the day before the explosion. Thcre;was'no suspicion of danger when, he left that night. He was not satisfied with the. methods of shot firing usad at the mine. "When" shots were fired-lie left for a place of refuge. This dip- wasl very dusty and dangerous. Conditions had improved, in. the last six months, but ihey did riot compare well with precautions in British' mines where he had worked. The officials at Dobson were overworked. Black and Marshall- a: fortnight before the disaster told,witness that the fan had caught fire. Marshall stated that sparks flew when the deputy tried to turn on the electricity: -An explosion in No. 2 dip could, fcxtcn'd -up the main stone drive. .Every ."miner.should .be .able to^test his own place for gas. Witness found gas in Nos. 1 and 3 dips. The mine was very gassy. Deputies should only have to do inspection Work. TheDobson shot rircrs were reliable. The 'deputies and undcrviewcrs there, had to fire shots, but should not' have to do much work. There wasr considerable •'.'gruncliing" done, crutsiug extra dust. He only saw one search made for matches and tobacco on .the men.. Coal-,dust was mainly .-responsible: for the violence of. tho explosion;. ; .-; ■„-,:" „--..-■" : Thomas lleid, a miner, v said that! at f1.40 p.m. on the night before tho explosion he encountered gas, consequently leaving his place and tolling Deputy Little, who did not examine the place, to which witness di.d, not;return before knocking'off. There was plenty oC air except at the "working face. Two 'oil lamps were brought away from near witness's placo at the cud of the shift. The rise workings were dangerously dusty. . .

FLAMES FROM MOTOR.

;'. KdWiiVd;;sea.ting h statc,d. thijt;;.Black tbld. him', of ihimo shooting: .out' of the motor the' da.y : before the explosion. This Noakes reported, to the engineer, \vlio was Rubious when Black also told him he saw. smoke. The hole cuts for sjiofi.compHed^with the regulations. His opinion was ''the,.explosion started in .Black's :pTn('o. .'.Only a few.mcii rcsort.ed . to. '' grunchiug.'.'.,', /IJlic .'."flaino evidently, came.from under' the niqtor'.epvering. The xlust M-as not, dangerous. There was .no check on electric lamps issued.! to .thp. njen. shooting in places that looked suspicions. Witness had refused to :ijrp a shot .for Braiiimer.' Ho know,of .no case of miners jTring t.lioir own shots. He considered the mine safe and aufljciently .ventilated.

Kobert,Marshall said that two weeks before the disaster his father told Mm that flames tkreo or four foot long were seen coming from the motor. ... 'eTainca. Ford- said his place was free of gus the night before tho explosion. The shots were well fired, lln knew of no men ;working in gas, and had no suspicion' of anyone smoking. . No. 2 dip was dusty to the top. He had no idea wherotho explosion occurred.

Carl Boberts, union, secretary,. said ,tlie mhio was .free of gas tlio day' before tho disaster. Noalccs would be careful. He. saw sparks from.under the motor cover on 2nd December. There was .no smoking. Smeaton had warned the men. George Little, in uliargu of the shift .3 to 11 p.m. on 2ncl/Doecmber,'said an inspection of the ivwking places after the.criU revealed no trace of gas. Dust in' Black's place, might have caused ignition. The conditions for six weeks had been good. Tho rise workings were not dusty. 'The. deputies were overworked.. Miners should test their own places. . Safety lamps were left hanging by the miners for the others to collect. Electric lamps were preferred. He heard nothing of tho ilame from the motor. The dip.was not dusty enough to cause tho explosion. One' dangerous shot had been fired in Noake's place. William Chetwyit said (here were gas and dust in the mine. When working he had "seen shots fired on gas. The men in No. 2 dip had worked in gas owing to the lack of brattice. After the disaster he found a piece of candle without-'a wickim Brammer's place. "lid Ward Halliman said tho mino was •not very dusty; 1 nor "-was gas making in Reid's place, Ijut the : brattice was down. He had no theory of the explosion. At Paparoa mine the men had refused to: work in gas similar to that in Dobson. ; One shot fired in Noake's place had been dangcroiin. Witness found'two -pieces of insulated wire, within two chains of Noake's place. It was not the kind used for shot firing, but" possibly if "could be nsc-d for' 'so doing. ■■'■■' ;■ '■'.'..■■■' ■■ ■ ,

■Vi ■•' :." '". GUKYJIaUTII, This Jj'ay. The J>pbson"disaster in tfniry; was icsumod this morning. John Bullock,, a. miner, 1 said that tho' place was, very dusty'and reports were duly made. He considered that tho" air pipes were" inadequate. ' ■ ' ;