THE HUNTLY DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 15606, 24 September 1914, Page 3

THE HUNTLY DISASTER

INQUEST OPENED.

GENERAL MANAGER'S EVIDENCE.

'The inquest was opened at Huntly yesterdav.

James Fletcher, general manager of the Taupiri Coal Mines, Limited, said that on the day of the explosion he was not in charge, being incapacitated at the time. He appointed William Gowajis as deputy manager. Gowans was one of the victims of the explosion. In compliance with the Coal Mines Act. the whole of the working places were examined each morning by three competent persons, who entered within two hours prior to the main body of men commencing work. The reports of the three examining .deputies for that morning were found in the office in the mine. They showed that the barometer registered from 37deg to 37$deg in different parts of the mine, and the thermometer from 48deg to 49deg. All three reports stated that the roads were safe at 7 a.m., and the ventilation good. The deputies always carried safety lamps oit their daily inspection. No actual mining was done that morning, the men descending merely to straighten up the tunnels. About three tours of the old workings were made continuously by an inspector specially appointed. The last report on the 11th inet. stated that all was well there being no falls, while the ventilation was good. Witness stated that firedamp had been found in small quantities on several occasions in pockets. The last occasion was on August 17, when Inspector Weir reported that he found diluted gas in No. 4 bord, which was dispersed by the air current. Gas of this nature was usually caused by a fall. Witness considered that the mines were fairly immune from firedamp, unless a big fall occurred. On July 9 William Kelly, one of the victims, was working in No. 6 stone overhead drive, a short distance from a pothole that was bleeding gas. He went to the 7'othole for a drink, and having a naked light on his head he ignited an accumulation of gas in the pothole. His hair was pinged, arid he was off work for 14 days. This particular sect'on was examined at 8 a.m. the same day, and found safe. A good current of air was going through the drive, and a request was made to Deputy Darby by one of the contractors to reduce the current, as the men complained of cold. 'I he request was refused. In witness's opinion, an accumulation of gases was caused by a disarrangement of the ventilation, because of the air intake pipe being blocked by brattice cloth. He considered that the men had found the workings too cold to be comfortable, and had blocked the pipe. The whole incident was reported to the Government inspector. During the four years witness had been engaged at the mine the accident to Kelly was the only one of this nature. So far a 6 witness could recollect, he had never received a complaint from any man working in the mine of an accumulation of gas, and hid no reason to suspect that gas was in the mine in dangerous quantities. On August 26 signs of heating were noticeable in the old workings, and on a search being made the trouble was located, ai'd the conditions were reported normal at midnight. There had been no other signs of heating except on one occasion 10 weeks previously. Witness admitted rereiviiic ,l letter from Inspector Bennie (Government) regarding the dangerous condition of the mine—particularly the old workings and the main drive—owing to the accumulation of dry duet. _ The letter instructed the company to immediately undertake the spraying of the dust with water to remove the danger. The letter added: " Although I previously warned the company of the danger, little or nothing has been done to comply with my request regarding spraying the old workings." In view of th« accident to Kelly, J Inspector Bennie requested that shot fliers be appointed, as required by special rule So. 25. and that the accumulation of dry coal dust be dealt with in an adequate and proper manner. The' report concluded : " Failure to comply with my request will be followed by a prosecution for breaches of the Act." On August 25 the company received an intimation from Inspector Bennie that it might be necessary to insist on the use of safety lamps. Replying to Inspector Wright, witness said that spraving was done regularly in the main shaft, but it was not considered necessary to spray the old workings. Asked if ne had any theory as to how the explosion occuned, witness replied in the negative. The company, he said, carried its own insurance risks.

Continuing, Mr Fletcher said that if the men had expressed a desire for safety lamps they could have had them. One hundred electric safety lamps had been ordered by the co-npany, white none but safety lamps would be used in future. The mine was considered damp and cool, and one of a number of men who succeeded in escaping uninjured stated that the workings seemed as usual on the morning of the explosion. All declared that thev had previously found them free of gas* though the majority had noticed dry coal dust in varying quantities* at different places. The inquest was adjourned till to-day. RESIGNATIONS REQUESTED. At a meeting of 100 members of the Huntly Miners Union, *t which ;Mr Semple and Mr Webb wems present, it was decided to Tequesfc Mr Stuart Dixon (president), who had. secured a wrdict for £I,OOO in the recent libel action against the 'Maoriland Worker,* together with all members of the taeoutrfw, to resign.