OPERATING UNDERGROUND

Evening Star, Issue 21630, 27 January 1934, Page 5

OPERATING UNDERGROUND

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES OVERLOOKED ■ I GOAL MINE MANAGER FINED The case in which Robert M'Donalcl \yas charged with a breach of the Coal Mines Act in that he did not take the necessary precautionary measures for operating underground in close proximity to old underground workings containing an accumulation of water was continued in the Police Court yesterdy afternoon. Mr F. C. Dawson appeared for the defendant, mine manager of the Green Island mine at Fairfield.

John Hughes, inspector of mines, said that some time, ago he made an inspection of the Green Island mine at Fairfield, and also examined the plan of the mine, which was kept at the office. The plan showed that the new workings had approached to within about 30ft of old workings containing an accumulation of water, and at the time no precautionary measures were being taken in the mine by means of bore holes to dewater the old workings Should the new workings strike or intercept the old shaft the water would immediately flood through, leaving anyone there little chance of escaping alive. Later he went down the mine and found that the actual distance of the new workings from the old was nearer 50ft. For a month or so previous to the present information 75 per cent, of the drives made on the new level were within 40ft of the old workings,- and none of the prescribed bore holes had been made. Mr Dawson said that the defendant had been mine manager of the old mine over twenty years ago, and the reason that those workings had been abandoned was that the miners had been forced up by a subsidence of silt. In the defendant’s opinion there was no accumulation of water in the old workings, the water which was at present coming into the new workings 1 being merely the seepage that was experienced in every coal mine. Bore holes had been put hi immediately the inspector complained. . In answer to a question by the Magistrate, the inspector said that sufficient safety should bo ensured it the precautions iioiv being taken were conlast March an attempt had been made to <ro down the old mine shaft, but it W as° full of semi-liquid material which was difficult to displace, and the attempt was abandoned, start being made in another place. Tvmv the water had ben practically cleaned out of the old workings. In the present shaft, the defendant continued., he had had a bore hole extending in front ana others at the side—not the full xO feet

in length. The inspector had been fully aware that the bore holes were not of the regulation size, but it was not until November 1 that .the inspector told him to put in the proper bore holes. About a week after that the defendant located water by tapping the old workings, but very little water came through; in fact, none at all resulted from the first boro. MV hen the ilow did .commence properly there was about 3,000 gallons an hour, while before that the flow had been from 500 to 700 gallons per hour. The present rate of flow was by no means out of the ordinary where coal miners were concerned,* and could not be attributed to the proximity of the old workings. The Magistrate said ho thought the contention that there was not an accumulation of water in the old workbio’s was unjustified. Nevertheless, the regulations for safety in the mine were now being observed, and as ho did not wish to ho severe on the defendant he would fine him £7 10s, with, costs (10s)-,