ENTOMBED MINERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1936, Page 8

ENTOMBED MINERS

RESCUE EFFORT ABANDONED.

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, August 7.

Hope has been abandoned for the 70 miners entombed by yesterday’s colliery explosion near Barnsley, Yorkshire. There will be an official enquiry. Magnificent work was done by rescuers throughout the day, but their efforts had to be discontinued owing to gas.

His Majesty the King sent a message expressing his great distress al the accident and conveying deep sympathj’ to the bereaved relatives. An inquest was opened on the 32 victims of the disaster whose bodies have been recovered. Evidence of identification was given in several cases by wives who had lost their husbands or mothers who had lost their only sons. A relief fund has been opened by the Mayor of Barnsley. Efforts to recover the remaining 25 bodies are continuing. Twenty more bodies were brought to the surface to-day, rescue par-ties, for which there was no lack of volunteers, risking asphyxiation suddenly and without warning by carbon monoxide.

The veteran president of the Miners’ Federation, Mr. Herbert Smith, went , down the pit to-day immediately on ' arrival. He and two other miners’ officials rushed by air from Prague,’ where they were attending the Inter-; national Miners’ Conference.

NEW ZEALAND CONDOLENCES.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION,] WELLINGTON, August 8

The Governor-General has sent to the Secretary of State for the Dominions a message conveying New Zealand’s regret at hearing of the colliery disaster, and expressing heartfelt sympathy with the families and friends of those who so tragically lost their lives.