REWANUI MINE ACCIDENT

Grey River Argus, 12 February 1938, Page 8

REWANUI MINE ACCIDENT

Mr Robert Knig[ht Killed BY FALL OF STONE. Caught by a fall of stone at O’Brien and Party’s Co-operative Coal Mine at the binns extended scheme at Rewanui, at 11.30 o’clock yesterday, Robert Knight, married aged 51 years, of Runanga, one of the best-known men in the Labour Movement on the West Coast, met his death. Deceased was engaged at the face in the high pillar section, when, without the slightest warning, there was a fall of between 500 and 1,000 tons of stone, which dropped out from the roof above, completely burying Knight to a depth of over 20 feet. His mate, William Armstrong, who had juSt filled a box with coal, and was near the bottom of the section, had a remarkable escape, having to run out of the way of the falling stone. Working unceasingly up to 6.15 o’clock last evening, the deceased’s workmates, with the assistance of the Mines Inspector (Mr W. Parsonage), extricated the body. The work was accomplished by means of stripping the rib for a distance of 36 feet. There was" no apparent injury to the body, which was found lying face downwards at the coal face, deceased still having the pick in his hand. Apparently death was due to suffocation. Several blasts were required to remove the stone, before the body could be recovered. The late Mr Knight, who was a native of Australia, and a relative of Mrs Semple, wife of Hon. R. Semple, had resided for about a quarter of a century, on the West Coast, following coal-mining, at which he was a very competent operator. He was a staunch member of the Labour Movement, and was President of the State Miners’ Union for the term 1917—1918, when he took a prominent part in the advocacy of the cause for Labour, and he also held office as a member of the Union Executive for several terms. He was one of the earliest members of the State Miners’ Hall Committee, and took a live interest in every movement for the advancement of the Welfare of the State mining district community. At the time of his death the late Mr Knight held the office of , President of the Runanga Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party. He was also a member of the Runanga Debating Club. A man of genial dis- : position, he was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him, and , general regret will be felt at his ] untimely death. Besides his wife he | leaves a family of eight, four daught- < ers and four sons, the daughters being Mrs W. Montgomery and Miss = Helen Knight (Greymouth), and s Misses Patricia and Amelia Knight t (Runanga), while the sons, John, Philip, William and James, are all i residents of Greymouth. He is also , a

survived by seven sisters and a brother who reside in Australia. The funeral takes place to-morrow, leaving the late residence of deceased,, at 2 p.m., for the Karoro Cemetery,