TRAPPED IN MINE

Hawera Star, Volume L, 16 February 1931, Page 9

TRAPPED IN MINE

TERRIBLE ALLEGATION MADE. CHARGE AGAINST OWNERS. (United Tress Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) PEKING-, Feb. 14. There is an amazing discrepancy between llie Chinese and Japanese accounts of an explosion at the Eusnun colliery on December 11. The Japanese mine management claims that there were no casualties, and that tire damage was negligible. Chinese reports from Mukden, however. declare that, in order to localise the blaze, the management closed the affected shaft, thereby trapping in a roaring furnace 300 U Chinese labourers and 30 or 40 Japanese foremen, all of whom perished in the flames. 'Correspondents describe bow the relatives of the entombed miners gathered at the pit-bead’ tearfully imploring the management to open liio burning shaft. The Nanking Government has instructed the provincial authorities to undertake an investigation and organise relief measures.