COAL MINE FLOODED

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 23 April 1935, Page 4

COAL MINE FLOODED

HEAVY RAIN AT PUIvEMIEO PUMP THROWN OUT IOF ACTION (By Telegraph-Tress Association.) AUCKLAND, April 22. Heavy rain which fell on Sunday and this morning flooded the drive in a section. of the Pukemiro Collieries min© at Pukemiro and covered- the trucking rail to a depth of five feet. The rain caused a laTge amount of flood water to gather on Sunday evening in an area the surface of which had been broken'hy the extraction of pillars of coal. Water began to enter the mine at these points and a pump was started "to cope with the inflow. About an hour later slips on the road caused the interruption of the power supply to the pumping plant, and the. pump was thrown out of action. The supply was restored early this morning, but the pump was by then under water. A gang. of men was. engaged to-day constructing a drain to lead the surface water away from the area where it was entering the mine, and it is unlikely that further flooding will happen. The occurrence is not regarded as: serious, and it is probable the affected, section of the mine will be workable again shortly when the water in it has. been cleared away. Sixteen' men are affected by the flooding but endeavours arc being made to find work for them in smother section of the mine.