THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 240, 24 September 1914, Page 3

THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

OPENING OF THE INQUEST

Huntly, Sept. 23. The Court was crowned when the inquest was opened by Mr. Rawson, S.M. Mr. Macassey, Crown Prosecutor, represented the Crown, and Mr. Tunks was present on behalt of the company. James I‘ietcner. general manager of Taupiri Coal Mines Limited, said that on the day of the explosion he was not in charge, being incapacitated at the time. He appointed William Go wins as deputy manager. Gowins was one of the victims of the explosion. On the day of the explosion he was off duty at the mine, and actually six workings were in operation. In compliance with the Coal Mines Act the who.e of the working places were examined each miorning by three competent persons, who entered within two hours prior to the main body of men commencing work. The reports of the three examining deputies for that morning were found in the office in the mine, and showed that the barometer registered from 37 to 381, degrees in different parts of the mine, and the thermometer from 48 to 49. AH three reports said that the roads were safe at 7 a.m., and the ventilation good. The deputies always carried safety lamps on their daily inspection. No actual mining was done that morning, the men descending merely to straighten up the tunnels. About three tours of the old workings were made continuously by an inspector specially appointed. The last report on tne 11th said that all was well, there being no falls, while the ventilation was good. Witness said that fire damp nad been found in small quantities on several occasions in pockets. The last occasion was on August 17th. when Inspector Weir reported that he found diluted gas in No. 4 bore, which was dispersed as made by the air currents. Gas of this nature v.as usually caused by a fall. Witness considered the mines fairly immune from fire damp unless a big lai; occurred. On July 9th William Kehy. one of the -victims, was working m the No. 6 stone overhead drive, a short distance from a pothole that was bleeding gas. He went to the pothole for a drink, and having a naked light on his head he ignited an accumulation of gas in the pothole. His hair was singed, and he was off work 14 days. This particular section was examined at 8 a.mthe same day and found safe. A good current oi air was going through the drive, and a request was maae to Deputy Darby by one of the contractors to reduce the current, as the men complained of cold. The request was refused. In witness’ opinion the accumulation of gas was caused by disarrangement of the ventilation because of the air intake pipe being blocked by brattice cloth, rie considered that the men had found the workings too cold to be comfortable, and had blocked the pipe. The whole incident was reported to the Government inspector. During four years that the witness had been engaged at the mines the accident to Kelly was the only one of this nature, so far as witness could recollect. He had never received complaints from any man working in the mine of the accumulation of gas, and had no reason to suspect that gas was in rhe mine in dangerous quantities. On August 26th signs of heating were noticeable in the old workings, and on a search being made the trouble was located. The conditions were reported to be normal at midnight. There had been no other signs of heating, except on one occasion ten weeks previously. Witness admitted receiving a letter from Inspector Bennie regarding the dangerous condition of the mine, particularly the old workings and the main drive, owing to the accumulation of dry dust. The letter instructed the company to immediately undertake the spraying of the dust with water to remove the danger. The letter added :—“Although I previously warned the company of the danger little or nothing has been done to comply with the request regarding spraying in the old workings. In new of the accident to Kel.y and Bennie I requested that shot filers be appointed. as required by special rule 25, and that the accumulation of dry coal-dust be dealt with in an adequate and proper manner.” The report concluded “Failure to comply with my request will be followed by prosecution for breaches of the Act. On August 25th the company received an intimation from Mr. Bennie that it might be necessary to insist on the use of safety lamps. Replying to Inspector Wright, witness said spraying was done regularly in the main shaft, but it was not considered necessary to spray the o d workings. Asked if he had any theory as to how the explosion occurred, witness replied in the negative. The companv carried its own insurance risks. Continuing, Mr. Fletcher said that if the men had expressed a desire for safety lamps they could have had them. One hundred electric safety lamps had been ordered by the company, while none but safety lamps would be used in the future. The mine was considered a damp and cool one. The number of men who succeeded in escaping uninjured showed that the workings seemed as usual on the morning of the explosion. All declared that they had previously found it fiee of gas, though a majority had noticed dry eoaf.-dust varying in quantities at i different places.

THE INQUIRY RESUMED. MINE MANANGER'S EVIDENCE

Auckland. Sept. 21. The coroner’s enquiry on the victims of the colliery disaster was continued to-day. James Fletcher, general mine manager, gave evidence that the usual inspection of the mine was made on the morning of the explosion and during the previous week the whole of the mine had been inspected bv two deputies. Darby and Smith, who lost their lives. Gas has been found in the cavities caused by the falls from the roof, but not m anv considerable, quantities. No difficulty has been experienced in dealing with it. Witness considered the mines were practically immune from firedamp. On J uly 9th gas was ignited which singed William Kelly, a contractor, working in No. 6 stone drive. The gas was very local. In his opinion disarrangement of the ventilations accounted for the presence of gas in the intake I pipe, which was partially blocked by 1 a brattice work cloth, which witness ripped off. Kelly and his mates denied having covered the pipe with cloth, and that it was the only accident of this nature in his recollection of this year. Heating could be looked for where heaps of loose coal lay. On July 11th the Mines Inspector asked that steps should be taken to cope with the coal dust in the main haulage way. The inspector

did not state that safety lamps must be used, but on August 25th he wrote that their use might be insisted on if further trouble was caused by firedamp. Witness could form no theory as to how the explosion occurred. WITN ESSES CON SIDERED MINE SAFE. Huntly, Sept. 24. At the inquest several of the survivors declared that the niine seemed as usual on entering it on the morning of the explosion. All they felt was a rumbling sudden rush, of wind, foul air and gas, which knocked them All considered the mine was safe. They had never noticed signs of gas in any quantity previously. One witness who had worked previously at Denniston mine, said Huntly mine was dry and dirty (fairy) compared to Denniston.