MINE DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1939, Page 4

MINE DISASTER

MR WEBB’S STATEMENT. (Per Press Association. —Copyright;. WELLINGTON, Sept. 25. The Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb) stated, to-day, that the Government was fully alive to the dangers arising in coal mines from fires and explosions, and had endeavoured to anticipate a disaster such as that at Glen Afton. The question might be asked, said the Minister, why a rescue station was not established in the Waikato district, but it had to be remembered that it was necessary to have a-jump- . ing off place for this work. As. the . greatest potential danger was consider-; ed to be in the Grey district, 1 it was decided to commence the scheme in that area, and, later, to draft the men tp other districts to assist in the establishment of rescue stations in other selected areas. • '**o

It was questionable, lie said, eyen if there had been a rescue station in the Huntly district, if the disaster could have been avoided, but possibly it might have been minimised. Every effort had been made by the Mines Department to meet the situation that had arisen.

The Chief Inspector of Mines, Mr C. Duggan, left for Huntly this morning. ■ , i: '' •■■y / yy yy - ' A FUND OPENED. AUCKLAND, Sept. 25, To assist the dependants of those who lost their lives in the Glen Afton mine disaster on Sunday, the Mayor of Auckland (Sir Ernest Davis) has decided to open a subscription list at the Town Hall. ’ ' ; v In a telegram to the Mayor of Huntly (Mr W. George), Sir Ernest said • “Citizens of Auckland were profoundly shocked by the news of the mining disaster, and on their behalf I tender through you to the widows and children of those who lost their lives an expression of heartfelt sorrow in their irreparable loss.” ''' PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, Sept. 25. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. j. Savage), on behalf of tlie Government, has sent telegrams of sympathy to the relatives of the victims of t)ie mine disaster at Huntly, and also to the mines’ organisations \of which the men were members. Another telegram has been sent to the Mayor of Huntly, expressing the Government’? sympathy with the town and district. ! THE FIRE LOCATED. HAMILTON,, Sept. 26. The remaining three bodies in the Bjuntly mine disaster have not been recpvered.' , The fire which is' not extensive, was located and the section sealed. The Minister of Mines, (Hon P. C. Webbl and Mr Lee Martin, Member for the district, arrived at Huntly to attend the funeral of the four victims to be buried to-day at Ngaruawafiia and the other four to-morrow at Huntly. Ministers visited the scene of the disaster. The Mayors of Huntly and Hamilton have opened a fund for the dependents.