THE BRUNNERTON DISASTER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCV, Issue 10924, 6 April 1896, Page 5

THE BRUNNERTON DISASTER.

A VISIT TO BRUNNEETON. WHERE THE MINERS LIVED. THE BEREAVED FAMILIES. ["From: a Lady Special Correspondent,] BETESTNERTON, jLpbil 4. . The cottages of the miners are propped up against the hillside. The hill face has in most cases been excavated to make the back-yard and as a support for the back part of the house, while the front and main part is supported on wooden posts. Bach house generally of four small rooms. There are few gardens, unless a small patch of cabbages can be called a garden. There are no flowers anywhere, and the unpainted, weather-stained cottages look very dreary. The Grey River, about 700 ft wide, is a dirty-looking stream that separates the town into two parts. Brunner, Wallsend and. Dobsonvillo are the three suburbs on one side, while Taylorville lies on the other side. The river has a shingle bed, and in places there are dry sandpits against which the water ceaselessly washes with a dreary sound. A traffic bridge connects the Brunner Mine with the railway station, and an iron suspension foot-bridge connects the suburbs of Wallsend and Taylorville. The hills at the back of the town, on both sides of the river, arc wooded to the top and make the background of the town. I was struck *>y tho air of gloom pervading, th&ioanishxp,.

A -few men . stood in groups talking earnestly, but these were the only signs of life. I interviewed Mrs John Hunter first. She is a bright little Lancashire -woman, and has seen mine accidents in England. Though a widow of three months only, she was a tower of strength to the POOR FRANTIC WOMEN at the mouth of the mine. She remained there from Thursday till Saturday night, and until the bodies were brought out she busied herself in helping to resuscitate the rescue .parties. Mrs M’Keown, Mrs Kaye, and Mrs Cherry helped her greatly. The rescuers were brought • out on lorries. These four , women are the only ones who kept quite, calm. They took off the boots of the insensible men, chafed their feet and hands, and , fed them with beef tea or brandy until they were able to re-enter the ■mine to search for the bodies. This they did for

TWENTY-SIX HOURS WITHOUT RESPITE. Then when the bodies were brought out and laid in the,shed at the mouth of the mine, they did all they could before they were sent home. The bodies were perfectly black when found, and in many cases wore so charred as to be unrecognisable. One of the women, Mrs Kaye, had a husband and three sons working among the rescuers. These women are splendid types. Mrs Kaye said, “If it had been for myself I could not have done it, but it was for those poor women I did it.” She is about forty. Mrs Hunter is a comely woman of fortytwo, with a handsome, sensitive face. I went to see the family of Mr Hunter. His home was the worst one. A bed in a tiny back room, a table and a few chairs comprised the furniture. The cottage of four rooms held twelve children, and was reached after a steep climb up a muddy path over rocks and rubbish. A girl and boy, twins, aged nine, and a cluster of

SMALL CHILDREN WITH SAD FACES were crowded into the front room. The two eldest girls seemed powerless to exert themselves. The neighbours have been exceedingly kind to this family. The mother died in childbirth a year ago. The house is damp and utterly cheerless. In the hare hack kitchen the aunt, who had just come from Otago, was washing. She looked desolate and worn. The cold wind whistled through the broken window," and the empty fireplace was fastened up with sheets of zinc. We cheered her. She has determined to take the ten younger children hack with her. The two elder girls return with-Mrs Cunnington. Mrs Boyd's is a sad case. She seemed in a very neglected state. She sat in a dingy little ropm, over the fire. A candle in a battered tin candlestick, standing on the mantel, showed a

STRANGE LOOKING CREATURE WITH A WHITE PACE, overshadowed by a shock of brown hair. Her right side is paralysed to the waist, and 'her mind unhinged. Her husband looked after her, but since he is dead she refuses to allow anyone to' attend her, and the neighbours who bring her meals''are treated by her with suspicion and distrust. She spoke when spoken to, but quickly rambled olf, and described her visions. The . house was dirty, with bare' doors, and musty smelling. Two dilapidated chairs and a chest of drawers were all the furniture in the place. The little' room;'opening out of the kitchen held coals, the only thing that seemed plentiful. Mrs Boyd should be placed in an asylum, or in the Jubilee Home in Christchurch. Mrs Eowe, a widow with eight children, a Salvation Army woman, has a baby of six months in a dying state. It has been delicate for 1 four months, and the ; .

POOR MOTHER IS QUITE WORN OUT with watching, although the neighbours are very ’ sympathetic and kind. She smiled a welcome and seemed touched that, we had come so far to see her. Her eldest boy, sixteen years old, is a fine fellow and very affectionate. She has scarcely been able to think of her husband for anxiety about the child, and on the night I was there, althongli it was near midnight the two little white-faced girls sat together in the corner of the sofa ready to hand their mother anything she might need. ‘

A VERT DESOLATE HOME is that of Mrs Roberts, who lost her husband and three fine sons. She is resigned, but heart-broken. She has three little boys left. One of her sons leaves a widow and one infant. She said, “Itis so strange not to hear the heavy footsteps of my four men coming .up the passage.” Her home was beautifully dainty and neat. Mrs Allan, a young widow with four children, seemed; inconsolable. She sat weeping quietlyj and scarcely spoke a word. Mrs M’Lusky, sen., who mourns a husband and married sou, showed me

THE LITTLE CLOCK TARNISHED WITH SMOKE that had been found in the mine. It was her husband’s habit to carry it with him in the miriel' It had stopped at 9.30, and as it •was not run down when found on Saturday it must have been stopped by the explosion. I saw Mr Bishop yesterday. He looks very ill and worn, but is at the mine daily. Otto Bishop, aged seventeen, is a brave lad, whose photo will doubtless appear later in the Canterbury .Times. He stood at the mine month helping till the bodies were brought out, and he saw every one. He is idolised, here." Mrs Mules arrived today, and is busy visiting the widows. The experts and inspectors went through the Brunner mine to-day for the first time. Scott’s leg was found yesterday. Pattereon’s Bible was found to-day. He was a Salvation Army man. Everybody here is very depressed. , ' [Per Press Association.] ; '- y LONDON, April 3. The. Hon W. P. Eeevea ia appealing for. assistance for the Brunnerton sufferers. ,- • ; ' ■; /' NAPIER, April 4. The subscription list here for the Brunner sufferers has so far reached .£250. v '__. ‘WELLINGTON, April 5. The united friendly societies hold a church parade at St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral this afterhoon, when a sermon was delivered by the Bishop of Wellington. The proceeds of the collection are to be devoted to the Brunnerton Relief Fund.

Mrs Cunnington, who accompanied the lady editor of the Canterbury Times to Brunnerton, is anxious to find homes in Christchurch for two orphan girls, aged sixteen, who lost their fathers by the recent disaster. The girls wish to support themselves, and any lady who can assist in finding them suitable situations is requested to communicate at once with Miss Torlesse or the editor of the Lyttelton Times. A match will take place at the sports

gala, on Thursday next, between Mr H. Mace’s trotting horse. Stonewall Jackson, and Mr C. H. Jones, amateur champion cyclist. The distance will be one mile. The horse will use the cinder track and the cyclist the asphalt. There will be no stake.

The Albert Edward Royal Arch Masonic Chapter, Lyttelton, has voted .£5 5s to the Relief Fund.

The offertory at St Saviour’s Church, West Lyttelton, on Good Friday, was devoted to the Relief Fund, and the sum of £6 6s 8d has been handed to the committee.

The Ladies’ Club of Timaru on Saturday forwarded through the Mayor, and per s.s. Herald, two cases of mourning clothing for the widows and fatherless of Brunnerton. The same day the Timaru Licensed Victuallers’ Association voted =£2s from its funds and transmitted the amount direct tothe Mayor of Brunnerton, with a message of sympathy. The Agricultural and Pastoral Association voted .£lO 10s, and the South Canterbury Jockey Club a similar sum* CHRISTCHURCH SUBSCRIPTIONS. The following subscriptions to the Relief Fund have been received in addition to those already announced: —

The total amount received by the Treasurer of the Relief Fund (Mr G. G. Stead) up to Saturday was =£2280 18s 4d.

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