Where the Disaster Occurred.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7847, 26 May 1904, Page 7

Where the Disaster Occurred.

Brunnorton is situated on the banks of the Grey River, .which at that point flows in a valley with steep sloping hills sweeping up to the mountains on either side. On the southern bank of the river the railway line runs along; the valley at the foot of the hills. Wallsond village^ is on the southern bank of the river, and is a short distance westward of the Brunnerton railway station. The road runs jound a curve in the valley from Wallsond to the station. A short distance below the Brunnerton railway station a suspension bridg-e ■ spans therriver, running, across to the Grojat Brunner Mine, which was the scene oi the frightful disaster of March, 1896. It is the bljufF rising- from the road between the railway station j.nd the Wallsehd Mine that has collapsed. The hotel which has' been buried stands on the hillside fronting the road about 200 yards from the railway station. Adjoining ,the hotel is Cosgrove's house built on the side of the hill. The post office is just below Jones' hotel. The Brunner mine stables are near the railway station, on the.strip of level ground on the bank of the river, not far from the suspension bridge. From the details to hand it would appear that the whole side of the Jiill for a distance 'Of some hundreds of yards slipped away. The faot that the railway' line was blocked shows that the landslide swopt right down to the bank of the river." The hillside was formerly covered I with bush, but it has been almost | denuded, and this has loosened the soil, which it is understood has a sandstone foundation. The slip, it is thought, is due to the heavy rains, which have loosened tho soil and swept it clear of the more solid rock and bottom below.

Yesterday afternoon Sir E. G. Pilcher, manager of the GreymoathPoint Elizabeth Coal Company, vas (says the Wellington Post) advised by the manager of the Brunncr mine that severe damage has been done to the colliery through water, and that operations had been temporarily suspended.