FIRE AT THE EXTENDED

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 303, 20 December 1922, Page 16

FIRE AT THE EXTENDED

Government Rejects Miners ,

Proposal

On December 12 Mr. H. B. Holland, M.P., received a -telegram from Mr -O'Brien, secretary of stJie Huntly Miners' Union, i n reference, to the fire in the mine stating- "Dangerous conditions -prevailing. Dispute between miners and company. Urgent tele-

s ei-Mnh sent to Minister on Saturday s but no reply. Frank Reed on spot." S Mr. O'Brien also states that the mm:- --: era want Mr. Holland to do his ut- : most to have Mr. Reed authorised to : act ,as chief inspector on behalf of ; the Government in the matter. Mr : Holland immediately telegraphed the :. Hon. G. J. Anderson supporting the : request. j MINISTER'S STATEMENT J Replying to the above matter the ; following official statement has "been |. madfe. "About three months ago the! I inspector of mines- at Huntly reported to the Department tMa-t two. of the i sections of the Taupiri Extended Mme j were be'ng subjected to 'creeping' and 'crushing-.' T ho Minister, after reading the report, caused a special instruction to issued t o the Inspector of Mines, the effect of which was 'ihat he had to make a daily inspection of the area affecetd, also re-! guesting h\m to see that n o unnecessary danger was allowed, and that the lav.- regarding safety precautions must Le given effect to. From time to tune sines then the inspector has carefully inspected the portions of the mine affected, and reported specially to fh© Minister. Last week a fire occurred as a result of creeping and crushing. The Inspector of Mines actrng under the statutory powers conferred upon him has on several occasions notified th'e mine manager to carry out safety precautions in order to isolate the fire, and required _ the mine manager to erect thirty wooden stoppings, the last of which I was completed o n Monday evening. Consequent upon a further inspection of. the mine the Inspector of Mines came to the conclusion that the stops should be duplicated in order to make them more efficient. When the mine heepme in a dangerous condition last week the mine manager withdrew the im<m from J.he mine, and they have not since resumed work. The suggestion that Mr. Reed should aci for the Government cannot be given effect to as he is no longer a Public servant and does not now hold any statutory authority under the Coal Mines Act. The Minuter has instructed Mr J A. C. .Bayne, the Chief Inspector of Coal Mines elect, to proceed t o Huntly and make a thorough inspection of the mine in company with the local inspector of mines, and to take sucn further measure ; as may be necessary to make the mine s,afe. Mr. Bayne will arrive at Huntly on Friday next." y