THE LANCASHIRE MINE EXPLOSION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 31 December 1910, Page 5

THE LANCASHIRE MINE EXPLOSION.

THE TOTAL DEATH ROLL

344 LIVES LOST,

THE RELIEF FUND

Press Association.—Copyright

LONDON, Friday

The victims of the Bolton colliecy disaster • number 544, of whom 190 were single. The married men leave 153 widows and 276 children.

Two bodie s recovered in a better state of preservation suggest that some live)

a day or more after the explosion. Mr Gecard Crowt, Inspector of Mines, states that it is impossible that an eiec-IMi-al coa] cutter caused the px.)l.'« o'.i, as t'.ie electricity was disconnected at the 'ti-ne of the disaster. He ha s satiiied himself that electricity must be eliminated from the xoossible causes. The relief funds aggregate £57,510. including donations from Manch >.ster, ■of £13,000 and Liverpool £12,900. . Sir George Reid, High Commissioner for Australia, has forwarded the Commonwealth's contribution of £2OOO.

.The "Daily News," commenting on Australia's gift, says: "This is a signal exhibition of brotherly feeling and will strengthen the ties binding Britain to the colonics Ln'the far South."

THE COMPENSATION CLAIMS

LIKELY TOTAL £60,000

THE RELIEF FUND DEPRECATED

(Received Dec. 31, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Friday. The death-roll of the Bolton colliery disaster is fixed at 344.

A correspondent of the "Pall Mall Gazette" states- that claims under the Compensation Act will amount to at least £60,(D00, and he adversely criticises the appeal to the public for funds.

INCREASE IN MINE EXPLOSIONS. SOME OF THE PBOBABLE-CAUSES.

"SPEEDING UP" AND THE COMPENSATION ACT.

(Received Dec. 31, 9.30 a.m.) • LONDON, Friday,

The "Times" says that the average rate of colilery explosions has been rising since 1900. It declares that tie Eight Hours Act has stimulated "speeding up" and possibly led to the dismissal of the slower order of workmen and their Teplacement by young and more careless men. The Workmen's Compensation Act had produced a multiplication of certain classes of accidents and it fostered carelessness.