TOLL OF THE MINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15715, 16 September 1914, Page 7

TOLL OF THE MINE.

fIUKTLY DISASTER SHORE BODIES RECOVERED >•() HOCK FOR MISSING. BESOTK N"KK SUSPRN'DEI). THE PRESENTE OF GASES FEARED. [it TTL&.urn ---own- rORTir.srONnKXT.] Hrvrr.Y, Tuesday. TtlX -5 i "c' ' 'rk ■'! Ralph's mine was continued »■ ' Jit and to-day, until the various 4 •':' .-- «■■•'•■ onlered to the surfare, "'■' ' .; '*' '"' .-uspe, ted presence of deleter) -in c >*<*. uhvh miu'ht. or might not, haw |r.\ .1 hanv.fiil. Mr. Wm. Word. u...-....-. r •■: '.In' Extended mine, leaded .in i \, .' :.: . patty for the purpose of in v. st:,-at.- matters, and of making a

pronoun >m. : I as to the immediate eon 1 ' tinnan e ••! i\.> u,.;k .-r otherwise. M.mv : rumour? ).!■>■■ '>■■« . .:n u'.ited as to tie' ■ internal rendition •■: the mine, and the appear.™. ■' amm yei;,,w smoke exuding ! from the ...i «''i.i!t aopeo'-ii to lend colour i to opinions and ideas that are obviously exaggerated Naturally the officials are rctinni ..I the piesent juncture, pending the offi'ia! inquiry Before th- rescue work was stopped lour mere Unites, which had been found under a fall of coal, were brought on to the traM'lhnp *-av, where they are to be I left until Mr. Woods's report comes to band. It i« :--.;ipr>s<>d that three of the bodies found re those ot: — William (towanf, underground manager, married. William Smith, deputy and fireman, married. Wm. Bre.-Idebank. senior shiftman, married. The identify of the three. i«i not absolutely conclusive, however, -while the fourth is yet unrecognised. Several of the bodies recovered last, night, and to-day ; are terribly mutilated. Two have not | been identities, even the clothing being so] »ff«cted .is to yield no clue. Another was , identified by means of the boots- and the I belt he wore, and by the red handkerchief ; in his possession. One of ihe deceased, Arthur Ruston, was found within 20 yards of safety in. the shape of compressed air as it escaped from a broken pipe. Another body was found at rest in a skip into which it is conjectured the unfortunate miner had climbed for rest and safety. The hope that there -was a possible chance of one or two being still alive had died out. the opinion of experienced miners being that the victims whose bodies have rot yet U«n recovered will he found close her and most, likely under a fall of coal (ji.iii !'ie .-(•"/ or sides. This opinion is lupport.-d by tho finding of the four bodice oi those mentioned above. The bodies of the following were taken to th* King's Hall this morning and placed in coffins : - - Thomas Ca-sson, trucker, single. H. Jaeksou, clipper, single. Wm. Rort-on, trucker, single. A fourth has not yet been identified. Mr. E. W. Alison, chairman of directors of the Taup'.ri Company, left for Auckland to-day, leaving his co-director, Mr. H. A. Oordon, behind to superintend tho operations conducted by .Mr. J. Fletcuer, the mining manager, Mr. E. S. Wight, manager of the Pnkemiro mines, Mr. W. Wood, manager of the Taupiri Extended mine, ami the others who have 60 generously placed their services at the disposal of the Taupiri Company. Messrs. W. Tattley and W. Dunn, managers of mines in the Hikurangi district, arrived ill Huntly tTijj morning, and placed their services at tho disposal of the management.

FUNERAL OF VICTIMS. [.0T TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Hinti.t. Tuesday. The funeral of 11 more victims of the disaster look place to-day. There was a very large attendance. The arrangements were similar to those on Monday. The hand of the Waikato Regiment and a firing party were present. GOVERNMENT INQUIRY. LAW TO BE FOLLOWED. AN EXPERT TO REPORT. STATEMENT NY MINISTER, [BT telegraph— SPITIAI. correspondent.] Wellington, Tuesday. The Hunliy disaster was referred to in the. Rouse th.i evening, when Sir Joseph Ward anked the M mister for Mines whether )i< would take immediate wps to «.-t up an inquiry >:nto the causes of the disaster and the best means f.f avoiding such «■■« uU-nut -n future. He Mid he had re. • ■i.-d several telegrams a«kim.' him to hi.n„' th matter before the House. Stiniii: ie|,resiutations had also been made |~ him that it, would b« advisable, if nos-ih!e, for the same rommisfifiii that ,i mi I*lll to 'nquiro into mining tnatt.r.- to be reappointed ! Hi. Mori \V. 1-laser said the Governmerit did i,. t i..,ii,ie any reminder in ,i ' - Hi.ii;, : i , ~,. ,l 5 duty. The law prov,,|f-d i mi"le 'I •■! in,|uiry in smb. matters „.| the (~,v..riiii)*>nt would art •'"""'1:': !•> t';,< -talc.t.. He had. ho '«"'!. o.,i\ put iifirifil from Huntly. v '-'"'i'i !,, i,,.,,j .'.■!•,• i.ii ... painful eiiand ilia! i.; p-iiresini the Government at the tuii. ' ii of t v '. , tun- of the dis- '■"■"'■ Ihe i;.,ii.!v v.utild go into the r |lies(;.. . < i | tit ~,, y ■•• ntion.-, as ell '" 'he . i !"•? '.;' tie disaster. lie had •dread'. .iii..iig.-d i , i-mi'v himself with ,: "' ■'■'•■■ i-1 ■•: , ■~ \ i.;.M authority "ii fu'li ni.i.(,,i||., «!,,, happened to be in New /,-. ~).,nd and whom he met at Hum!-, y -teniav. in pursuance of an arrar K r-iij. »t made by telegiaph by the J' l '''* Muii-t.r. He' had asked this exl"'l' i ; rem.it to Inin on the subject. s ' r J seph Ward said that, he was pertoeih RUrt . l: i;il ,]„.. Government would do it- duty He asked whether '.he report of the expert would be laid Mure. Parliament, •Mr. I'iTi.sei : Certainly. The expert, he Added, had gone into the mine last eventts and lie hoped v, have, hie report before long.