THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15719, 21 September 1914, Page 4

THE HUNTLY DISASTER.

INSPECTION OF MINE. PARTIES AT WORK. VENTILATION" IMPROVING. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN* CORRESPONDENT. ] Hcvtlt, Sunday. The work of traversing and exploring Ralph's mine is being systematically and thoroughly prosecuted, and the result is being attended with complete satisfaction. Acting as on. Advisory Committee are Messrs. F. B-eid, inspecting engineer of mines, Boyd Bonnie, Government Inspeetor of Mines, J. Fletcher, mining manager Taupiri mines, W. Wood, manager of the Extended mine, E. S. Wight, manager of the Pukemiro colliery, and Bishop, late manager cf the State Coal Mines. This advisory body details the work to be done

—work that is eSectively and efficiently carried out by the various large shifts continuously engaged throughout the 24 hours under Deputies F. Duncan, A. Ball, B. Housley, S. Dixon, T. Bond, and T, Webb.

One party of 11 is engaged in. searching for the bodies of Wm. Smith and another. The other four parties are occupied in bratticing and stopping, and in seeing that the pumps are in working order, and that the ventilation is as efficient as possible. With the parties go men equipped with the latest Draeger life-saving apparatus, five complete suits of which have been kindly placed at the disposal of the Taupiri Company by the Waihi Gold Mining

Company, the Waihi Grand Junction Company, and the Waihi School of Mines. These are worn by the following men, specially trained to their use:—J. Wotherspoon, R. R. Lewis, XV. Morrison, who came from Waihi; J. Mackinson, from Hikuraagi; and F. Rees, a Huntly miner, who had experience in two explosions ill the Old Country.

This apparatus, which consists of a helmet, a cylinder containing oxygen, and another containing potash, weighs about

60 pounds, and contains a supply of oxygen sufficient for two hours. The

finimeter attached sh*iws the amount of gas still available, and this enables the wearer to judge when it is necessary to obtain fresh supplies. By means of the Draeger apparatus, breathing is made easy and safe, the only drawback being the weight on the head and shoulders, which leads to the exhaustion of the wearers. Mine Now Safa. Excellent work is- being done by all j concerned, and the safety of the muio is now beyond question. The havoc and wreckage, bad as it undoubtedly was, was considerably lessened by the distance between the upcast and downcast shafts, which are over a mile apart, and not like those in the Old Country, closely adjacent. Several members of the Advisory Committee left for their homes yesterday, and with them went Mr. E. W. Tattley, who, with Mr. J. Lamont, director of the local school of mines, has rendered yeoman service as party or shift leader. _ .Mr. D. Wear, one of the deputies who was in the mine at the ffme of the explosion, and who, in Mr. J. Whorskey, lost a son-in-law, went to Te Aroha for a brief respite. In spite of shock and personal loss, Mr. Wear was among the first to enter the mine after the explosion, and since last Saturday he has been constantly engaged in the heroic work of rescue and of restoration.

It is anticipated that some delay "will be experienced in recovering the two bodies still underground. That of Wm. Smith is supposed to be under a fall of coal in the main haulage-way or near the cabin in No. 6 level. The other may be in a sump or under the coal dislodged from the roof.

Another funeral took place yesterday, and the body interred was thought to be that of T. Baker, and not of J. Martin, as at first supposed. The Mayor of Dunedin has forwarded £100 to the Relief Committee, accompanied _ by a promise of further assistance, while Mr. C. Moronev, Karamu, is sending 75 bags of Dotatoes. These will be sold, together with the horses, stock, poultry, and other things promised to the fund, at an auction sale to be held next Saturday.

Offers of Help. Mr. R. F. Bollard, M.P., has received the following telegram from the Premie/: —"If money is required to relieve any temporary distress that may exist at Huntlv as a result of the mining disaster, you are at liberty to incur liabilities on behalf of the Government to the extent of £200. W. F. Massey." This sum will be regarded as a Governi ment grant by the local committee entrusted with its disbursement, and will be utilised to provide for cases of urgency ,or necessity as they arise. Members of the Huntly Mine Disaster! I Relief Committee were somewhat surprised at the action taken in Wellington and Auckland. The large and representative Huntly Relief Committee invites and welcomes every assistance, but deprecates the institution of sectional funds as detri. mental to the successful administration of one large general fund. It was stated at the Wellington meeting that distress was very acute at the scene of the disaster. While this is an exaggeration, there is no doubt that in the immediate future money will be urgently required for the support of the dependants oi the deceased breadwinners. Trustees will be appointed, arid the fund will be placed on a sound lega> basis.