MINES OF LIEVIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16561, 9 June 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

MINES OF LIEVIN.

FLOODED BY THE GERMANS. The, pits of the Lievin Coal Mine had been flooded by the Germans before they were driven out of the district. A French correspondent at the British front says that the fate of the Lens coal mine, which is still more important; is yet.unknown, but they report this alarming fact, that a great many engineers , who formerly set up an electric plant in the Lens coal: district were Germans, mostly officers of the reserve in the German army. Thoy have threatened, if compelled' to clear out of the Lens coalfield, to'set fire to the pits, and '' make another Courrieres." " This is fi reference to the mining disaster some dozen years ago at Courrieres, which is east of Lensj'and is still in German hands, and where 1200 miners lost their Jives. In this connection there is an incident which it is curious now ito recall. I witnessed the whole of. the Courrieres catastrophe. ' ' During the operations for extinguishing the fire, which proved hopeless, a visit was leceived from a large party of the German fire brigade, in very fine uniforms. I remember being present at their reception. . They were welcomed like brothers by the French miners and engineers, and they were very important persons for a week, going down into the mine and inspecting the operations generally. Otherwise I did not observe that they did much work, but their visit was an event in the country. ' One wonders how many of these German firemen were officers and soldiers who have since invaded the French Black Country.