RESCUED FROM TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19140, 5 October 1925, Page 8

RESCUED FROM TUNNEL.

ENTOMBED WOBKEES.

TWO SAVED, THREE DEAD.

EFFORTS OF RELIEF GANG.

FORTY HOURS OF LAROUR.

SLIP PIERCED AT NIGHT.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHT7RCH, Sunday.

After nearly 40 hours of feverish work the two men, Hugh Daley and Gordon Archer, who were entombed in the fall of earth in No. 2 tunnel at Lake Coleridge on Friday morning were released at 11 o'clock on Saturday night. The work of rescue was delayed by encountering bad ground and by a number of minor accidents? On Friday afternoon it was considered by officials that the rescue would be effected by mid-day on Saturday and at that time the rescue party was putting up a record. Thereafter the pace slackened down in spite of redoubled efforts on the part of the men. Softer g.our/d was encountered.

At "various times during Saturday conversations with the entombed men *,vere conducted through the feed pipe. Daley seemed to be suffering more than his companion and .Archer did most of the talking. From time to time food was sent through and air was sent in to the men by means of a hand fan. The method of rescue was arranged with a view to the greatest possible speed and the rescuers had to take into consideration the fact that another slip might , happen at any moment through the soft shingle being disturbed. As the hours went by reports came from those working right up at the face that there were only feet to go and finally at about 10 o'clock on Saturday night a needle bar was got through. Archer tapped out directions on this bar and helped considerably in the job of locating the exact whereabouts of the entombed men.

At about 10.50 p.m. W. Cooper saw Archer through the small opening. It was then the work of a moment to enlarge the gap and get the men out. There was a great burst of cheering and word was flashed along the 36-chain tunnel and out to those waiting at the mouth that the men had been reached. Interviewed Archer stated that the air had been so bad that candles would not burn. Both he and Daley had suffered from foul air and their heads throbbed violently. Breathing was difficult and they felt as if a tight rope was stretched across their chests.

Archer was working in close contact with the other four, men when the accident occurred. A deluge of debris %vhich streamed in the direction of the outlet came down. Daley wanted to go to help McDonald but Archer told him the best thing to do was to stay where he was. If McDonald had jumped toward Archer he would have been all right, Green was right in the centre of the fall and Macfarlane was further off. There is no doubt that the other three men are buried in the debris.

Work will be commenced immediately in digging for their bodies. The accident is not expected to cause much delay to the duplication work.