THE DOBSON DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19508, 11 December 1926, Page 12

THE DOBSON DISASTER.

PUMPING PROCEEDING. RELIEF WORK FOR MINERS. EMPLOYMENT FOUND FOR SIXTY. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.} , ,GREYMOUTH. Friday. Reports from Dobson this afternoon stated that pumping operations are proceeding and the mine is slowly becoming flooded. The water is still some distance from the high level. Members of the Greymouth Borough Council decided last evening that a deputation should wait upon the Minister of Mines to-morrow and request that a grant be made for expenditure upon widening the road between the Greymouth Hospital and the cemetery with the object of providing some of - the Dobson miners with temporary employment upon urgently-needed work. At.a meeting of the Brunneif collieries at Wallsend the Jirectors passed a vote of sympathy with the relatives and friends of the miners who had lost their lives in the Dobson disaster, and instructed the mine manager, Mr. A. V. Whitlestone, to render any assistance he could to the Dobson mine. They afterwards received a deputation from the president and vice-president of the Grey Valley Miners' Union asking for work in or about their mine or sidings. The directors promised to do their utmost to find work for any of the miners out of employment, and instructed the manager to act accordingly.

Mr. A. B. Kimbell, Under-Secretary of Mines, visited Dobson this morning and at the request of Mr. J. Smeaton, president of the Grey Valley Miners' Union, addressed a large number of Dobson miners in connection with finding employ ment for the men affected by the disaster. He stated that 20 men would be placed at tlje Blackball and Roa mines, 20 at the Omoto railway deviation work and 20 at the State mines. As the tools used by the minora had been lost in the explosion Mr. Kimbell promised to provide each miner with a free set valued at £6, on the understanding that they return or replace anything missing. When asked this ewnaing how long it would tak© to flood the mine Mr. Kimbell said that it had been represented to him that it would take another fortnight. The work of unwatering the mine would be a more difficult undertaking, as another set of pumps-would be required and there was a difficulty in getting suitable pumps. The work would involve considerable expense and time. The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Grey Valloy Collieries, Ltd., will be held at Christchurch next Tuesday, when the question of the resumption of operations will be dealt with.