THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1896. THU BRUNNER ENQUIRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 22

THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1896. THU BRUNNER ENQUIRY.

Postponement for months is about the most unjustifiable thing that can happen to a Coroner’s inquest. No doubt in the Brunner case many reasons can be g.veu for that course; there is no end to the reasons ingenious people can give. But the public interest requires a verdict, not reasons for its postponement. Therefore the Government has done well to leave the Coroner to Ids ingenuity and dilatoriness, and hand the real enquiry over to a specially appointed Commission. If the question concerned the dead alone, there would not be the same need for rapid despatch, though even then delay would lie unjustifiable, for promptitude is of the essence of a Coioner’s inquest. But the question to be determined concerns the living very nearly. It is necessary to discover what killed Uio.se sixty men the other day, in order that other men may not die from the same cause. But the mine is again open, and is once more manned, while, so far as the public knows, no one connected with its management has any idea of the tiling which, having slaughtered a whole shift, has to bo guarded against.

As there are various theories as to the cause of the accident, wo may feel to some extent assured that the management has in consequence taken some special necessary precautions, so as to meet the case of any of the alternative suggestions. Wo trust that is the case, both for the sake of tlio workmen and for the sake of the management which is responsible. These

theories may be grouped under the two heads, gas and dust. That there was an explosion of some kind seems to be clearly established. The question to be determined is whether it was a gas explosion or a dust explosion. When gas explodes in a coalmine, the explosion is generally very severe and seriously damaging; while, on the other hand, the explosion of dust is milder, but with worse after elfects in the shape of choke-damp, which in these cases is largely carbonic acid. The question of the nature of the explosion is of the greatest moment to the men who work in the mine, and affects the property and the responsibilities of the management. For the consideration of the matter there is abundant evidence at hand for the Commission to consider. If the explosion was of gas, there must, it seems reasonable to believe, have been a sudden inrush of fire-damp from some store in the coal, or in the neighbouring workings. If so, what set the gas alight, the naked lights of the miners or a blast shot ? For we read in ail authority on the subject that in “ fiery mines,” such as this one, “there is a danger of gas and dust explosions from sparks spread by blast shots.” On the other hand a dust explosion could probably only be produced by a blast shot going off in the midst of some exceptionally heavy accumulation of the inflammable coal dust. The evidence hearing on these points will be easily got, and it may enable an answer to bo given readily and with certainty as to the class of the explosion. An indispensable enquiry is as to the precautions adopted in the mine and as to the daily routine of duties, and how they were carried out. When all is found to he well on this point, and there never has been the l“ast suggestion that it can be otherwise, (he way will be dear lor approaching the main question. The Commission wilt take some days to got to it. In the meantime the management ought to take special precautions, both as to lights and as to explosives. Safety lamps and water cartridges are, we presume, easily procured.

NATIVE INDUSTRY

No one requires to be told that the loyal support ot native industry is the indispensable good tiling for the advancement of the country. At the same time no one ought to require to be told that the products of native industry must not rely exclusively for support on the fact that they are native. These products must also be good enough to compete in quality with the imported article. That lesson, it is now pretty certain, lias been learnt by our local manufacturers. They have, therefore, made good their claim for support, and they are entitled to the benefit of the axiom which bids us

“keep the money in the country.” Our woollens, our fqrnifcure, our wearing'' apparel, waterproof cloaks, our boots, oqr tinware, have, with many other products of local industry, made a name for themselves both in New Zealand and out of it. What local industry can accomplish wo shall see presently when the Industrial Exhibition opens. That will bo a census of native and local industrial products in the very best form, for it will be sot down, not in buhl figures, but in collections of examples beautifully arranged and displayed under the most advantageous circumstances, with convenient lists of reference for the guidance of observers. As eleven years have elapsed since the hist census of the kind was taken, it is high time for another review. Tim second review will show us the progress outworkers have made in the time, bring before us the large amount of capital sunk in their undertakings, enable us to calculate without effort tljo vast sums of money which circulated weekly in the shape of wages, teach us the secret of the well - dressed, well - nourished, contented crowds which are such a grand feature of our public holidays. Tim support of these industries is a thing easily arranged. The public lias only to study the collections with impartial juslico. That done the public can make up its mind to give its custom to the locally produced article whenever that article is procurable of the right quality. When every one realises that by buying the local article he is helping every one else, the future of local industry xvi 11 be assured. It is a pleasant thing and a right thing to buy for the good of the country.

THE TIMBERS OF NEW ZEALAND

There are millions upon millions of feet of timber in the forests, and there ought to be millions upon millions of sterling money waiting at the other end of the world to come out here and take th-! place of tint product of tlm soil, whenever wo like to make tlm exchange. Tim unfortunate thing is that no one seems ready to do anything for this source of national wealth. The source is nevertheless very large, and with proper caro and prudence) absolutely inexhaustible. That question of inexhaustibility or preservation of sufficient quantity for wealth and climatic conditions can )io left out ot the question just now. The riches which our woods 'mean for us are very great. 'J’hoy are sure to bn, even after all cate has been taken for tlm future well-being ot tlm Colony in tho *ll*o3 to conic, cnoi mous. There is tho kauri king of the forests, known in every land, prized beyond oveiy sea. Unhappily, in twenty years, so it is computed by tlm experts, this very splendid wood will be known no more m the country of its growth. There are some opinions which differ from this dismal conclusion. Air Froyberg, for example, the expert, believes that white pine will take tlm place of kauri, and lm has a process which will make the wood durable and marketable. Now, of white pine the quantity in the Colony is unlimited, and tlm quick growth of the same is well enough known to bo proverbial. Tho silver pine, nearly allied,

is a grand wood, and the ted pine offers vast sums which furniture-makers will bo only too glad to pay if wo have tho wit and the patience to organise tho bulk supply at this end. In addition, there are woods of tanning property like the birch, which covers a vast mileage, woods of durability like tho black pine, the puriri and the totara. But of the firstnamed batch the bulk is of tho right dimensions for an English trade. The English trade enriches the Baltic timber owners. It is time some of its fertilising power came this way. The great thing is for the Colony to believe in its own wealth and organiso its supply. The market at the other end has absolutely no prejudices. Give it a really good article; keep up tho supply; and the article xvill sell without any hesitation. At tho very outset there is a foolish prejudice in the way. It is a prejudice largely held among our own people. It is that colonial timber is useless for most purposes by reason of an incurable tendency to warp, and shrink, and decay prematurely. Now this, like many of the opinions of men, is of the order of the bad workman’s opinion who condemns ilia tools when ho does bad work. The men who condemn the colonial timbers cut them at tho wrong time of year, and treat them in every way disgracefully. Their criticism is the condemnation of their own bad practice, not of tho good quality of tho timber they spoil. Let tho timbers bo treated fairly, and let them bo massed in bulk in the market, and they will add millions to our exports.