RESCUE STATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11652, 17 October 1923, Page 11

RESCUE STATIONS

SUGGESTION TO MINISTER OF MINES. The following letter has been sent to tho Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Alines, by Mr P. O’Rourke, secretary of tho New Zealand Miners’ Federation, with regaid to the establishment of rescue stations and the giving of speaial training to rescue bands in connection with .New Zealand mines:—“l am instructed by my executive to again bring under your notice and through you to the Government of New Zealand the urgent necessity of at once establishing rescue stations and life-saving appliances in case of mining disastars, such as occurred recently in Australia, at the Bell Bird mine, in New South Vale?, and Mount Mulligan, in Queensland. “There arc not at the present time in New Zealand any appliances that could bo successfully used in the event of such a disaster, and certainly no Ij klv of men versed and experienced in the handling of such appliances, and this -tate of affair*, we contend, the Government should immediately remedy. “It is a well-known fact that several of the bit mines in New Zealand are dnnge’-ously gosey. and all the elements are ever present for a big disaster, uhib- at every so-called safe mine gao is being 1 o'-;,ted from time to time, and small ignitions and burnings are taking place, to sav nothing of the ever deadly coal dust, and mnv 1 remind .van, sir, that it i- at the supposed safe mines that I ho highest disasters of late have occurred. “In conrlusion. let us hope that, in the interests of tho mine workers and the community as a whole, mining will •■e mado as safo as it is humanly pos slide lo make it, even if it doea cost t little extra.” ■i.