COAL MINES COMMISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11993, 16 March 1901, Page 2

COAL MINES COMMISSION.

MEETING AT KAITANGATA. LNfSPECTING THE KAITANGATA MINE. . ; The members constituting the, Coal Mines Commission—Messrs. W. E. Haselden, 8.M., J. Pr6ud, and J. Lomas—reached Kaitangata on Thursday afternoon, and after a brief rest paid a visit of inspection to ths Kaitangata mino, being accompanied by Mr S. R, Green, inepeotor of mines, Mr Broom, manager of the mino, aud Mr J. Donaldson, secretary for the Coal Miners' Association. The party (whielf also included Mr E, I Lβ Grove, weretary. to the.commieeionere), after a ehort wait,, descended lh« mine. The main drive was penetrated to within about 500 ft of its iuner extremity, and the place where it is alleged fire existfl inspected. At this particular place in the mino the walls at either side are bricked, and the root is timbered, over. The only indication of fire, if euch exists, was a slight warmth about the kiokwork al one place. The inspection wae what may be ronpidered a nrelimiliary one, aa tho commissioners intended to again visit and descend the mine on Friday morning at 9 o'clock. HEARING EVIDENCE. The commission sat at 8 o'clock in the evening in the Athenaum Buildings, a large number of persons Iw'ng present. ' Mr Haseldeh, the chairman, invited Mr Donaldson to make a statement with regard 'to the mine. Mr Donaldson said he would bring evidence as to the existence of fires in the mine, and he would also bring evidenoe to the effect that large areas of coal had been lost in the Keitaflgata mino through fire. Then he would call evidence as to the prevalence of fire damp, and as to the means, of escape ifrom the mine in oase of fire. 'Another point was the ignition of gas which had taken nlace on several Occasions. Ho would particularly refer to the ignition of gae that took place on the 16th October, 1899. If the commission so deeired he could make the few remarks he had to make at this stage as to the fire at present existing at the briok wall. Previous to the • Jjriefc wall being erected there was a wooden jpne there. The fire was some disUnce from the main drive, say, 10ft or 12ft, on the left hand side, and occasionally, ae the side got Biot, they ueed to go inside or remove the [board stopping, and get the hose to work to abate the lire from behind the stopping as anuoh ae possible. But with this means it )was found that the fire wae increasing, and 5t was dangerous to life -to go inside the stopping. One , morning Mr Shore, the late manager, oame along and asked, them if they [were " going into the fire that day, and they answered "Yes," and Said it was very hot. He then remarked that it was his intention to have an arch placed there, but that just at that time he could not get bricklayere. Bome short time afterwards the brick wall was erected. He (Mr Donaldson) believed that Mr' Show had at this time left, arid that Mr Brown was in charge. IWhen tho brick well was in course fef erection the fire had broken through on the main drive. They got a hose, and Urorked and kept tho fire back and blocked frith' sand. The water wns hot in the water table,' and he might also state that in getting behind the brick wall the stop was hot and Isteaming. He wiehed to draw attention to the fact that at that time there was no fire on , the top of the main drive, but there Was 5n the stop in the heading some 20ft or 30ft * above the main drive. That was all he would (ay at present. The Chairman questioned ae to whether Miey should consider this a statement or evidence, and aeked Mr Green, the Inspector, if he would like to ask Mr, Donaldson any questions. Mr Donaldson, replying to Mr Green, then gaid that six months ago there was no fire at'the top of the main drive. If etopping liad been immediately used'there would have been no fire there now, and tliie he contended reflected disoreditably unon the manaaement. Mr Green: I would like to ask Mr Donaldson if, in his opinion,'the brick stopping ie inferior to or better than the wooden stopping, there previously. Jlr Donaldson: If the briok.wall was tight —that ie, if it would not "breathe"—then it was superior to the wooden one, but if the brick Wall wae built in such e way that it was allowed to" breathe," then the wooden stopping was sufficient, because you could get beliind it and see what was going on, and keen the fire back, which yon could not do with this brick etopping. Mr Green: Well, is she breathing now? Mr Donaldson: Well, of course, that is a question' I r<inld not answer just at present, Wt it is evident she ie breathing somewhere, or the carbonio aoid gas would have put her out long ago. The presence of heat is ample evidence to my mind that she is breathing, and that the means adopted are not adequate to prevent fire. Mr Green: Can you suggest anything that could make this brick wall safe? Mr Donaldson: I think thpre should be a cement facing to the brick wall. Mr Green: Then it would appear that the suggestion of 12 months ago does not meet with the case of to-day? Jifr Donaldson: Tf she hftd not been allowed to, breathe, then it would have been sufficient with the wooden etopping. hut. she had breathed after the erection, inasmuch as they had to day certain holes where she yas ■breathing, - \ Mr Green's You say you vert called out to attend .the fire? Was it on the briok side? i Mr Donaldson: That was in course of erection. Mr Green: And wu» the fire at the stop? Mr Donaldson: The fire was within the brick wall, where the wooden 1 stop formerly used to be. That was while the wooden stop was being taken down. Mr Green: Would that not oauee it to flare lip temnorarily? Mr Donaldson: If the brick wall was light irwould not sprnd. I think thft moitns adopted are not sufficient to stop fire. The Chairman: Yes, that it particularly good as a gonoral principle, but I want you to-indiea-te the points you wish the comtnissionere to pay attention to in the meantime. Mr Donaldson; I wish them to direct their attention to the means of escape for the men-in'case of fire, and also to the fact th»t there is fire damp in the old workings. ■ ■ The Chairman: How are they to find that bu»? j Mr Donaldson: They will use a lamp, and thev will test it, TSe Chairman: T don't think so. Do you think I am fool enough to go into ttttr Mr Donaldson: I suppose Mr Green would assist you. , The Chairman: Well, I don't know whether Mr Greon would assist ua. The commissioners are not ,coal engineers nor surveyors, nor Mβ they going to personally test the safety or otherwise of the mine. It is Mkin£ altogether too much of these getotlenien, who Me not professional enjriiieert or mining engineers, to go into disused workings to see whether tho condition of these workings is all that they iiuould be, and whether there is any danger to.Ufa or property arising from them. They

will visit every inino brought under their notice, and investigate it for the purpose of understanding the evidence that will be laid before them, Mr Donaldson: It ie well known that gas in the old workings was tho cause of the j explosion in 18?9, and if there is a likelihood of it occurring again the condition of the mine should be inquired into, and it should be seen whether there is gas in the old workings likely to cause an explosion and loss of life. The Chairman: You c»n present pvidonce, but they are not going to personally investigate'it. Mr Proud: Can you mention how tho brick wall is defective? Mr Donaldson: Well, the fire ha« been allowed to spread, and there must be a great body of fire at present behind the brick wall. The fire is at the dip of the main drive. If the brick wall had been cemented there would not have been the same facilities for her breathing. , Mr Proud: It must .be sealed up? The Chairman: Have you anything to say as to the means to prevont black damp? Mr Donaldson: I understand that 100 ft of air per minute should be going round the mine, by the act, for every boy. man, or horse, when certain purls are charged with black damp. The Chairman: You mean the requisite amount of air is not going in? Mr Donaldson: Not if yon take into account the amount of carbonic acid gas coming in. A hundred feet of air per minute would be sufficient for one man for Kaitangata or Green Inland, but SOOfi per minute might not be sufficient for mines like Wallsend. Then the eas would be removed by ventilation. We have had men come home very lately suffering from the effects of carbureted hydrogen. Their lamps have gone out, The Chairman: Then what we want to. seo is that there is provided a return way in case of gas existing in I the main drive, and you want us to find out in some way a* to tho presence of Mack damp? Mr Donaldson: Yes, and if there is sufficient ventilation for the men working in the Mine. Of course, if the air is charged with a certain amount of carbonic acid gas, thon there is not sufficient air. You might also find out if the upcast is sufficient for the outcast. They have 4ft diameter flues, and the question arises whether that is sufficient for a mine like the Kaitangnta. To Mr Lomas: In some mines they have compressed air, and force it in, That was all thoy had in parts of this mine. ' > Mr Lomaa: How is the air carried to the working faces? Mr Donaldson: They just take a hose an inch in diameter along, and that if their air. That is how some parts of the Kaitangata mine are ventilated. There are some places where the air goes to the working faces from the compressor! To Mr Lomas: The miners have not always got timber for the mine as they , wanted it. Mr Lomas: What is tho condition of the trucking roads generally? Mr Donaldson: Sometimes they are very had. Some timo ago the' truckers refused to truck, and 10 were discharged. The water could pretty well go where it liked at one time. Mr Lomae: Was the water over the rails then? Mr Donaldson: Yes. It wae.flooding over the rails. Continuing, Mr Donaldson said there had been four men discharged recently because the annual picnio was held in defiance of. the manager's expresped wish that it should be postponed. Everything had been arranged for the picnic. Mr Lomas: And did not the rest of the men lea,ve their work? Mr Donaldson: Yes, except five or six. . Mr Lomas: And the mine was left idle? Mr Donaldson: Yes, that was so. The management have also discharged mon becauso they were old. The Chairman: Well, the Government is alWays sacking men on the plea that they are eld. Mr Donaldson said ho maintained that these men' were as gopij as eomo of the younger men, yet when they became old and no longer profitable machinery the company discharged them. Tho Chairman: That is a. very big question in Socialism. Do not spoil a good case by entering into Eutopian ideas, Mr Donaldson said that one of tho men had worked in the mine for 20 yearn, and, becoming old had been discharged. Thornae Barclay,'practical miner, unemployed, who was the first witness called by Mr Donaldson, said ho had been employed in the Kwtfcngata mine about 20 years. He had been under-roviewer about seven years. Witness was appointed assistant manager to Mr Shore in 1899. Witness resigned in December of last year. Had a copy of his resignation, but not with him. He resigned of his own free will, but had reasons for doing so. One of the reasons was that the brick arch he had sugjMtod to Mr Shore was not built, and he considered it wan not safe without it. This was stated in tho letter of resignation. The resignation was simply accepted. When.appointed assistant manager he . took charge of the stone drive section in June 1899. The fire 'waft then in the levels to the left of where the brick wall sow was. He suggested to Mr Shore in July, 1899, that a brick arch backed with ashes would meet the case, but it was not done up to the time he resigned. He went buck to the mine about the middle of April as undei-reviewer, and stopned about four months. He was discharged for not attending to the stopping over where the brick wall now was, and for allowing men to worit whero Jackson was hurt. When he.w«nt back he saw the fire had been through the brickwall—over fho top. Witness considered that a brick arch would have enclosed the lot and been the best thing. The mino was all fallen through the stopning. 'Mr Donaldson: Suppose that the bricik wall was breathing and (here was fire within, the breathing' would cause it to spread and inoroase? ■ '_ Witness: My experience is that if fire gets air of course it increases. ■ , - - - Mr Donaldson: Did yon notice any fire in the top of the main drive? Witness: About three weeks bpfore I was discharged. When the brick wall was completed I paid to tho manager that we would require to arch it. It wae arranged that an arch 30ft or 40ft should be built, and the bricklayer went to look out nentres, and 1 understand from Mr Broom tlmt the bricks could not be got. Tho fire came down through the stop in the heading. Continuing. Witness paid he had been down ths mine with the commissioners, and the means adopted were not euch a« he would adopt. He held a first-class certificate. He did not think an inch board strong enough. If the timber had been green it would open, the sand come through,,and the wall would breathe. The eoutli side further in was shut off with a boarded stopping when he went back to the mine. He nresumod tin's was done on account of firo. Thoy were taking out coal when the south side was closed off. He presumed that all the coal wae not taken out. It could not possibly all have hoen taken out. Was not in the mine when they tried to open the south sido again. One other stopping, between No. 2 and No. 3 faults, was very hot, and smoke and fire came through shortly after he went back. He did not think he had any conversation with the manager ae to the means to adopt.

j Mr Donaldson: So that that i* two Ms we have found in the main drive or in its vicinity? I If a fire broke out, could 70 or 80 men rej treat by the air way, with *ft flues? Could ! the men got through? ; Witness: Well, there would be a large quan- | tity of smoke, and it would he very difficult. I Mr Donaldson: If you had four or six I men in these flues the tendency would be to stop the air and extinguish tlie light? Witness: You cannot carry a naked light at any time, Mr Donaldson: Do you consider that a fire might break out in the main drive? Witness: Generally, if a fire draws air, however small the cavity, the sinoke goes before it. Of course, if that, is not known, the fire goes through and it would "oe a bad job. . Mr Donaldson: Say a fire had broken through the woodwork and was dropping in the main road (of (he mine), and was neglected for half an boiir, what would take place? Witness: If a firo has burned the boards, and the Band run out, the fire will go through, and if it gets the air it is bound to go very quickly. , Mr Donaldson: And she would go with a rush through the main drive? Witness: It depends upon the extent of tho hole in the main drive, The Chairman: Suppose the broke through suddenlv, would it be difficult for the men to travel through the airway? Witness: When the men are working in tho north section they have to go down No. 3 dip, along the stone drive, and up a steep inoline to the surface air-way, and (list is very small—only about 4ft—wort of the way. The grade is about lin 2. You could not Carry lightf. The Chairman: Iβ that the only way out? Witness: Yes. Mr Donaldson: Do you know the condtion of the main shaft? Witness: It was good enough when 1 was there. Mr Donaldson: Do yon know of any other section of tho mine abandoned through fire? Witness: Thev have mostly all been abandoned through fire. Some of the sections have been worked out. Mr Donaldson: Has there been any roal loßt through these fires? Tf it had not been for those fires, would thoy not have been working? Tho Chairman: That is a self-evident proposition. Witness: It is customary to close the place when it bpcomes too bad in the Kaiiangata mine, but they may be opened up again later on. Continuing Witness said 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 sections in the crosscut and 2 and 3 in the south side level had been onened up, and also Williams's heading in the down level, during the time he was there. There would be 10 horde in each section. The claw of coal accounted for the fires in tho mine. The men left, dross in the mine, and if these were removed the danger of fire would be diminished. The Chairman: Iβ the mine dangerous to human life to work at present? Witness: I don't think it is., Witness: 9Jo; not a specially dangeroue mine? Witness: No, Not a speoially dangerous mine. Mr Donaldson: In stooping, what means have the men of protecting themselves? Witness: It is best to lake tho stoops out after the bords are driven. Mr Donaldson: Supnosa they are taking sft or 6ft of coal directly from the roof, and it is 20[fc hiph, what means havo the men of protecting themselves? Witness: No means at all, except by their agility. Mr Lomas: Do the men take out pillars 20ft high? Witness: The bords have been dropped 20ft, and the pillars themselves taken out. Witness, replying to Mr Donaldson, said he know a poriif.n of the mine where it was partly "faulting , ' and partly not. It wae completely closed off. Mr Donnldf on: A ntl the coal remains there, and through fire is lost? . Witness: It could he reached at considerable expense, Continuing, Witness said there wore 17 bords in tho heading "faulting," and part of Forest heading was "faulting." Mr Lomas: Can you tell us the reason why these headings were abandoned? Witness: Generally through firo. To Mr Proud: Believed in a large air-way. The larger it was the better air yon got. Mr Lomas: h there any danger where tlioso fires are of an explosion through gas? Witness: We never have gas in the new workings in Kaitanaata. To Mr Broom: There had been fires all the time witness had been in the mine. Many stoppings had been put in during; that time. There wne only one built through m on>< seel ion, and two in another. Whore sections had hern abandoned it was not through stoppings being burned out. Mr Broom: So that where you bad stoppings you wnro always able to keep tho fire in check? Witness: With an ash stooping. Continuing, Witness said tho fires never mastered him when a board stopping gave way. The danper from fire v.'br jllst nhout the same when ho Iflft, the mine, as in previous years. There was no fire at all in tho main drive when hn advised that the arch should ho built. The roof would have hod to be disturbed to build the arch, but they would be awav from the fire. If air was effeotiyely sealed off, the carbonic acid gas would put tho fire out. To Mr Green: Where tho 20ft workings were the seam of rod was about 30ft thick. With regard to the brick stonning, witness onlv once found damn leaking through, as' far as he could remember. Oncehe found n little smoke romi'osr tlirmwh it. TMd not remember over findincr it drawing air. Mr Green: Then the inference is that it is tight? Witness: It is a fairly tight stopping. The commission then adjourned till 7.30 next evening. All is hot Golti tsat Glitters may be said about many brilliant wospectuscs that are frequently issued to financiers; they often herald Hie formation of compnnies which go up lilto the proverbial rocket inn , come down like a elicit. Holloway's Pills and Ointment, unlike such shaky ventures, are the roundest investments in ' which people suffering from disease can entrust their inonev. 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