NIGHTCAPS COAL MINE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13985, 19 August 1907, Page 5

NIGHTCAPS COAL MINE.

THK INSPECTING ENGINEER. OF .MIN'KS FLATLY CONTRADICTED.

published in our issue of .Saturday a statement nuulo lo gup of our staff by Mr l'rank Rood, rnspocting Engineer of Minea, concerning what ho termed a hazardous attempt to reopen tho Nightraps coal mine. Mr Heed's statements wore rend with n good drat of surprise and indignation by tho managing director anil owners of tho mine, by whom they are characterised as entirely inaccurate and misleading.- We havo seen Mr ITandyside, the managing director, on the subject, and he has furnished us with tho following' reply to \lr Hoed: — 1. Tiie colliery was xot closed, the factbeing that, the tiro area was closed immediately after tho fire on June. 21. and has closed ever since; but other parts of tho mine that.were unaffected have been in full operation since then, and have suppliod tho entire requirements fov the past two months. 2. No attempt, has up to the present time boon made to reopen the fire area in the mine. On Thursday, the 15th iust., the inino manager took a plank off the covering of each of two shafts, down which thermometers were put to ascertain the temperature of tho mine. On Friday last Mr Green, l-ho Inspector of Minra for Otago and Southland, paid a visit to Nightca,ps, and discussed with the manager and underviewer the beet way to proceed to open tho closed area. Tlio inspector, through pressure of work, had lo return to Puncdin on Saturday, and .it has been arranged that as soon as ho can devote the necessary timo lie will visit Nightcaps and himself .superintend the opening operations, which arc not to be commenced until his return. Tho district inspector has absolute control of the mine, and if he thinks the operations dangerous ho lias full authority to 6lop them'. Tho statement of Mr Frank Reed, tlio Inspecting Engineer of Mines, will be found from tho preceding remarks to be wholly incorrect. Tlio company is appealing to tho Government to hold an inquiry into tho whole position, as it feels that Mr Reed's statements aro so damaging, and 6Uch a grcGs reflection on the directorate, that the fullest investigation is neseccary. 3. It will bo seen from the above that no hazardous attempt was being mado to reopen tho workings, and that Mr Reed's statement, to that effect is entirely without foundation. 4. As to the statement made by Mr Reed, that tho mine would appear to be at present, at all events, a veritable deathtrap, tho management considers this a gross exaggeration, as it cannot conceive the possibility of Mr Green undertaking opening operations that, might provo to bo dangerous to human life. The. management has the fullest confidence in the judgment and capacity of Mr Green, and feels that he will, in the opening operations, when lie sees fit to coinmenco them, cxcrciso tho utmost caro for the preservation of the lives of tho men engaged in the work.