ACCIDENT IN A MINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2955, 2 November 1910, Page 53

ACCIDENT IN A MINE.

THE BODIES RECOVERED. HEROIC MIXERS. WESTPORT. October 26. A big fall of earth and .stone m the Woodend section of the Westport Coal Company's Denniston mine occurred lata this afternoon, burying two men named Jack Muir and James Bowers. Mr Muir, who wae an old resident of the district, was a widower, with a married daughter in Sydney, and a single daughter at Petone. Mr Bowers was a single man, who has taken a .prominent part in local boxing. Relief parties were at once organised, but their efforts to (jet near the scene of the accident were frustrated by further falls of stone. The accident occurred in the old workings, from which for the past two years men have been engaged in removing pillars The,miners are now at work clearing away the fall, which is believed to cover several chains of the tunnel. This :a understood to be the first double fatality that has occurred in the Westport Companv's mines. O(tobe~ 27. Men have been at work day and night clearing the fall av.ay in the Woodend section of the Westport Coal Company's Denniston m-ne, where the accident occurred yesterday, and they have reached the coal tubs without discovering the bodies of the two missirg men. It is now necessary to strengthen the fall before proceeding further. Mr juixon anticipates recovering the bodies to morrow. October 29. The bodies of Muir and Bowers, who were buried' in the Coaibrookriale mine through a portion of the roof falling in, were recovered early this morning. They had apparently been smothered, and had evidently received vie warning of their impending fate. At the inquest a verdict was returned that death was accidental, no blame being attachable to anyone. The evidence went to show that a crush of earth that could not have been- foreseen occurred. Apparently a fall tcok place partly covering Bowers, towards whom Muir w«w PUikhlg* in order to free him,

when Muir himself was overtaken by a further fall and asphyxiated. Mr Rawson, the coroner, in addressing the jury, said the men who worked in the recovery party had upheld the best traditions of the British miner. He believed that any one of them would have risked his life to save a fellow worker. Mr Marshal (Inspector of Mines) and Mr Dixon (the Westport Coai Company's district manager) endorsed the coroner's remarks, and stated that the miners had worked in a most heroic manner. The funeral took place this afterncon, the cortege being a very lengthy one. The Westport Garrison Band was in attendance, playing funeral marches. The Rev. T. Miller, Presbyterian minister, impressively conducted the funeral service.