DOBSON MINE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16209, 6 December 1926, Page 14

DOBSON MINE

FLOODING PROCEEDING. REMAINING SURVIVOR DIES. (Per Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, last night. Following the third big explosion in the JUubson mine at 9 p.m. on Friday, experts decided that the only course was to Mood the mine. Accordingly, tho Power Board Staff was engaged yesterday installing wiring for the pumping plant, the work being hampered by the lact that the explosion at 9 p.m. on Friday had brought down the wires. However, pumping began at 3.40 p.m. yesterday at the rate of 30,000 gallons per hour from the Grey river, the water entering "at the exhaust on the far outJet on the western side. It was feared that further explosions might occur, but the apprehension was not borne out. The pumping apparatus to-day was augmented, enabling 50,000 gallons hourly to' be lifted, at which rate it will require two or three days to extinguish the fire, which is deep down in the pits, where the five miners were engaged at the time of the explosion, and whose bodies remain underground. Friday night's explosion was preceded by a warning rumble, otherwise some workmen then engaged upon sealing the mine would probably have been killed. One man hurried away, calling hys mates to follow him, and they just got. to the point of safety when a terrific explosion hurled the debris hundreds of yards, , sending rocks of about 150 pounds in | weight a distance of a quarter of a mile near * the hotel. Another big stone crashed through the roof of Mr. Roberts' ' house, falling" close to a sleeping child. About 10 houses were then vacated. At Dobson the first explosion blew one block of concrete of 20 /tons in weight from the entrance of the mine, and last night's explosion blew the same block a further 10 feet. Friday afternoon's explosion at 2.55 o'clock was not so severe. The death occurred at 3 p.m. yesterday at the hospital of Eric Ashton, trucker, tho fourth of the men got out on Friday morning. Thus every one of the nine men within the mine when the original explosion occurred lost his life. Ashton regained consciousness at brief intervals, and was thought to _be recovering, but sank" to a dying condition yesterday afternoon, without giving any information as to the location of the explosion. His father and brother arrived half an hour later by express from Ashburton.

The wife of Thos. Black, one of those whose bodies remain in the mine, after giving birth to twins a few days ago, is reported to be in a grave condition consequent on learning of her husband's fate. IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL.

A crowd of between three and four thousand attended to-day Ihe funeral of four victims at Karoro Cemetery, viz., those of: Deputy John Richards, 43, single, native of Brunner; John Lindsay, 42, miner, single, native of Lanarkshire, Scotland ; Eric Ashton, 26, trucker, native of Ashburton and till recently a railway employee; Robert Hunter, 21, single, winch-driver, son of the manager of the Hunter Hetheringfon colleries, Rotowaro. A train of 20 cars from Brunner to the cemetery conveyed the bodies and people from all over the Grey Valley, many more coming from the State 'collieries district and other parts of the area. The municipal band played the "Dead March" and other appropriate music. The burial service was a combined one and was conducted by Archdea«in Carr and the Rev. Mr. Martin, Methodist minister; also by the Salvation Army captain. Worshipful Master Hugh Hart was in advance of the Masonic Lodge of Brunner. The Druids were also present, as Richards was a Druid. The services were impressive and deep feeling was evident on every hand.

The names and ages of the men whoso, bodies remain entombed are: Ernest ■ Brammer, 42, manned. Alfred Noakefi. 40. James Marshall, 40. Edward Partington, 34. The- Mayors of Greymouth, Brunner, and Runanga, also Mr. James O'Brien, M.P., and others are moving for the organisation of a, relief fund. The Mayor of St. Kilda, Dunedin, has already lent co-operation. It is expected that Mr. Walter Leifcch, the original manager of the Dobson mine, will arrive on Tuesday, and directors Messrs. Hogarth, Chellington (chairman), and Catchpole, of Auckland, are coining here. Many messages of condolence have been received by the Mayor of Brunner. The coroner, Mr Meldrnm, S.M., hokls an inquest and the, inquiry will follow later. The. Acting Prime Minister ha« received from the Governor-General a messageasking him to" convey to the families of those who lost their lives in the Dobson disaster the heartfelt sympathy of Her Excellency and himself in their sad loss. AUSTRALIAN SYMPATHY (Elee. Tel. Copyright—United Prees Asm.) (Received December 6, noon) SYDNEY, Dec. 6. The Minister of Mines, Mr. Baddeley, expressed regret at the news of the Dobson mine disaster. He said ho had requested the Minister of Mines in New Zealand to convey an expression of sympathy to the bereaved.