DOBSON MINE

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 7

DOBSON MINE

RECENT DISASTER INQUIRY AT GREYMOUTH THEORIES ON CAUSE OF EXPLOSION (Per United Press Association.) Greymouth, June 10. The inquiry into the Dobson colliery disaster opened to-day, Mr Page, S.M., presiding with John Watson, superintendent of the Taupiri mines, and William Balderston, secretary of the West Coast Miners. The commission first inspected the mine and workings. John Smeaton, president of the Grey Valley Miners’ Union, deposed that he was working at the mine on the night of December 2, and he detailed the circumstances of the explosion at about 3 a.m. on December 3. He considered the mine officials honestly endeavoured to keep the colliery free of gas. For ten Weeks prior to the explosion, witness heard no complaints of gas till the night before, when there were complaints. He considered the regulations under mining to be satisfactory and fully enforced. The Dobson mine officials had too much work and the need existed for stricter supervision of the mine. Gas was always accumulating in the rise workings at Dobson and the east level was cut off last August. In consequence, since then the mine seemed to improve. The department inspectors were always thorough. There was no danger from electric lamps but witness considered the holing at the face for blasting should be three feet deep. He thought the explosion originated in the dip workings where the victim Brammer worked and considered the great force of the explosion was due to the ignition of coal dust rather than gas. The process of grunching out coal created dust. Shot firing has in cases been improperly done at Dobson. Witness considered that the firers needed more qualifications and that if deputies fired the shots it would be safer. Except in the rise, the Dobson was no gassier a mine than any other in which witness had worked. Witness did not credit the theory that electric sparks below caused the explosion. Men on the face should know how to test safety lamps. The State mine rescue apparatus was not suitable for the Dobson mine and it had been secured by Mr Strongman, an ex-inspector. More air was going down the Dobson mine than in any other in the West Coast but witness warned his union in August that if firing did not improve there would be trouble. Isaac A. James, State mine superintendent, said the regulations were sufficient if the officials supervised. The coal dust should be examined half-yearly or as often as was deemed necessary. He did not favour monthly tests as in England where the mines were deeper and dirtier. The State mine used stone dust from Ross to lay the coal dust. He did not favour giving safety lamps to any but reliable men as the lamps were sometimes left hanging and by heating could ignite gas. He considered electric lamps safer in gas bolderstone. “You would not get many to agree with that.” He thought if the explosion was not due to a naked light, the cause was spontaneous combustion. He considered the explosion originated in the rise workings and not from shot firing. The commission then adjourned till 10 o’clock to-morrow.