DOBSON MINE

Southland Times, Issue 20204, 15 June 1927, Page 6

DOBSON MINE

RECENT DISASTER INQUIRY CONTINUED AT GREYMOUTH FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD (Per United Press Association.) Greymouth, June 14. The Dobson inquiry was resumed this morning, when David Dunwoodie, the lamp man, said the oil lamps were not numbered. No record was kept of their issue. He could not tell whether any were missing. Richard Collins, a miner, said he was certain he had seen a motor spark, but the fan kept running. He did not report the spark and did not consider it dangerous. He saw a flame from six to twelve inches long. He could not remember the exact date. It would be about a fortnight before the disaster. He did not think it worth while mentioning. He had seen many live sparks in the mine. After Mr Hughes, mine manager, had completed his evidence, Walter Leitch, an ex-manager who was on leave at the time of the disaster, said one pound of coal dust to 300 cubic feet was sufficient to cause an explosion. He did not think there was sufficient coal dust at Dobson to cause an explosion. Some time before the disaster he had in mind that the mine should be stone dusted and endeavoured to get a supply. Witness said he did not remember receipt of a letter from the Mines Department in November threatening to take action unless the regulations regarding coal dust were complied with. Mr Kimbell, Under-Secretary for Mines, interjected: I don’t understand yet why you did not have the mine stone dusted to comply with the regulations. Witness replied he did not think the mine was in a dangerous state. He did not proceed with getting stone dust as when he sought for it they had not got it at the State mine. lie did not then know he could get inert matter for the purpose at Ross. He only took one sample of coal dust. The mine, six months before the disaster, was so small that witness did not think at that time regulations applied to it. The searching of men was ineffective if they wanted to carry anything in. If Mr Hughes received a letter from the department regarding stone dusting, the duty was his to carry out. Witness swore he never saw the latter. The manager’s duty was to see the lamps taken from the mine.