HUNTLY MINING DISASTER.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13635, 25 November 1914, Page 1 (Supplement)

HUNTLY MINING DISASTER.

ROYAL COMMISSION

REPORT PRESENTED TO PARLIA-

MENT,

MANAGEMENT OF THE MINE

GENERALLY GOOD

IN CERTAIN RESI'ECTS LAX Al<>> UNSATISFACiWtV.

(Special to "The Colonist.")

_. Wellington, ft!,. 30. Ihe report of the Royal. Oommissio:; on the Huntly mining disaster was tabled m the House of Representatives this afternoon. The report is a lengthy document, but tiie rarnniarv presents the general finduigs of the Commission more briefly. ' _ The Commission finds that 'hh-o explosion was_caused by a liak-ed light used, by Martin, deceased, thereby igniting a gaseous mixture in No. 6 Lord.. 'Safety lamps were used by t.Ho mine olncials,. but naked lights by ike, workmen.

The ventilation of th^ mine- w.is generally efficient, but was defective as*regards section 5.

The examination of the i-ar.-o as'a. whole was satisfactory, but fciio iaspeetion of the old workings wiw ■ inadequate, and the absence or ladders in the high bords prevented a thorough examination in such places for gas. The Commission iinds t!ia.t "i.iv?c was not, to our knowledge, in Uie pact. history of the mine any <h vision on which it was necessary to withdraw the workmen."

The means of oscapo in case of accident was afforded _by three shafts, which, in the opinion of the Commission;, was adequate. The Commission criticises thy management as follows: — "The management of the mine was, speaking generally, good, but in certain respects, e.g., the prompt' carrying out of the inspectors' orders, the precaution taken against danger 'from gas, the ordering of safety lamps, and the examination of the old workings, it was lax and unsatisfactory." As to the Inspector of Mines, the Commission states:—

The Inspector of Mines is a careful and competent officer, zealous and conscientious in his work, but he was remiss in not exacting strict obedience to his orders, and in not more frequently visiting the old workings, and he. committed an error of judgment in< not insisting on safety lamps being used iti the mine after the accident to the miner Kelly." The report also states:— "The inspection by the workmen's inspectors was infrequent and valueless. No inspection was made of bords 4, 5, and 6 of section 5 (old workings), by any person on the morning of the accident before the workmen were permitted to enter. The door at the end of bord No. 6 of section 5 where it connects with the working .part of the mine was not locked, nor in any other way securely fastened. If there had been no neglect with respect to theso matters the disaster in the mine could not have happened.""'

The report contains a number of suggestions for the prevention as far as possible of similar accidents and far the safe working of this and other mines in the future, and the Commission states that its recommendations in regard to safety lamps and ventilation have been anticipated in the Coalmines- Bill.

Regarding ooal dust in mines, the Commission deemed it imperative that legislation should be passed with the object of preventing, if possible, or mitigating th© danger arising from the presence of coal dust in mines, it recommended the adoption of legislation on this matter similar _to that in force in Great""Britain.

• The Commission considered that the provisions for the reporting of injuries to workmen were somewhat loose and uncertain, as it was left to the judgment of the mine manager in every caso to decide whether or not the injury was serious.

The following should be incorporated in the Coalmines Act:—"ln all dry and dxisty mines where the Inspector of Minos is of opinion that dust of a highly inflammable nature exists in dangerous quantities, and also in mines where safety lamps are in use, no explosives but those permitted by the Chief Inspector of Minos shall be used, and all shot-firing shall be done by officials specially appointed by the mana-

ger.'' •, ' The Commission was of. opinion that the existing law did not give the Inspector of Mines direct authority to order the use of safety lamps or other appliances, and recommended the insertion in the Act of a definite section, giving such authority.