The Explosion at the Kaitangata Mine.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3128, 26 February 1879, Page 2

The Explosion at the Kaitangata Mine.

(Pbb Heiuld Special Wise.)

Chbistchttbch, Monday. A special reporter, despatched by the Lyttelton Times to Saitangata on Saturday morning, forwarded the following report concerning the accident :— •.

"I learned from the men at the pit's mouth that the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company had only been successfully at work about two years. But before referring to the mine, I may briefly describe its position. There are hills in the background bearing a striking resemblance to those abput Heathcote Valley ; to the right is the river, and on the left Kaitangata Lake. Close to the foot of the hills nestles the township, which consists of about a hundred houses, all very neat in appearance,: with a pretty Presbyterian Church, railway station, post and telegraphoffice, and a large hotel, nearly completed. A little to the right is a broad gully, into which the railway extends, and here, at some little elevation, are clustered three coal mines. The first of these, which is worked by Messrs J. Winter and Co., is on the shaft system. They only commenced to send out coal in payable quantities about two months ago, their shaft running down to a depth of 400 feet Just at the back of this, only about 40 yards away, is the entrance of the tunnel ' mine in which the accident occurred. The workings penetrate a distance of 45 yards in a direct line from the main drive. There are numerous branches right and left. These have been subdivided by other drives to form a complete network of workings. They rise from the entrance, there is good natural drainage, and no pumping is necessary. For ventilating the mine a furnace is used. _ Air enters at the mouth of the main drive by doors placed here and there; it is made to travel round the workings until it returns to a point comparatively near the entrance. There a furnace is placed, and a shaft penetrates the roof, and. rises in the form of a large wooden chimney above ground. It will be understood that the success andU efficiency of the ventilating current depends on the doors across various parts of the workings which direct its course. Necessarily they have to be opened and shut very frequently, since men and trucks are constantly moving about, and on every occasion there must be a certain amount of interference with due ventilation. In fact, some of the men tell me that the place has been fearfully close, and that bad air affects them far more than work. Now that the fearful blow has come, they say more than they would probably have done before. They described to me how small explosions occurred from time to time in this.mine, and how, a short time ago, one man was so badly burned that he was laid up for a month. The very evening before the accident two of the men say the flickering of the dreadful gas about them was plainly visible. Some say that the subject was often mentioned to the manager, and all spoken to are unanimous upon one point, which must be stated, however unkind it may appear, that the deputy-manager never ought to have been allowed to go about the mine as he did. He was noted for his eccentric ways for poking about in all parts of the workings, ■ night and day, so far as one had seen, invariably with a naked light; When the matter was mentioned sometimes to his brother William, the manager, he would reply that he would not keep the old fellow out. Here, then, upon the freely given testimony of miners, who naturally chat more at their ease when unfretted by the formality at an official enquiry there was, to all intents and purposes, an inadequate system of ventilation. There was but one , way in which the men could get in or out in case of accident—the main drive. Even if there were no damp, they would be entombed alive. There were disused workings which, instead of being nailed up and placarded, as in English mines, or blocked up by more solid material, could be entered by anyone who chose to open the door. Through them the ventilation current did not pass, and they became resevoirs fox explosive gas. There was a system of naked lights. The men have hooked to tne front of their hats a simple tallow lamp. Finally, there was for de-puty-manager a strangely eccentric man, who.in all human probability carried his flaring light into disused workings, and in the act destroyed the township."

The statue of Captain Cook was, on the 15th, hoisted on to its position on the granite pedestal in Hyde Park. The operation was performed during a heavy shower, in consequence of which there were very few spectators present. Preparations are going on for the erection of the stands to be occupied by the various public bodies on the occasion of the an* veiling, on the 25th.