HUNTLY MINE DISASTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11216, 23 October 1914, Page 6

HUNTLY MINE DISASTER.

A SURVEYOR'S EVIDENCE.

[Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 23. . The Commission of Inquiry' into the Huntly mining disaster sat in. Wellington to-day. Evidence was given by Percy Gates Morgan, director oi .the .geological survey of New Zealand, and formerly director of Waihi school of mines. He concurred with-the opinions already expressed that there was a considerable emission of firedamp from., the fall 'in No. 5 bord previous to the explosion. This, mixed with air, was ignited by Martin, whose body was in the adjoining bord, and tlio resulting gas explosion was con tinned' "as ' a "co'a Must explosion to the haulage road, whence it. reached past, No. 6 ...cabin in wis direct-ion and to the top of the main shaft in another. It seemed probable that there was a comparatively large body of firedamp in No. 5 bord at-the time of the explosion. • Some of that would be too pure to explode, whilst some, largely by, diffusion, would have formed an explosive mixture 'with' the air present. Bords .'four, five and six were on or, near the summit of a small dome or short anticline .structure. . ,It was known to all with oil-field: experience that it favoured the accumulation of gas in the (strata. It was, therefore, probable that the strata -immediately above these bords contained a. largo amount of inflammable gas under pressure and that this was liberated, previous to and after the explosion, by cracks or fissures communicating with the fall in No. 5: bord. It was evident that any similar domes or anticline • structure in the Waikato coalmines ought t-o be regarded as poentially dangerous unless the contrary was proved. The hypothesis advanced that there was a connection between seismic disturbances and the colliery disaster remained unproved and had found littlo .Tlio witness recommended that experimental tests of coal dusts from all New Zealand mines should be made, and also • analyses of mine air, especially in returns. There should he one or more rescue apparatus, stations at . each mine and there should be increased opportunity .of technical education for all classes of miners.