REILLY MINE DISASTER

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XX, Issue 6762, 10 November 1922, Page 2

REILLY MINE DISASTER

DEATH ROLL OF SEVENTY-FIVE.

FIVE MEN MISSING,

Australian and N.Z. Cable

(Received 8 a.m.)

NEW YORK, November 8,

Tho mine disaster in the Reilly Coal Company's mine at Spangler, Pennsylvaria, imprisoned 104 men, of whom 30 were rescuedThe definite causa of the disaster is not yet known, though investigators believe that gas in the mine in some way ignited.

Those known to be dead now total 75, while tho missing number five. Of the 35 rescued, four are not likely to recover.

the paucity erf Government assistance to miming in this field h e B aid tliat dm ing the past thirty years only £7,800 had been expraidyd by Hie Government in prospecting, and that last year the munificent sura of £56 13s 4d had teen apportioned to Ohinemun a district which had produced half the gold in Now Zealand. The necessity and justification for the district receiving the practical support of the Govenimen wa s (plainly evident, and as a step in this direction he had urged in Parliament the purchase and erection of a ten.head stamper battery; tho plant in question was available at Karangahake, a portion of OMnomuri that would again com© to the forefront. He had just recently been informed on reliable authority that an entirely new reef system wa s at the present moment being developed at Karangahake.

EDUCATION

( Th c speaker then referred to the gubP joct of the education of the young, j '"’hicli in big opinion, was of the tit- ; ln «st importance. No eixp. nditura was \ great if judiciously applied in the education of New Zealand's boys and girls. He deplored the fact that out ' of every 100 pupil s last year only 30 passed thci sixth standard. No Government or Minister, who has the wefere , of the children at heart should overlook the value of a good primary education that would fit the growing pop. illation to take a proper part in life. Mr Poland then touched on the economies of the country and condemned in no uncertain terms, the methods of the Government in trying to reduce expenditure. Amongst other sources, by which tho Government had endeavoured to establish a system of economy, was the cutting of tho salaries! of civil servants. The reduction in the cost of living had been the excuse for tho cut, but in Ids opinion tho out was influenced as the result of pressure being brought to bear by influential employers of labour. The object of the latter was not difficult to sec.. The fact of the Government setting such an example was a lever by which the employers in turn could more easily bring about reduced wageg. ACCIDENT PAY. Mr Poland then dealt with the question of insurances and accident pay’. Ho maintained that a man during the period of being laid up through aoci. dent, lie should receive full pay, and quoted figures showing the large profits of insurance companies. He advocated an exclusive State Accident Company. Under such a system there 1 would be ample funds available tor ade- ] quate and full accident pay. He thought 1 it a crying shame that men should hav e < to enforce their claims for compensa-j tion through the medium of the Courts. Ho also contended that surgical and j medical treatment should he free for accident cases. | Mr Poland concluded hi 8 address by j expressing his thanks for the patient and attentive hearing accorded him. On thp motion of Mr \V. M, AVaHuuU, I seconded by Mr Thomas, a. hearty vote h of thanks and renewed confidence in Mr I v L’claud a 8 the member for Ohincrouri t< ,vas carried by acclamation. ( '■ A vote of thanks the chairman was P jroposed by Mr Poland and carried by w udamation