REPORTS ON MINE

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21082, 8 April 1940, Page 6

REPORTS ON MINE

SOME NOT SATISFACTORY ABNORMALITIES NOT NOTED INSPECTIONS AT GLEN AFTON REVELATIONS BY COMMISSION After observing that as a general practice the back shift deputies in I the Glen Afton mine did not make reports specially covering the period between 10 p.m. and midnight, the Royal Commission which inquired into the tragedy at the mine of September 24, stated in its report that although that was not proof that examinations were not made within I that period preparatory to the commencement of the night shift, it was ;of the opinion that such reports | should always be made. The Commission considered that the examination of the mine by J underground officials appeared to 1 have been carried out on the whole in * accordance with the Coal Mines’ Act and Regulations. There was, however, an exception on certain Saturdays, since no reports were found in ; the deputies’ report book. A custom seemed to have grown up ; among those who were responsible for reporting upon their mine examinations of following a sterotyped form, and failing to record observations of many frequent occurrences which, in every mine, should be rej garded as abnormalities. Active Fire Not Noted j A case in point, added the report, was that although ihe underviewer signed the report for Saturday, Sepj tember 23, th 6 day prior to the j tragedy, he made no mention of the ! abnormal happening which occurred i on that day, namely an active fire of • considerable proportions in the re- ■ turn airway. Another instance as : showing the general tendency was that, although the barograph in the | fan-house, which should at all times ; record variations of pressure bei tween the intake and return airways, i was not working satisfactorily, neither the Government Inspector nor the officials of the mine recorded their observations of this fact. The Commission also found that the reports upon electrical equipment, which were required under the regulations and described as the Electricians’ Daily Log Book, were j not satisfactory in that they were, with very few exceptions, identical from day to day, and contained no detailed reports of work done or examinations made. “We think,” added the Commission,” that these reports should be initialled by the manager in all cases, and should be filed in such a way as to be always accessible to the Inspecj tor of Mines, who should also initial j them on his periodical visits.