C—2
Serious Non-fatal Accidents On the 26th February M. J. Sloper, miner, Pukemiro Colliery, sustained a compound fracture of the right leg. He was lowering a full truck down a slight grade when he was overtaken by another truck from behind, crushing him between the two trucks. On Bth March R. Saunders, bushman, sustained a frature of the big' toe, right foot, whilst employed cutting sleepers at the Mangapehi State Mine. On 9th April Matthew Penman, screen worker employed at the Alison Mine, Rotowaro, whilst controlling a loaded railway wagon at the screens was overrun by a following waggon, resulting in Penman suffering amputation of both hands, lower portions of both arms, and portion of the left foot. On the 6th May M. MacKenzie, coal"-cutter operator employed at the Mac Donald Mine, sustained bruises to the chest, hip, and ankle. McKenzie was accompanying a coal-cutter being hauled up an incline when a runaway truck crashed into the coal-cutter, striking McKenzie. On the 17th June Stanley Charles Lord, trucker at Mangapehi State Mine, suffered a fracture of the terminal phalange, right hand, whilst in the act of spragging a truck. On the 15th July D. Wallace, miner employed at Alison No. 2 Mine, Rotowaro, sustained fractured ribs and bruises to shoulder, chest, and hand through being crushed between empty trucks and the ribside. On the 21st July Tai Hone, rope-road worker, Mangapehi State Mine, slipped and fell whilst clipping. He sustained a fractured bone in the hand. On the 6th September John Emery, trucker at Mangapehi State Mine, sustained a fracture of the left forearm through being crushed between two trucks. On the 20th September C. D. Young, winch operator employed at Kimihia State Opencast, was struck on the forearm by a clutch lever, sustaining a fracture of the forearm. On the 4th November H. Fairless, while engaged on the screens, sustained a fracture of the small toe, right foot, when his foot was caught between a projection on the tippler and the decking on the gantry. On the 7th December F. Purutanga, trucker at Mangapehi State Mine, sustained a compound fracture of the middle finger, left hand, whilst unclipping a truck on the endless-rope haulage. Reports Regarding Dangerous Occurrences in Mines On 15th February at Mac Donald Mine a fire occurred at a stopping in E Dip Pillar Section. The fire was effectively sealed by the erection of four stoppings. On the 21st March a shiftman noted smoke in the atmosphere in the vicinity of No. 1 South rope-end clipping-station. On investigation it was found that smoke was issuing from a piece of brattice cloth used in the construction of a seat. The incipient heating was quenched by throwing the brattice into water. It was considered that the ignition was caused by a lighted cigarette carelessly thrown away. On the 3rd and 4th April a fire occurred at the Mangapehi State Mine. The fire was located over the timber sets at the inbye end of the main dip haulage and extinguished by the application of water. On the 20th April a fire occurred in Mclntyre's Dip, No. 1 Right Section, Pukemiro Mine. An attempt was being made to extract a pillar enclosed by a heavily fallen bord. However, the fallen material in this roadway ignited through spontaneous combustion. The pillar was abandoned and sealed off. On the 28th April a heating occurred in the goaf of B Section, No. 3 mine, Rotowaro. Stoppings were erected and the affected area sealed off. On the 13th May a miner was burnt in Doel's Dip Section, Kamo State Mine, when his naked light came into contact with a quantity of inflammable gas. All naked lights were withdrawn from this section and safety-lamps introduced. On the sth July an outbreak of fire was discovered in Morgan's Dip Seetion, Pukemiro Mine The affected area was sealed temporarily, and later reopened with the aid of rescue apparatus. A small fire was located and extinguished by water. On the 20th July a fire occurred in the goaf in the New Haulage Section, No. 1 Rotowaro Mine. The fire was effectively sealed by the erection of two stoppings. On the 15th August indications of heating were reported in No. 2 West Section, Renown Mine. Two stoppings were erected and the area sealed. On the 19th August an outbreak of fire occurred in the New Dip Section, No. 3 Mine, Rotowaro. Several stoppings were erected and the area sealed off. On the 12th September firestink was noticed issuing from the goaf in E2 Pillar Section, Glen Afton Mine. Stoppings were erected and the. area sealed. On the 25th September a heating was noted in the Mid Section, Pukemiro Colliery. The area was sealed by the erection of two stoppings. On the 6th October a fire was discovered at a stopping at the second curve on Home's Dip haulage in the Pukemiro Mine. The stopping was repaired and the fire controlled. A further series of permanent stoppings were commenced to seal off this section of the haulage road.
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