Kaitangata Mine disaster

[5] Once the railway had been completed the company announced further expansion intentions with a desire by 1877 to bring production up to 100 tons per week.

[8] At that time it was thought that the coal in New Zealand was not prone to emit gas and such precautions as were considered necessary were in place.

The force of the explosion was enough to blow Edward Dunn, who was entering the drive with a horse, 50 yards clear killing him.

A building for storing tools near the mine entrance was back several yards and partially demolished by some of the coal trucks.

[10] A second boy James Hawke, who was near the entrance, and blown a similar distance to Dunn escaped serious injury.

[11] Immediately after the explosion the station master, J B Griffen, sent the company's train to Balclutha to get Dr Smith.

While this was happening, men from the neighbouring mines gathered and organised a group of volunteers to either rescue the miners or recover their bodies.

Also the brattices which allowed air circulation had been destroyed and temporary canvas ones needed to be installed prior to further searching.

[11] By 12pm one body and the youngest person killed, 14-year-old Charles McDonald, was recovered from the mine but he could only be identified by his clothing as he was so badly burnt.

[12] A morgue was set up at Jenkin's hotel, with Constable Warring taking charge of the bodies as they emerged.

[10] Allan, Ronaldson, Chisholm and the Roman Catholic Priest Father Larkins officiate at the funeral the following day.

Fire damp was probably present and because Hodge was using a naked flame to light his path, ignited it and caused the catastrophic explosion.

They were Alexander Mitchell, David Dunn - the jury foreman, John Walker, William Bissett, William Carson, George Kidd, Hugh McFarlane, John Gordon, Allan Blackie, Charles Smaill, Andrew Smaill, Joseph Robertson, Alexander Bissett, P F Stoddart, James Muir, and Malcolm Morrison.

[10] The court began with the identification of the bodies by Thomas Knowles - Pit Headman, Joseph Robertson, David Dunn, and John McDonald.

Charles Edward Twining, a qualified colliary manager and the mining surveyor with the Company was called to give evidence.

William Hodge and Beardsmore had advised Twining about 2 weeks before the explosion of fire damp being present in the new working.

[14][15] After Twining was heard, Robert Grigor - Land Surveyor took the stand followed by William Wilson, one of the miners.

He also recalled that Andrew Javie had been burnt in a minor explosion about three months earlier at the east end of the workings.

John Irving, another miner gave a similar testimony and suggested that Hodge may have entered the old area to find more rails.

[15] The hearing recommenced on Monday 3 March with Joseph Robertson identifying the body of William Parker Hall.

Knowles had also talked to Archie Hodge who he said had got some rails for Andrew Jarvie and Walter Hay to lay a new road 300 yards opposite the old workings.

George Jonathan Binns, a qualified mining engineer and viewer of coal for the New Zealand Government took the stand next.

He did report the situation to his superiors and had, after the explosion, found that the gas had again built up to dangerous levels in the old workings.

After his evidence the Coroner provided instructions to the jury, before they retired to consider their verdict, on what they needed to determine.

Second, the Jury find That William Hodge has not used the necessary precautions to prevent an explosion of fire-damp in the mine over which he had the management.

As a rider, we add that seeing that there is no law for inspection and supervision in the conduct of mining, we express the necessity of measures being adopted whereby many accidents may in the future be averted.Before the Coroner's Court had reached its conclusions a local paper raised the issue of the quality of New Zealand's Mine Inspectors by noting that in England they were highly educated and paid accordingly, while in New Zealand they were only paid £150 per annum.

[18] The Government's response to the disaster was to reasonably promptly issue a Proclamation bringing the Act into force throughout the country on 28 February 1879.

[19] Attention in the newspapers of the time turned towards the Directors of the company, notwithstanding the Coroners Court finding negligence by the Hodges.

The newspapers pointed out that the Directors had left William Hodge, the Mine Manager, to do pretty much as he liked, had shirked their duty of care, and suggested the Government should examine them.

Among those donating were Chinese miners from the Adam's Flat gold diggings, who gave 10 shillings each on average.