Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

12 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

"BARN Y BRODYR."

Mr. J. Hugh Edwards, M.P and…

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SENGiiENYDO IN PARLIAMENT.

SIR MARCHANT WILLIAMSI

[No title]

SAFETY IN THE MINES. I

| LABOUR MEMBER SCORES.

SENGHENYDD INQUIRY

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

SENGHENYDD INQUIRY THE CLOSING SESSION. WHERE DID THE EXPLOSION OCCUR? Expressing the hope that the labours of the officials and witnesses would not be in vain, and that those disasters would become things of the past. Dr. R. A. S. Redmayne, President of the Home Office Inquiry into the Senghen- ydd disaster, closed the proceedings at Cardiff. It was arranged that the ad- vocates for the interested parties should address the Commission at the Home Office on Friday and Saturday. Mr. Thomas Griffiths, mining en- gineer of Cymmer, told the Com- mittee that he did not know a single case where anybody had been found alive when an accident originated in the interior of the workings, but he had known instances of men being brought out alive, though badly burnt, when the point of origin of the explosion was not far from the pit bottom. "The coal-dust," he declared, is exactly like gunpowder and our great difficulty in South Wales is how to get rid of this from the roof and the sides. Mr. David Hannah, the agent of the Ferndale Collieries, in cross-examina- tion, said it would be unwise to let the rescue brigades to enter the returns. He admitted that, at the time of the explosion, he was not thoroughly con- versant with the whole of the plans of the colliery, but he knew that men had reported earlier that day that it was impossible to enter the Brittanic pit, and that this view was confirmed by him when he put his head into the return. Men could not have lived there for five minutes. Dr. W. N. Atkinson, H.M. Division- al Inspector of Mines, one of the pione- ers of the ooal dust theory, gave it as his opinion that gas was released by a fall in the Senghenydd pit, and was ignited by a spark from electric sig- nalling or from falling stones. Replying to Mr. Smillie, the witness said that the period during which the colliery had been exempted from having means to reverse immediately the air-current, expired a fortnight be- fore the explosion. Mr. Smilfie: Another breach of the Act. This is the second serious ex- plosion where it was found there were no means of reversing the air current. RESCUE APPARATUS. I Dr. Atkinson added that one lesson of the explosion was that no naked lights should be allowed underground. He would advocate that all lamp stations should be on the surface. Pending further investigations, he would prohibit the use of electric signalling wires with a voltage above five or six. I desire to qualify any impression (added the witness) that I am not in favour of rescue apparatus. Every en- couragement should be given for its use, and rescue brigades are worthy of every honour, but I have not such implicit faith in the appartus as many people have. The nearer the pit a rescue brigade is the better. Senghenydd had, he said, been inspected five times in 1913 before the explosion. Don't you think if the collieries were inspected more frequently there would be a sort of bracing, up all round so far as the officials are concerned ?—Yes. Replying to Mr CLem. Edwards, he said that if more inspection was required then more inspectors would be required. Mr Clement Edwards was proceeding to cross-examine on the question of the reversal of the air current, when "the President observed "We are øa.td that it would be very unwiee to reverse the air. It would have resulted in the death of the men in the 'Brittanic. Mr J. Dyer Lewis, senior inspector of mines under Dr. Atkinson, said he had experience of a.11 South WaJes explosions daring the past 20 years, and he cor- roborated the evidence of Dr. Atkin- son. Witness regarded oncogging as the very best method of dosing cavities. Mr Greenland Davies, mines inspec- tor, also gave evidence. In reply to Mr Kenshole, he said he was of opinion that the seat of the explosion was in the Mafeking Hard Heading. A fall of roof occurred, bringing down gas and causing a spark." The President said this exhausted all the evidence, and at the close he would like to th-Jik all for the very great as- sistance they had given the Court in ex- tracting the evidence. Their labours were nearly finished. "Ours is only just beginning, and we will give the evidence our best attention." Mr Trevor Lewis, responding, thanked Court for the great patience shown and the courtesy extended to all. Mr Clement Edwards, M.P., Mr. W. Nicholas, and Mr Thomas Richards, M.P., associated themselves with Mr Lewis's '~»:pres8ion of thanks, and the pro- ceedings terminated.

SAFETY IN THE MINES. I

"BARN Y BRODYR."