85

C—l 4.

W. WOOD.]

71. Taking the area you were in, would the amount of accumulation run to hundreds of cubic feet, or thousands, where you were then ? —I could soon give it to you by measuring the bords. 72. Would it be a couple of hundred thousand cubic feet ?—lt would be less than 200,000 ft. 73. Much less ?—I make it, roughly, 100,000 cubic feet. 74. How many days after the explosion ? There was still 100,000 cubic feet of gas in the air on the Friday after the explosion ? —Yes. 75. Will you put this Commission in possession of the locality where this huge accumulation of gas was]? —Yes. 76. it in the area defined as Nos. 4, 5, and 6 bords ? — not in that area'at all. 77. About where was it ?—ln No. 5 section. 78. How close to No. 5 section was the area in which you estimated 100,000 cubic feet of gas might be accumulated ? —[Messrs. Brown and Dowgray are aware of the position of the area referred to, and will inform the Chairman.] 79. Did you penetrate far into these bords which you have pointed out to me as containing the gas ? —We went up a bit, and Mr. Reed took his samples. 80. Did you go into them all ? —No, only some of them. 81. When you got your test were you quite satisfied that.the place was.full of gas ? —Yes. 82. 1 suppose you got rid of the gas ? —Yes. 83. What trundled it out ? —The ventilation took it out. 84. How long after the explosion was it before it was clear of gas ? —Eleven days. 85. Was it absolutely clear of gas ? —Yes, I could not get a cap. 86. Eight up to the top of the bords ? But you cannot Jget tojiie top of some of them ? —No, not tojthe top. 87. You have not tested the bord thoroughly until you test to the top of it '! —No. 88. You cannot say afterwards that there was no gas there ? —lf I did not detect it 1 would report the place clear. 89. You have no evidence that there was no gas right up to the roof ?—No. 90. Mr. Napier.] When you speak of gas being present to the extent of 100,000 cubic feet, do you mean gas-mixture ? —Yes, certainly. 91. Not pure gas ?—No ; if it were pure gas it would not explode. 92. What would you estimate the percentage of gas to be in that mixture ? —I could not properly estimate that. The report on the sample was read out at the inquest. Dr. Maclaurin said there was about 9-7 per cent. 93. You referred, at all events, to the mixture that you found ?—Yes. 94. With regard to the route which Martin must have followed, would he not travel the road with fresh air ? —Yes. Moreover, it is quicker and easier walking. 95. And there is more fresh air ? —Yes, than round about by the little dip. 96. Mr. Dowgray.] If those men were sent to lift rails at the particular part of the little dip, and to convey them to No. 5 section, it would be necessary for them to go through that door ? —Yes. 97. That would be the course they would have to take ?—Yes, so far as I know. 98. If you were sent to lift rails in the little dip and to convey them to No. 5 section, which way would you go ? —The way the deputy sent me. 99. Does the deputy always send them ? —Yes, in the Extended Mine, where I am. 100. You are talking about the Extended ?—1 do not know what their rule was in Ralph's. 101. Regarding that place where they were sent to lift rails, it was the working-place for that working-day ? —lf they were sent there to lift rails, yes. 102. And the road leading to that place would be the travelling-road to it ? —Yes, that is correct. 103. Mr. Brown.] Which way were the bricks blown out of that stopping ? —They were blown down the bord [explained by diagram]. 104. Then if Martin came through that door and got down to where that first fall is—the new fall —or somewhere about there, which way would his body go —the same way as the bricks, or the other way ? —That all depends. Ido not think he got as far as that new fall when he ignited the gas. 105. You presume he ignited it at that stenton ? —Yes. I think there has been a lot more falls since the explosion. 106. Mr. Dowgray]. You stated that in your opinion Martin had entered that door ; the air rushing through the door drew the gas out and he ignited it ?—Yes. 107. And, according to the position of his body, he got a considerable distance down there ?—Yes. 108. I take it that the line of greatest force is through by No. 5 ? —Yes, so far as we can judge. 109. Is it not reasonable to assume that he had come through the door and met the gas ?—But I say he was at the cut-through when he met the gas. It was a minor explosion first. 110. Would a minor explosion blow out that stopping ?—That is my opinion. 111. Mr. Brown.] If there had been a very large accumulation of gas in that bord, would there be any signs of burning on the rib sides ? —lf there had been a large accumulation of gas in that bord I do not think we would ever have seen Martin. Charles Allen, Labourer (Ex-miner), sworn and examined. (No. 11.) 1. Mr. Wilford.] What are you, Mr. Allen ?—At the present time I am a labourer, but my occupation has been that of a miner up to two years ago. 2. How long were you mining ?—Forty years. 3. Do you know the Taupiri Mine fairly well ? —Yes. 4. How long were you working in the Taupiri Mine ?—Fourteen years —in and about the mine. 5. Which mine ? —The whole three —Kimihia, the Extended, and Ralph's. I have been in Ralph's for seven years.