Thirty men are entombed. Four were rescued, badly burned, three of them being sent to the Waikato Hospital.
The town shook like an earthquake when the explosion occurred, and the atmosphere is still dense with smoke.
Owing to the smoke and fumes it is impossible to approach the pit-head, but relief parties left at 9 o'clock to enter the shaft from the other end.
The cause of the explosion is unknown.
When the explosion occurred flame and smoke and dust were blown up from the main shaft.
Fortunately the workings in Ralph's Mine extend three-quarters of a mile under the river, and the main shaft is at Huntly railway station.
There is another shaft three-quarters of a mile distant at Taupiri West, where 11 men reached the surface.
Five men were brought to the surface at the main shaft later.
They were working in the bottom of the shaft when the explosion occurred.
A hopeful sign is that a horse which was believed to have been at the east workings made its way to the Taupiri West shaft, which would indicate that the ventilation is not bad.
Relief parties have gone into both shafts.
Further investigations show that only 26 men were working in the pit at the time of the explosion, which occurred at 7.50 a.m.
Fortunately, to-day was an off day at the mine, the average number employed in this shaft on ordinary days being in the vicinity of 100.
The first intimation that something was wrong was an unusual rumbling sound beneath, which was followed almost immediately by a terrific explosion. Flames and smoke belched forth from the pit mouth, and soon the town was enveloped in smoke.
Experienced miners state that the mine is still full of fire damp, and that it is quite possible that further explosions may occur at any time.
The first rescue party, after being down seven hours, discovered five dead bodies frightfully burnt, but who had apparently been trying to grope their way out.
A relief party descended at seven on Saturday evening, and remained below all night.
Two additional bodies were discovered later on Saturday evening, and when the overnight party ascended this morning they brought five additional bodies, making in all 12 recovered up till 10 o'clock this morning.
Up to the time of the closing of the telegraph office yesterday (Sunday), at 5.30 p.m. a total of 21 bodies had been recovered from the Huntly Colliery.
Twenty-one miners were brought to the surface alive including nine from the station shaft, 11 from the west shaft, and one (William Brocklehurst) from the same shaft.
Twenty-four men are still entombed. - ODT, 14.9.1914.
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