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Court Orders Reparations and Fines Following Mining Tragedy

Wednesday 30 January 2008, 10:14AM

By Department of Labour

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GREYMOUTH

Reparations and fines handed were down today by the Greymouth District Court to the company, mine manager and consultant geologist prosecuted following the Tiller Mine tragedy.

Black Reef Mine Ltd, the company that owns Tiller Mine near Greymouth, was ordered to pay reparations of $20,000 and fined $10,000.

The manager of the mine, Gary Haddow, was ordered to pay reparations of $10,000 and fined $2000.

A consultant geologist working at the mine was ordered to pay reparations of $20,000 and fined $10,000. The geologist has name suppression.

The reparations will be paid to Valma McGowan, the widow of West Coast miner Robert McGowan. Mr McGowan, who worked at Tiller Mine, was killed in March 2006 when a large volume of water flooded the mine.

The Department of Labour investigation found that a number of significant failures by Black Reef Mine, Mr Haddow and the consultant geologist resulted in the death of Mr McGowan, and charges were laid under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Black Reef Mine pleaded guilty to two charges relating to the incident.

In December 2007 following a defended hearing, Mr Haddow was found guilty on three charges and the consultant geologist was found guilty on one charge.

The Department again extends its deepest sympathy to Mrs McGowan, and is committed to ensuring that the lessons from this case are shared with the mining industry, so that tragic events like the death of Robert McGowan are not repeated in New Zealand mines.