Originally Posted by
sideline
If I recall DOC - at the time under the control of a Labour Govt (Minister of Conservation: Chris Carter). Somewhere I recall that there was the issue that no vehicular access track to the ventilation shaft was allowed to be bulldozed. As a result, everything had to be helicoptered in, drilling rig, materials, casing and later all the fuel for the generator to keep ventilation going. And, in bad weather when helicopters couldn't fly, the only access to the ventilation shaft would be by trekking in on foot for several hours through the Raparoa bush. All that money spent on helicopters could have paid towards a second ventilation shaft or other safety measures.
It truly amazes me what has NOT been examined during the judicial aftermath of the mine explosions. It does make me wonder whether we can place any faith in the findings of those courts or whether they are merely politically correct whitewashes and witchhunts.