.1 singing, orchestral ..class,", mechanics, § mechanical drawing. , |-- ■ I'-,; • -T- r-» ~ ■• I The mining disaster which occurred on 4 the West Coast on Thursday morning I last week arid the various incidents I. connected with it have very much 1 monopolised public attention during '% the week. The calamity is the greatest Lof its class that has yet occurred in j; the colony, the only one at all -resem ? bling it having been the explosion in the Kaitangata coal mine in 1879, when, however, only about half, the i number of miners perished. The magitude as well as the suddenness of the Brunner catastrophe was well cal culated to strike consternation to the mind of the community and to excite the strongest feelings of sympathy and benevolence, and accordingly expres sions of such feeling have poured in from all classes from the North Cape to the Bluff. In the face of such events all distinction of classes and creeds are obliterated and the rich and the poor, the Premier and the peasant, the miner and the member of Parlia ment are found on common ground, working together to rescue the perish ing and to mitigate the grief as well as to minister to the necessities of those so suddenly berea\ed. Let us hope that the sympathy that has thus been evoked, and the unity of effort that has been put forth will not entirely pass away with the event that has called it forth but that it will have an abiding influence towards establishing a stronger bond of sym pathy and good-will amongst all classes of the community. In the meanti ne something more than mere sympathy and good-will is required. A large number of widows and father less children have to be provided for and we have no doubt that this pro vision will be cheerfully and fully made. In every district and amongst all classes subscriptions are being taken up towards the common object and the liberality shown does much credit to New Zealand. The .people of the Cluthawill also be afforded an oppor tunity of contributing to the common fund. We need scarcely point out that there are. special reasons why the contri butions from the district should be liberal. Recollections of past favours in times of severe trouble and disaster should induce liberal giving on the present occasion. 