Latest updates: Pike River tragedy

The Pike River miners' name tags continue to hang on the board at the mine. Photo / Supplied

5.11pm: Prime Minister John Key and Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand will be among the key speakers at a national memorial service for the lost Pike River miners this week.

Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn, and Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall, who was the public face of the rescue operation, will also speak.

Musical items will be performed by kapa haka groups, bands and choirs - all West Coasters.

As many as 7000 are expected to attend.

4.58pm: Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall has denied claims from an ex-Pike River miner that concerns about methane gas levels and ventilation were ignored at the West Coast mine, but acknowledges there were constant issues with gas levels.

Ex-Pike River miner Brent Forrester, who now lives in Brisbane, has said the mine always had ventilation issues, with "off the chart" gas levels, and safety concerns were often ignored.

"Ignored, never. Worked on, constantly," Mr Whittall told TVNZ's Q&A programme today.

Mr Whittall said there were issues with gas from the beginning and managers had to learn how quickly gas was given off and could accumulate at Pike River, which was "moderately gassy" in the eastern part being worked, and adapt ventilation accordingly.

"You're working with mother nature and every mine is different, and even different parts of the mine are different."

But safety concerns were never ignored by management, although he could not vouch for possible errors made by an individual.

Mr Whittall said parts of the mine were continuously monitored for methane, with data electronically fed back to the control room 24 hours a day.

4.22pm: Kiwis in Ireland can sign a book of condolence in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

A memorial service, open to the public, will take place there at at 3.30pm local time.

The reflection will be given by Fr Brian O'Connell S.M. of Christchurch.

3.33pm: The lawyer that represented the families of the Cave Creek tragedy - just 10-12km away in Paparoa national park - has already been approached by West Coasters to prepare for a Pike River commission of inquiry.

Grant Cameron was the families' lawyer at the Cave Creek Commission of inquiry at Greymouth in 1995. That inquiry found systemic failure in the collapse of the Cave Creek platform that killed 14 people. Inquiry commissioner Graeme Noble said it would be unfair to single out any one individual to be solely responsible for the tragedy.

The commission made four recommendations, all of which have been enacted - the most notable being that the Crown should lose its exemption from prosecution for offences against the Building and Occupational Safety and Health Acts.

Cameron would not say which West Coasters had approached him but they were understood to be closely connected to the Pike River tragedy.

"There seems to be considerable concern around the issue of whether the police somehow prevented Mines Rescue people from immediately accessing the mine," Cameron said today.

3.02pm: Another explosion rocked the Pike River Coal mine near Greymouth shortly before 2pm today.

There were no injuries from today's explosion and people working near the entrance to the mine were moved away from the area for their safety.

2.14pm: There has been a moving church ceremony this morning for the 29 Pike River miners and contractors.

Newstalk ZB reported about 100 parishioners at the Cobden Anglican church near Greymouth met for their regular Sunday service this morning but there was nothing normal about the circumstances.

Reverend Tim Mora conducted the ceremony. This Sunday's theme was supposed to be joy but he decided earlier this week it would be hope. Following the second explosion on Wednesday, though, he decided to change it again to love.

He then placed red angels on the tree with the names of the lost miners and contractors and other family members who've died throughout the year or can't be home for Christmas.

During the placing of the angels, music played with a moving slide show depicting images from the past week. Parishioners then hugged each other and members of the media present.

1.19pm: Police Minister Judith Collins said it took Wednesday's explosion for some people to realise that Superintendent Gary Knowles - the police official in charge of the operation - was making the right calls at Pike River.

"Most of the armchair critics had worked out what had actually happened and just how massively dangerous this mine is," she told Newstalk ZB today.

12.22pm: Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said a Royal Commission of inquiry into the Pike River mine disaster should be set up in two parts.

"Part one would focus on the specific causes of the tragedy to give closure to families and guidance for the future operation of the mine," Dr Norman told NZPA.

"Part two would focus on the related issue of the broader safety and regulation of underground mining and could take longer to report back."

Prime Minister John Key will take his proposal to Cabinet tomorrow.

9.50am: The Prime Minister wants a Royal Commission to inquire into the Pike River Mine disaster.

John Key told TVNZ's Q+A that the lost miners' families deserve to know exactly why their loved ones died, and demanding a Royal Commission will be a "demonstration to the 29 families that we are taking this absolutely seriously that we are determined to get answers for those families and we will leave no stone unturned."

Mr Key will take his proposal to Cabinet this week, inquiries are also expected by the Department of Labour, police and the Coroner.

9.20am: Auckland's Holy Trinity Cathedral will host a memorial service on Friday night, so the city has a chance to share its grief over the Pike River disaster.

The service will be inter-denominational and open to everyone. Auckland Council is helping coordinate the event with church and civic leaders.

Mayor Len Brown told Newstalk ZB it is important that Aucklanders are able to express their sadness and empathy with friends and family on the West Coast.

The service will be led by Anglican and Catholic Church leaders, and will feature representatives from other faiths and the wider Auckland community

8.11am: All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw sent a message to the Pike River mining community, moments after his side defeated Wales at Cardiff this morning.

"It's only a little bit we can do," McCaw told Sky Sport about the All Blacks' 37-25 victory at Millennium Stadium.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected."

7.57am: More than three million dollars has now been raised for the families affected by the Pike River mine tragedy.

Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn told Newstalk ZB donations to two trusts have come from all over the world.

"We're appealing to people to keep sending the money in and make the load they'll (the miners' families) have on their shoulders in the future just a little bit lighter."

Mr Kokshoorn has also called for all West Coasters to come home for Thursday's memorial service, where each of the 29 men will have a separate table dedicated to him.

7.28am: The loss of 29 men in the Pike River mine explosions has some West Coast miners debating their future while wives, girlfriends and parents wonder if their men should make a change of career, the Greymouth Star reported.

One father said that seeing the devastation on the faces of the parents who lost their sons in the mine had certainly "brought it home" to him.

"What parent would not be worried? It hits home when you see that, when boys don't come back from their shift," he said.

6.13am: The All Blacks and the Welsh rugby team, their officials and thousands of people packed into Millennium Stadium in Cardiff have stood for a moment's silence in honour of the Pike River miners.

Nobody broke the silence until a whistle blast cut through the air at the 60 second mark.

Some members of the crowd were moved to tears.

6.00am: Good morning, and welcome back.

This morning the All Blacks are set to play Wales, a proud coal mining nation, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff where the Welsh Rugby Union is taking donations at the ground for a Pike River relief fund.

The All Blacks will play with white armbands, and a minute's silence will be observed before kickoff.

The Pike River community has been on the minds of the All Blacks and the NZ Rugby Union this week. Union president John Sturgeon is himself a member of the West Coast mining community.

"I've been involved with the side for seven years and it's been the most difficult event to handle," All Blacks coach Graham Henry told Sky Sport in the moments before kickoff.

- NZHERALD STAFF, NEWSTALK ZB, NZPA