Pike River Coal mine donates $500k to families

File photo / NZH

Funds to support the families of 29 men killed at the West Coast's Pike River mine following two violent explosions in the past week have been kick-started with a million dollar contribution from the company involved and its major shareholder.

Pike River Coal mine started a trust fund for the men's families today with a $500,000 pledge - a contribution major shareholder New Zealand Oil and Gas is matching. Other companies that work with Pike River have also pledged to support the fund.

The Pike River Miners' Relief Fund, managed by four trustees, would be used to pay for support and other services, Pike River chairman John Dow said.

Donations could be made to the fund by direct credit to 06-0501-0121759-02 or by post to Pike Miners' Relief Fund, PO Box 2793, Wellington.

The fund, a charitable trust, was today registered with the charities commission.

ANZ bank yesterday donated $100,000 into an account it opened to receive donations for the miners' families.

People can donate at ANZ or National Bank branches (account number 01 1841 0052483 00).

BNZ bank also set up an account, 02 0844 0074501-00, and donated $100,000.

The ASB bank said it would be making a substantial donation to the account it set up, 12-3205-0146728-00.

The Parents Centres New Zealand also started an account fund to receive donations for a trust fund to support the families of miners who were soon to be fathers or had small children.

Donations could be made to ASB account 12 3142 0161284 01.

Hurunui District Council started collection points at council offices and libraries for donations and messages of support for the miners' families.

Many people in the area came from the West Coast or had friends and relatives there, Hurunui Mayor Winton Dalley said.

The council wanted to provide some tangible support, as it had been able to do after the Christchurch earthquake in September.

"And in what is clearly a very difficult time, we would like the people of Greymouth, Runanga and Reefton to also know our thoughts are with them.

"But in this case, where lives have been lost, it is hard to find a practical way of helping or expressing our heartfelt sympathies to this devastated community in any real meaningful way."

The council would send donations and messages collected to the Greymouth District Council.

- NZPA