NEWS ROUNDUP — Westray inquiry costs near $1 million

Sixteen parties have been granted status before the commission established to investigate the Westray coal mine disaster in Nova Scotia earlier this year.

The public inquiry, to begin its hearings Oct. 19, will examine events leading up to the May 9 explosion at the Plymouth, N.S., mine where 26 miners died underground.

A Canadian Press story says that about $920,000 will be spent prior to the commencement of the hearings. More than half of that total will go toward legal services, according to a 3-page progress report issued by Judge Peter Richard.

The miners’ union and the families of the dead miners will receive $260,000 for legal expenses. Inquiry preparations (legal costs) are expected to total $280,000. And $309,000 will go to mining consultants and specialists, in part, for the 120 interviews they undertook with miners and rescue teams. Also, the cost to assemble, review and index 200 cartons’ worth of documents collected since mid-May was $70,000.