MARAMARUA MINING FATALTY

I _MQ____T ON THE "VICTIM. 1:'.'!"-■ • '— ..-' The inquest concerning the death of Herbert William Ferguson, who was Hi killed in the recent milling accident at Kg tlie Union Collieries, Maramarua, near fj- Mercer, was continued, at Mercer yesterday afternoon, before Sir. P. G. Ewing, ""'J.P., acting coroner. Mr. Bennie represented the Mines Department, Constable Waterman the police, Mr. Tattley the fi Union Collieries Company, and Mr. Grun- _\ dy the Waikato Miners' Union. -ie In continuance of his evidence, the I '< .witness John Joseph Quigg stated to a 5g juryman that he was a practical miner 3 with five years' experience. He had not considered that the roof was absolutely 78 . safe .when he agreed with the deputy mjp (Dimmock) that a plank should he IS brought to sound it. He had carried |8 headings at greater heights than this one, and considered the place where he |B was working to be perfectly safe. 3j Don't you think it would be safer to ISpF carry a bord at a lower level so that X it could he satisfactorily tested at times? —I decline to answer that. It is not for mc to say. Do you know when a proper inspection ©f the mine was made? —No. M 'j ____e___€-_<-____sLE EVIDENCE." 'M ' Robert Augustus Eae, miner, who witS nessed the accident, stated there was M no indication of the impending fall. Fer--9 gusbn had spoken to him a few minutes M previously, but, after the accident, the M witness did not see deceased's body. He H did not see Ferguson at the time of the accident, and did not know what he was doing there. If To a Juryman: The shot fired by Quigg II might ha-?e shaken the roof where the fall occurred. During the three days he had been working in this place, he had both seen falling, and heard that flakes of coal had fallen in this part of the |f ihine. Were you surprised to hear of this ■jjj accident--- was surprised to hear that ,7 this man had been killed, although I had been expecting that somebody would be hurt. I was surprised to hear so Kg . much coal had fallen. ft. A Juryman: Did yon expect an accif'dentl —I fully expected there would be one in or about that place. ■"Mr Tattley: For what reason?—Be-=«a-_-e of the amount of coal which fell S-- ■' after shots. HpJ Do you mean to give the impression that the mine is dangerous?— Certainly 5 not. How much coal have you seen falling? I have seen pieces the size of your 8~ fist. There was also a fall which broke some tools on the Tuesday or Wednesday night before the accident. "Witness further stated that he conIsidered the mine was perfectly safe, and he had never reported anything as being dangerous. He had not expected a serious accident. ' The -witness, on. it being pointed out by the Coroner that his remark concerning the safety of the mine could not he Tecon-Hed with that as to his expectation of an accident, said that he would adhere to his statement that he con--7' sidered the mine was safe. He was ac- _ cordingly cautioned by the Coroner to S be more careful in his deposition. To Mr. Grundy: The fall which broke 7; the tools occurred from two to four yards 7 from the scene of the accident. If THE DEPUTY'S VERSION. Thomas Dimmock, deputy at the mine, stated that he entered the mine on the morning of the accident about 7 o'clock to examine "the workings. Visiting Qni<*_ first, he found nothing unusual 7 there, although several matters requirling improvement in other places in the . mine were duly noted. In making his report, after informing the men as to 7 requirements, he set forth that it was safe. On returning to the mine John Quigg told him that he needed a longer ladder, and probably a plank, saying that he did not consider the roof was '* too good." Witness brought a ladder, and -- Quigg tried the roof with a bar. It sounded slightly "dr____y." .After test. § ing again, Quigg gave his verdict that it .-wee just shelly, from which witness gatherod that the roof was practically safe. - Trying in other places, Quigg finally -. said that it was not so bad after all. No -other comments were made to witness . aboi it the matter that morning. Ferf 7 gnsoii was found to be missing after the \f aecidi _nt, and was afterwards discovered j§ .with _a large lump of coal partly leaning 9r on hisi. head. To Constable "Waterman: Quigg only i made «; he one reference to the plank. '"- So tli at he asKed for a plank, and it 7 .was" not.'- brought to him? —Yes. He I- evidently was satisfied that it was not ■7'- needed. 7 ■■ 7-7 Witness* further contradicted Quigg's evidence - "ith regard to the latter, askf;-. - -ing for tlie plank for the purpose of ! sounding tl ie roof, and to his (witness') 8 /. 7 saying he 'would bring one. Mr Benni c: Did you go up the ladder in Quigg's-place on the morning of tho |. : accident in iiceordance with regulations? • ' —No. I stoiod on the coaL I can fre- ;{■■ quently tell from appearance. Wr" Some disci ission here arose as to i"-: whether. the ..Act required sounding as ; : well as viewing, Mr Bennie holding that I , coal .night appear safe when really not IV so. From fil'elong experience he could |7 sometimes feeil vibration without even I - hearing the sound. Witness expressed the opinion tha.t the fall was caused by I* - the effects of Sic shot. Mr Bennie: Were yon aware that it ;is your duty to have ready these planks ladders, etc., if required-!—I don't see I that a plank wo_i_d have been any use. 1.-7-7.• -Yet he asked for it. These things I 'should be in the mine. If that plank I -had been obtained the accident might I never have happened. v ■ Witness here deposed that none of the I four-feet of coal reported by Quigg as "not so had" was amongst "that which fell. He thought there had been a second fall after the deceased had been re- ! moved. The inquest -was then adjourned until to-day. —, — r •'"■'- TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. t. . ~^— MERCER, this day. When the inquest was resumed to-day Dimmock- deposed to ~Mr. Bennie that the first fall, which caused the damage, came from part of the new workings, and from four-feet of the roof of the old. Guigg had examined this four feet. k..' To Mr- Grundy: Witness thought: that % suitable ladders and planks should be in the mine if required, but they Thad not needed planks at' Maramarua yet. - Wit- - ness had hot examined the root himself, as Gui mT was a practical man. Three days previously ___dey-had Tbeen slightlv'injured by- a small-fan.' There were I plenty of ladders and/planks at the niine" itself. 7He 7nad7 seen ; : an old shot bole in the roof about "six. inches "deep, tio_tigakitTfiM anything todo -> To -ifrlßk Ta " r -^«,satisfied th« V "- %goodMni»

own. There were planks in the mine, and the nearest would J be two chains away. He could have brought it in five minutes. Deceased must have been standing towards the middle of the side of the skip. Mr. Bennie: It is not disputed that he was in his proper working place. Mr. Tattley: But Ido dispute it. | Witness then deposed "that Ferguson's duties did not take him there, and he did not know what he was doing. To Mr. Bennie: Ferguson and other truckers often assisted each other, and it was understood that deceased might go down and help if he wished. Deceased's presence at the scene of the accident was not against his duties. Witness stated to Mr. Tattley that the deceased had, from the position of the body, evidently not been trucking at the time of the accident. Mr. Tattley: If he had been atending to his duties woudl he have been'where he was found? Witness: His duties might have taken him to that lay-bye, near the truck, which was under the fall. To a juryman: It would be impossible to make a complete examination of the mine and the whole roof where the men were working every morning. On the juryman proceeding to ask more questions on this point, the Coroner decided that the matter was irrelevant.