FATAL ACCIDENT.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 77, 6 October 1880, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

Piers Warburton, Esq. District Coroner, held Jin inquest at the Clarendon Hotel. J?a\mei'3ton;^ir^"n~ttrrt)Oxly-of-Willianr-lf--.vine^ a bushman, who met his death upon the previous clay by the falling of a tree, while working m the Eairanga Blo«;k. The following: Jury was :empannellsd :— Thomas Manson (Foreman) Henry Burrell, William Lowe, Edward Sherritt, Robert King, John Swift, Charles Hoskings, Fred Mowlem, Andrew M'Dowell, Edward Cob lins, Richard Relf, Eli*nne"Emile Metard, Arthur James Clark and Herman Wollerman : Alter the body had been viewed, the following evidence was taken. William Buiober deposed : lam a la-' borer haviugr no fixed abode, but at present working m the bush, I have known the deceased for the last eight months, and he went by the name of William Irvine Yesterday * afternoon, at about two o'clock, there were five of us working on the No. 7 Road, Eairanga Block. The wovk consisted of stumping, falling and clearing. Irvine and a man • named JLllerby wei-e at a tree m the centre of the road, while a man, named Walter. Baker was falling another tree about three quarters of a chain aiway. The tree that Baker wa3 faHing"fell first, but it did not go the way he thought it would, but went towards where Irvine and Allerby were working. Directly the tree was going I heard Baker shout out that.it was coming back, and to stand clear. Allerby got clear away, and so did deceased,' but the latter apparently became joonfused, hesitated and finally ran directly under the falling tree. It tell fair upon him, and the top struck him. Hud be kept a few feet farther away - he 1 would' have been clear of it. In ray opinion Baker was not m the least to blame, as to all appearance the tree would fall clear of the party working. Deceased was a ' native of Ireland, about thirty years of age, and his father is a farmer somewhere near the River Shannon, but I don't know m, what county. Ha. was a single man. . .= George Allerby examined ; lama settler residing on the B.ingifcikei Line. I hare known the deceased for the past four monthi. I knew him by the name of William Irvine, and he signed the contract Jin thatjname." The deceased and I were yesterday about two o'clock chopping a tree. He was at the fiont of the tree, and I was at the back: and 'a war from the tree that fell. A man, named Bakex*, was chopping another tree about fif teea yards away. Baker sung out cc Look out." I ran one way and deceased ran another. I did| not , notice anything until I heard that a tree had fallen on him, and the next I saw of him was under the tree. He was then quite' dead. I have heard deceased say he was not married. Baker started the tree to go into the bush, but it came back on him. Deceased had plenty of time to get out of the way, but I did not see him, as my back was towards him. '" Walter ißaker deposed.; I aa\ a tattler r»- ; aiding on the Rangitikei Line. I knew the deceased:by the name. of William Irvine. Iwas falling a tree near him yesterday. I intended to fall up and down the, line. We usually chop them to fall' clear of the road, and I did so on this occasion to fall awivy from deceased, but it came back and fell towards where deceased was- working. I gave notice at the earliest moment te "Look out." Deceased got well away and Allerby as well, he then took his axe and walked to the side of the road, and taking a second r thought he. ran to where the tree f,ell.- -I could not mak.e.out, what induced him to run back to irieet the l tree, as lie was. perfectly unfa where "he 6rst stood. The. outskirts of the tree fell on him and he was killed on the spot. His watch and coat have not yet been found, and it is jusjt possible that m running towards the tree it was with the object of securing them. . ; George Innes examined : I am the postmaster at Palraerston North. I remember letters passing through, my hands directed ItQ " Wijliam Ir»rin."' J am. po,sitiY« fch.%t is

the way the name was spelt. I have seen the body and recognise it- as that of the person who used to call for letters >for "William Irwin." ; i ; • After a short deliberation, the Jury returned the following verdict, -.—"That the deceased, William. Jrwin, was accidentally killed by the falling of a tree w^Uej working on No. 7 road of the ' Kairanga Block, I on. the 4th day of October, 1880 andy that ,' no blame can be attached to anyone, working with him." " '•■' '