NIHOTUPU FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 146, 21 June 1901, Page 5

NIHOTUPU FATALITY.

DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT.

RECOVERY OF THE BODIES.

Further del ails are now available of the lamentable accident which occurred yesterday at Nihotupu, by which two'men, Huf?h Fulton and William Smythe, lost their lives. The bodies of the unfortunate men were recovered after several hours arduous and dangerous work, and from indications they must have been killed instantly. ~..-,.„

WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

The contract on which the accident occurred is No. 12, and covers that portion of the work in connection with the' Auckland auxiliary water supply which is near Quinn's Creek. The contract was held by Fulton, who lives at Kaukapakapa, and some fourteen men were employed. The scene of the accident is a narrow, precipitous g-ully, about 100 ft. deep.

THE ACCIDENT. Fulton, and four of his men were excavating the 12ft. track required out of the bank, when an immense body of earth and stone, upwards of 200 tons, came away Suddenly. Smythe seems to have observed with the other men indications of the slip', but for some reason or other he became confused, and rah under the slip. In-doing so he collided with Fulton, who, through ha.ving lost the sight of one eye, was at a disadvantage. This may even Jiave led to the collision. When last seen Fulton was being struck by a large boulder. The othei men, V. Parker, Harry Rosier, and Ernest Goltier, managed to get ov.t of way just in time, .Rosier, who was working between Fulton and Smythe at the time, having a miraculous escape. The slip falling the whole 100 ft., piled up on the bottom to a height of some 12ft. of solid debris, ts.pering off towards the top.

RECOVERING THE BODIES.

Word was immediately sent to the next contractor, Mr Currie, who has charge, of Nor. 6 and 7 contracts. Mr Currie at once got his men together (about 22), and the work^f clear ing away the fallen debris was commenced. Other men, employees of the City Council, also gave every assistance, the work of rescue being under the direction of Mr M. Blair, Clerk, of the Works. The work was carried out systematically, the men, working in short relays. The task was an arduous and dangerous one, but everyone worked with the knowledge that life or death might depend upon the result of their labours, and after six hours of exhausting work a hat, which proved to belong to Fulton, was found by the gang under Messrs Currie and Lang. The greatest care was then taken in removing further, debris, as the rescuers felt that the bodies were close at hand. A few minutes later the body of Smythe was found. The unfortunate' young man was lying on "his back, and had evidently been killed at once by a blow upon the temple. After another half hour's work the body of Fultjpn was found lying about three feet further Tip the creek., Fulton was also lying on his back, and seemed to have met with an equally sudden death. The two bodies were removed to the' camp, where the men live who are employed on the contract.

Mounted Constable Ramsay arrived from town just after the bodies had been found, and took of them. A little later Constable Creen, of Avondale, arrived. THE VICTIMS. Mr Hugh Fulton was a well-known contractor in the North, and a thoroughly experienced, workman. He resided at Kaukapakapa, and leaves a wife and nine children. Some years ago Mr Fulton1 nearly lost his life at a contract, owing to a blast going off unexpectedly. His sight was injured, and his mate on that occasion lost his arm. His widow is a daughter of Captain Dawson, of Kaukapakapa.

William Smythe is a young fellow of 19 years, and resided at Nihotupu, where he and his father were wellknown. '

Mr H. M. Wilson, engineer in charge of the works, went out to the scene last night.