MINER'S BROKEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 39, 15 February 1930, Page 11

MINER'S BROKEN.

FATALITY- W AVOCA* MINE.

HEAVY BLOW FROM A LEVER. J PARTNER'-IN'ENTERPRISER '' V'. * -■ V. IV> <; y O-' * ''■ , '' ■ (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent;) / \^.DARGAVILLE, Friday. ' Evidence at' the inquest showed that tli# .-death, of? aged 28, who wasflcilled' instantaneously at the--Avooa coal m?ne 'yesterday after-riopiij-.was due.;to .aybroJ^en'Jie.ck, resulting.from a blow oh the,right side of the ngck' frbm /a l-ecoilihg' brake-drum, lever. Tift! yictim was a member of the partne?ship ''of- Hikurangiminers engaged - ill coalihiriing at. A'voca, and's- was married last October. His home was at Hikiirangi artd his parents are in Whahgarei. His fathpr-inrlaw, /Mr. John Leigliton, is «one of the partners in the mine enterprise.- "• ' , ' ;' 1 : The inquest'was held before Mr. J. A-; McLean, J district coroner-,- at the mine. > George " Francis Reynell, , one of Nightingale's partners, explained ..' that the latter was operating an engine and friction-hauling winch, on a illtop Hi chains'. from the mouth of the shaft, the Tiiflicliiiiery'being used, to haul trucks, laden with coal to the top of, the hill. At. the- time of the accident Nightingalewas alone, othei' workmen, including witness, being at the mine shaft. Delay in, the return to the shaft mouth from the hilltop of the rake of empty trucks gave the. first indication to the men below that something.'was anijjss. Joseph Lister went-aipc-t'oHhe engine shed to investigate,., and' '"Niffhtingale dead - when witness arrived, atrthe .Engine shed. The wire rope attached to;, the \ trucks was found to *have -.entangled around the Spindle, upon-which the drum revolved.' Too much sl%ckfrope must have; been allowed until the rope had became, suddenly taut under the weight of the trucks as they ran downhill, when the operated bv—deceased must' ha\;'e' \jerked iipwafd* rapidly, stjiking Nightingale on tjip neck beneath the-right Var... • \ -v jggdtia? * 'Lister . . gave .« corroborative evidence. - ; ' * I • , iislDfc: C: *H.- Crump said the- cause of a .broken neck; death- having The injury could. caused bv the - bra.ics-lever in indicated. ~*-ThV returner a verdict of acci-; dental 1