MINE FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 253, 26 October 1933, Page 17

MINE FATALITY.

THAMES CLAIM, ACCIDENT.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

THAMES, Wednesday.

Further evidence was taken by the coroner, Mr.' W. Bongard, yesterday afternoon concerning the death of Athol John George Connelly, miner, who was killed last Thursday by falling down a face cut on the Kuranui Golden Hills claim. Mr. C. J. Garland appeared for the p New Zealand Insurance Company and the Kuranui Company, and Mr. A. G. T. Bryan for dependents of deceased. Dr. J. B. Liggins said that when he arrived on the scene he found abrasions on the chin and forehead and numerous bruises and cuts, but no broken bones. In his opinion death was due to compression of the chest, causing suffocation. Basil Godfrey Bower, who was working with deceased at the time, stated they had picked a lot of dirt down. The usual procedure when there was a sufficient quantity was to turn the water on to take the dirt to the mill. He and deceased, .went to the bottom of the rill to pick material away, as water was flowing over it. Deceased called, "Look out, she's coming." Witness stuck his pick in the bank and swung clear, deceased, who was a little below, attempted to do the same, but witness eaw him sliding down the rill. He went over the dip. He appeared to be in a sitting position for 20ft, then went over the drop and witness lost sight of him. He went down and found deceased in the slurry at the bottom, only his head and arms showing. He appeared to be dead. About a ton of slurry came down. Hopes were supplied, but had not been used for a considerable time, witness said. He did not consider it dangerous working in that position without a rope. Nothing had been said to him by the management as to the advisability of using ropes. His opinion was that had the deceased had a rope the accident could not have happened. The only safety measure was to drive a pick into the bank and hold on. In reply to Mr. Bryan, witness said that unless some safety precautions were taken the same thing would happen again. Replying to Mr. Garland, witness said that prior to the accident he did not consider ropes necessary. After further evidence had been given by employees, the inquest was adjourned until Monday.