THE INQUEST.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5484, 14 March 1910, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held- at dmatfi late residence, Papamoa, on 9timk afternoon, before Mr T. £f 2 coroner, of Tauninga, when tWii lowing wituesses were examined !£ Dennis Collins dep sed that bti* employed in the Te Puke qtwrri& the deceased on Friday Int. Alg 3 o'clock, or a Jittle after, ti*jv* engaged in drilling a hole in Um^ of the quarry and were workingata 12 feet from the base. WitMNtt turning the drill and deeeand n engaged striking it. A small pk«4 stone became detached abort, wfc* upon deceased looked round andiW back, and a larger piece of MoMH ing simultaneously s'ruck Mattel left shoulder. The decetteH ftatti and fell off the ledge where fini worliiug. He fell about 'IS fc striking his head upon a qoitttMr detached boulders, lhu slofia Mi struck deceased followed him u\*il and rolled on to him ; its w^f* between 201bs and 301b* $* deceased was working the ledgtid ba about 4 feet wide fijni thalii the quarry to the outer edge. It j| ness's opinion the blow from tkriß and his endeavours to dodge thefdl debris caused deceased to Vmi\ balance end fall over the edga, Ji ceased was in charge cf the qtmi operations, and was v eajawi quarryinun us over witness nA with. After deceased fell vim picked him up and found he wwfaa He then carried him to a coafafci position. Noticed a wound on taa i his head, a bruise on the left ik i the head, and that his left ani ■ useless. The injured man lapniii unconsciousness almost inMojfe|[ and witness went at once for iMance. Dv Brittin arrived tn fatfll to 45 minutes and examined 4mtt( and then gave instructions for til » moval to the nearest house. Wm Messrs B. Williams (senior), JUj» liams, D. Mulyon and W. BtiidW deceased to the bouse of Mr & VI liams (junior), and upon arrival a* found that the injured man wallni Kichard Henry WilliaaM itfd that he was the contractor for tftl £■ cavation of the stone from tfct jpif where deceased was employe!. &• ceased was employed by witiaH"^ was considered to be an eiMiip and capable quarrynian. DertM had been connected with fHH^I operations at the quarry ewr 4psi was first opened He wtt •-•P* careful man and witness did aoif aider that an accident could WMkJp any neglect or want of foraf^M his part. Witness wai Mfl£Jl* the day carting boulden WbI 1 quarry to the Te Puke ceaMMT • During his absence on on* m'&* trips the accident happened. Dt F. G. M. Brittiu «Ut«d *** was called ou Friday afternMt tftJi the deceased. He reached tb» Jg* of the accident as aoon M y**^* Found deceased screaming KJ&JW pulse very weak, two larg« Jfjjjjj wounds on the scalp, pupibdifaflM'tf* insusceptible to light. Thaw^tWl.l* abrased wound on the chart, ft ■■ bruise at the bottom 1 of the •bfc^Jj and an injury to the left kii*- «• cause of death was hemorrhage #J* brain. When witness srriTedd*^

wag dying. . ' Constable Btackpoole depoirt «• about 5 p.m. on March 11 h« ••£ formed time John Bird had beao ■>■ iv the Te Puke quarry. Piw"* l there at once, and on the w»j <<>^ tamed that deceased had begijjfi* from the quarry to Mr WHW* house. Went to the house iw «•• the man dead. Thero wm •J*£ long and deep wound on top head, a sefere bruise on one »jd««* l head, injury to the cheat and «*■■* Witness proceeded to the acen« <*^ accident iHih Mr Collins M^JJ^ Mr Colics, who was with dep**** Jj thttimetof the accident, pointed** the positions that he «nd occupied (when drilling at thetta** the occurrence. , The cotoner brought in thefou***jt veidict : VJhat John Bird died Wf hemcrrha^e on the brain, caused t^ stone stritoug him on the held <Wi" he was yorking in the P«p*"" quarry, Te IV ke