Coroner’s Court Man Killed When Struck By Conveyor In Coalmine

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 17

Coroner’s Court Man Killed When Struck By Conveyor In Coalmine

A fatal accident at the Klondyke Collieries, Coalgate, in which an employee working underground at the thirteenth level was run over by a coalconveyor after it had broken away and travelled down an incline, occurred shortly after the mine manager had told the employee to step back “in case the conveyor comes back,” according to evidence in the Coroner’s Court yesterday. The inquest was being held into the death of Roy Mervyn Hillier, aged 61, a winch driver. Hillier was found by the Coroner (Mr E. B. E. Taylor) to have died in the Christchurch Hospital on April 14 from multiple fractures of the skull and hemorrhages into the brain suffered when he was struck by the conveyor, which had broken away from its towing chain. During the inquest Mr C. B. Atkinson, for the mine manager, objected to the questioning of a witness by Mr Marshall, representing the Inspector of Mines, on the type of knots he had used and precautions taken in fastening the chain to the conveyor. Mr Atkinson said he had been informed a charge would possibly be laid against an employee under the Mines Act, and expressed the fear that Mr Marshall was trying to question the witnesses on factors which would be used in Court proceedings against the miner.

The Coroner said that questioning must be confined to factors relevant to establishing the cause of Hillier’s death

Wilfred John Buchan, a mine deputy, said he was engaged with Hillier in moving the loaded conveyor from the thirteenth to the twelfth level, a distance of 50ft up the mine dip, which was an incline of about 30 degrees He fastened the conveyor to the skip and then walked up to the twelfth level. Shortly after, as the conveyor was being hauled up, he heard an employee cry “Look out,” and saw Hillier lying about eight feet below where he had last seen him He said the conveyor was tied to the skip by a loop, followed by two halfhitches for the loop. The halfhitches were still in the chain after the accident, and the loop was still intact.

Barry Smith, a mine deputy, said he heard what sounded like the chain slip and saw the conveyor run back, strike Hillier and run over him. and continue down the dip.

The mine manager, Forde Sydney Connew. said he was assisting Smith and Buchan in moving the conveyor up to level 12 “Just before it moved away Hillier was standing in the dip in fevel 13 and I told him to ‘step back in case the conveyor comes back,’” he said. Immediately after this the conveyor came loose and ran back, passing over Hillier. CAR’S PLUNGE INTO LAKE While driving back to Glenthorne station after a farewell function for a former New Zealand Electricity Department employee at Lake Coleridge settlement early in the morning of April 23 two shepherds were trapped in their car and drowned when the vehicle rolled 40ft down a bank and come to rest in Lake Selfe, almost completely submerged. it was revealed in evidence. The. two shepherds were John Adams, aged 19. and Noel Ashton, aged 23. They were each found by the Coroner to have diied from asphyxia by drowning when the car, owned by Adams, accidentally left the road at Lake Selfe. Richard Logan Wylie said that after the farewell function given him. he invited the two shepherds and others to his home. Adams did not have more than three or four beers durihg the night, and left with Ashton to drive back to the station at 4 a.m Raymond Smallman, a rabbiter. said he was driven back to his hut after the function by Adams, who was sober at the time. Hie two shepherds then continued on towards Glenthorne Station.

Edward Porter, an Electricity Department employee stationed at the Harper river diversion, gave evidence of being notified of the accident by George Anthony Eldon, who discovered the submerged car. and taking a boat to the scene. The two bodies were found inside, and recovered. The bank dropped away sharply at this point, and the car could have rolled over several times, said the witness.

Victor Maurice Preston, a vehicle inspector, who examined the car, said he could not find any

defect which would contribute to the accident. To a question, he said if the muffler and exhaust had been missing before the accident, exhaust gases could have entered the car. Dr. C. T. B. Pearson, a pathologist, said he did not think the quantities of alcohol consumed by Adams, ascertained from samples, would have any effect on him. Ashton was a “borderline case.” RIFLE ACCIDENT

Robert Peter Sims, aged 23. a wireless mechanic at the R.N.Z.A.F Station, Wigram, was found to have died at the station on April 18 from cerebral lacerations and fractures of the skull resulting from a rifle wound.

Evidence was given by John Brian Joyce, a radio fitter, of having accompanied Sims earlier in the day .to the Cust motor-cycle races. Sims took a .22 rifle to shoot rabbits on the way. After two events they went to the Cust Hotel for some drinks. They then returned to Wigram, and later went to the Prebbleton Hotel with another serviceman. They were there until 6 p.m., and then called at the home of Sergeant N. M. Hurley. The witness said he took Sims back to camp. He was showing sagns of liquor. Sims was handling his rifle, which was loaded, and Joyce ejected the bullet and placed the rifle on Sims’s bed. He then left, and while driving awav he heard what he thought could have been a rifle shot. Sims was later found tn his room with a bullet wound bethe eyes, and clutching’ the rifle in his hands with the barrel pointing to his head.