ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 10

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

FATAL GELIGNITE EXPLOSION. An inquest on the body of Frederick Oliver Bates, was opened by Mr H. J. Dixon, 'S.M., district coroner, yesterday, at the residence of Mr John Bates, Kaka Point. Constable Weir (Balclutha) represented the police, and Inspector A. Whitley, the Mines Department. John Hartley Bates, farmer, Kaka Point, identified the body as that of his brother, who was fifty-four years of age, and was employed by the Clutha County Council. Deceased had been used to explosives off and on for years. He had not seen his brother thawing gelignite, but knew that a lot of men thawed it over a fire or in a small pan over a fire. He had never seen a proper water-jacket warming pan. William Oliver Bates, labourer, soil of deceased, deposed that lie had been working with him when the accident occurred, witness being also employed by the Clutha County- Council. Alter luncheon on Thursday he took the dray and started filling in ruts on the road 60ft away. Deceased said he was going to warm gelignite for a blast in the afternoon. He had lit a first just before witness left. There was a dish there like a cooking dish, that he warmed the gelignite in. He had warmed it on other occasions. Three or four minutes after witness loft him he heard a report. He called out, and not getting an answer, ran back, and found his father lying on the ground and his clothes on fire. Ho put the fire out and ran for help. The deceased did not speak or move. To Inspector Whitley: He could not say how many plugs of gelignite deceased was warming. He had seen him warm gelignite before by putting it in his cap. All the gelignite lately was hard and frozen, and his father had complained to him a wont it. James Crawford Shore, laborer, Kaka P.oint, employed by the Clutha County Council, deposed to finding the body, and telephoning for a doctor and the police. At this stage the inquest was adjourned till next Wednesday, at Balclutha.

DIED IN HER SLEEP

Josephine White, single, aged fifty, residence at 93 Melbourne street, South Dunedin, retired to bed at 10.30 last night, and at (i o’clock this morning was found dead there by her sister, who stated that tho deceased bad complained of shortness of breath. Deceased had not been attended by a doctor, and an inquest was held at the residence at noon. A verdict was returned that deceased had died of heart failure, accelerated by a chest complaint.