DEATH OF MINER

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1923, Page 7

DEATH OF MINER

Due To Fall Of Coal CORONER RETURNS VERDICT An inquest into the death of Andre v Baker, the miner who was killed in the Morgan Scam of the State Mine, last Thursday, was opened yesterday in the Mines Office, Dunollie, before the Coroner, Mr W. Meldrum. Senior-Ser-geant P. P. McCarthy conducted proceedings on behalf of the po’ice. Mr Thomas Feary (president) appeared o i behalf of the union. Mr I. A. Janies (manager) watched proceedings on behalf of the mine management. Mr C. J. Strongman, Inspector of Mines, and Mr John O’Connell (workmen’s inspector) also watched proceedings.

Dr Allan Bruce Roy said that at about 3.45 p.m. on July 19, he examined the body of the deceased, Andrew O. Baker, at Rewanui. He found superficial scratches on the right cheek and right upper arm. There was extensive bruising over the left lower ribs in front and fracture of the eighth, ninth and 10th ribs. Behind, on the left side, there was a bruise opposite the second and third lumbar vertebrae. There was also an incomplete dislocation between the first and second lumbar vertebrae. Shock following on the injuries would have been sufficient to cause death. The man’d lower chest had been strongly compressed, as if the deceased had been squeezed. The compression on the spleen and left kidney would have increased the amount of shock.

Roy Patrick, working mate of the deceased, said that he : nd deceased had resumed work after lunch, half-an-hour before the accident took place. They had filled two trucks, when they stopped for about 10 minutes, deceased saying to witness ‘ 1 We’ll put a couple of props up; it will help to strengthen the place.” They put up one prop, and then witness was sent down the jig for another prop. Witness was returning : long the jig with the prop when the fall took place. He would have been about half-way along. Witness rushed up to where Baker was and saw him lying at the bottom of the jig-prop, a wooden bar pinning him down. Coal and stone wns also on

top of him. Witness spoke to him, but got no reply. Witness tried to lift the bar and then called out for help. The trucker was the first man on the scene. In a few minutes there were about 20 miners there. About half-an-hour later deceased was got out. The deceased was groaning for a short time, but soon ceased. Deceased did not speak at all. The body was brought out of the mine. The fall might have been caused by an extra pressure. When they left the place it was quite still. When they returned the place was also still. They had not fired a shot that day. A 1 ‘ bump” c: used by the removal of pill: rs elsewhere might have caused the fall. They were taking all the usual precautions. To C. J. Strongman (Acting-Inspec-tor of Mines): The shot fired the night before had weakened the “stump,” and brought down coal from the “rib.” They broke through the goaf rib going up. Witness did not notice any evidence of “bottom weight.” He w: s sure the floor did not rise, whilst they were there, and “swing the sets. ’ ’

To T. Feary (president of the union): There might have been a fall from above that upset the “legs,” but witness did not see evidence of that. Deceased carried his lamp in his mouth, and the fall might have put the light out. This would have left the man in danger. “The lamp was of an obsolete kind,” said Mr Feary. The Coroner: You could have that put down. The lamps used were not

adequate. Mr James: Oh, no! Oh, no! Witness, continuing, said that in his mind the light would go out very easily. They had three lamps, but one had gone out. Witness carried one away with him down the jig, and deceased was left with one only. .1 n jumping away from the fall, deceased might have jerked it out. Mr James explained that the safety lamp used gave about three-quarter candle-power. The management were now trying a set of electric lamps. John Lewis Sweeney, Under viewer, said he passed through the place whese Baker was working at 11.30 a.m. Everything was in good order. He next saw the deceased about 1.20 p.m., he being then dead. There was danger in the goaf ahead, but there was no danger in the place where deceased was working, except from a piece falling from the open roof and rolling down the incline, thus knocking out the props. When lie left the place at 11.30 a.m., the conditions were safe. In witness’s opinion, a fall of a piece must have knocked the props out. In that case, the roof would have come down.

To Mr Strongmen: When he examined the place on Friday the bars were badly crushed. This might have been caused by both bottom and top weight, or either. He could not say for certain. There was some of the goaf stone on the fall near the timber. It would have been possible for the 4ft Gin of top coal to cause the fall, as the timber was “swinging out of line. ’ ’ Mr James: No, no, no! That’s not likely. Some other movement must take place. Mr Strongman: That 4ft 6in of top coal caused the damage in my opinion. Witness, continuing, said that on Thursday, the timber was in good order, but on Friday a “creep” had set in. The “creep” was still taking place and was caused by the removal of the coal.

John Duggan (Fireman Deputy) stated that he passed through Baker’s place at 11.20 a.m. on the day of the accident. He spoke to the deceased and his work mate. The last shot had been fired in that place on Tuesday afternoon. Conditions were the same as usual, and appeared safe. He was called to the scene of the accident at ■bout 1.10 that afternoon. Baker was pinned down against the jig-prop, with a bar and stone : nJ coal on top of him. Baker neither spoke not moaned, but the pulse was beating. After a few minutes, it ceased. As the place was still “working,” witness warned the men to be careful, and to watch themselves, as Baker was dead, ■ nd there was no use in hurrying. They removed the bar, and slid it into the goaf, and thou removed some coal from around the body. The body was then lifted out on to the goaf-side of the jig-prop.

To Mr Strongman: The main roof in his opinion was not broken. The only fall he could see was the 4ft Gin of coal and the stone usually on top of the coal. The stone was in si: bs about 2in thick. The place was “working ahead” when they were getting the body out. Witness thought a “bump” had dislodged a piece of coal from the goaf-side and put the props out. To Mr Feary: Any stone there could have been put under the arm and carried away. Andrew Grieves gave evidence of identification. He had known the deceased for nine years and had occupied a hut with him. Constable J. 11. Houston gave formal evidence as to the disposal of the body. The Coroner returned the following verdict: That deceased came to his death from a full of coal in the No. 1 Mine, Liverpool Colliery, on the 19th day of July, 1923. The bumping of the goaf appears to have caused a fail of stono and coal ahead of the first two sets of timber, dislodging them from the support of the roof, or top coal, which fell on deceased. All the usual precautions appear to have been taken for the safety of the deceased and his mate, Roy Patrick, who w.is working the “place” where the accident occurred.