MABEL’S BAY TRAGEDY

Grey River Argus, 13 February 1928, Page 2

MABEL’S BAY TRAGEDY

Inquest on James Bourke.

An inquest was held ou Saturday by Mr W. Meldrum, Coroner, touching the death of James Bourke, contractor, who Vas on Thursday killed by a fall of rock at Mabel’s Bay, on the Grey-West-port coastal road. Sergeant J. Smythe led the. evidence.

John Tindale, Public Works Foreman, Punakaiki, feaid Bourke was contractor for the Mabel’s Bay section of the costal road, and had a party at the bay. On hearing of the accident, he went to the scene, and found that after a shot at the foot of the rock Bourke, with J. McMillan, climbed about 20 feet above the road to select a place for a second shot. Bourke found that the hill was likely to fall away, and told McMillan to clear out, which he did. A fall of rock started about 60 feet above where Bourke was, and when his body was found it was 70 feet distant form where he stood when the rock started to come away. The fatality was accidental. Deceased was thoroughly experienced in this class of work.

Frederick Williams, of Cobden. a member of Bourke’s party, said John Syme, Cliff Moffitt, and Joseph McMillan were working with Bourke at the place where the fall occurred. Two shots were fired about 3.30 p.m. on Thursday. Witness was working 300 yards away, and when he heard the shots he saw McMillan on one side of the bluff, but did not see Bourke, and thought he was around the other side. Witness worked on till 4.15 p.m., when the other men were whistling for Bourke, who was not to be seeu. Witness and Moffitt made a search, finding the body of deceased down the bank a distance of about 60 feet. John Syme, another of the party, said he heard a big fall of rock where Bourke and McMillan were, 30 yards away, about 3.30 p.m. When he called out to know if they were all right, McMillan answered in the affirmative, and witness thought Bourke was with him When the previous witness, Williams, about; 10 minutes afterwards, asked where was Bourke, witness concluded lie was under the slip, and the search revealed the body, with the skull fractured. Deceased was in charge when the shots were fired. Constable J. Crowley, of Greymouth, said that he was at Bqrrytown, and received a, message from John Tindale that Bourke had been killed. After communicating with Sergeant Smythe at Greymouth, witness proceeded to 'the scene of the accident. He found that Bourke’s skull was broken in several places, which would be sufficient to cause death instantaneously. There Were numerous cuts on the body and legs.

Sergeant Smythe said that, through an oversight, McMillan had not come to Greymouth.

The Coroner said that there was enough evidence to enable him to arrive at a verdict. He found that James Bourke was accidentally killed by a fall of stone, following blasting operations, at Mabel’s Bay, on February 9th. The Coroner saill he would like to add that the deceased, while he had frequently been in Court —generally after he had been indulging in liquor, at which moments he was inclined to quarrel—had always impressed him (Mr Meldrum) as being a naturally kindhearted man. When in the witness box deceased invariably had impressed him with the fact that he was speaking the truth, and he had a great deal of respect for James Bourke.