BIG RIVER FATALITY

Grey River Argus, 27 May 1935, Page 2

BIG RIVER FATALITY

PENSIONER FALLS OVER BANK. (Special to “The Argus’’) REEFTON, May 26. A fatality occurred at Big River, • ear Reefton, presumably last evening, the victim being Mr Michael Burns. The deceased, aged about 55 years, was a miner s phthisis sufferer. He had resided alone at his hut at ißig River for the. past nine months, lie was in his usual health on Sa'urday night. Apparently he was on his way home when he fell over the bank

• f the river, about fifteen feet high, on to the riverbed below. When workmen at the Big River quartz mine noticed that there was no smoke issuing from the chimney of deceased’s hut this morning, they made a search, and located his body on the riverbed. Tie had sustained severe head injuries and presumably a fractured skull. It is thought that dieceased fc'fruck a rock on the side of the bank in falling.

Police from Reefton went out to Big River to-day to make investigations, and an inquest will probably bo held to-day. The late Mr Burns was a native of Australia, and was a. well-known figure on practically all the quartz mining fields in the Dominion. For many years he worked at Big River as a miner, and also worked at Blackwater until he was compelled to give up his occupation owing the miners phthisis.