MINE MANAGER’S DEATH

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1944, Page 7

MINE MANAGER’S DEATH

INQUEST PROCEEDINGS. An inquest into circumstances surrounding the death of Albert Smith, aged 58 years, manager of the Liverpool State Mine, who died at his home at Dunollie, on August 22, having been overcome by the effects of gas at the mine eight days previously, was held at Greymouth yesterday, before the Coroner (Mr. G. G. Chisholm, S.M.). Mr. Hunter', Inspector of Mines, appeared for the Mines De- ! partment, Mr. C. J’. Strongman for the State Mines, and Mr. W. D. Taylor represented relatives of deceased. Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie conducted the proceedings for the police. Dr. H. S. Ray of Greymouth, who performed a post-mortem examination on the body of deceased, said that there were no external marks of disease or injury. He found that death was caused by heart failure, the result of aortic stenosis. To Mr. Taylor: There was no direct connection between the death of Smith and the accident in the mine, though it was probable that with a man with such advanced disease of the heart the action of the poison would cause his death to occur earlier than it otherwise would have. To Mr. Strongman: He had been told deceased suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning, but had no personal knowledge. Carbon monoxide should work out of the system in two to three hours after complete saturation. Fifty per cent, saturation would induce unconsciousness, while one hundred per cent, would bring about death. Evidence of his visit to the Liverpool Mine, on August 14, where deceased had been gassed and was not responding to treatment was given by Dr. T. M. Ongley of Runanga, who detailed deceased’s condition when he saw him on that day. His condition, said witness, was consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning. After Smith had began to makq steady progress towards recovery, he warned deceased that, though he was feeling better, the strain which had been imposed on his heart, lungs, kidneys and nervous system by the gas, would take some time to pass away, and might even leave permanent effects. Witness continuing, said he had been been called to deceased’s home at 12.45 p.m. on August 22, and found deceased lying moribund. In a few moments he was dead. In witness’s opinion, death was due to coronary thrombosis.

To Mr. Taylor: Although the immediate effects of the experience through which he had passed in the mine would wear off, the gas being eradicated from the system, certain tissues may be poisoned and never recover. The condition in which witness found deceased on August 14, was consistent with his having suffered severe and prolonged shortage of oxygen. To Mr. (Strongman: Smith told him he had been gassed before, but did not know the type of gas. He could not know if previous gassing would have had' permanent effects for deceased. With aortic stenosis a person could die at any time. Dr. Ray’s post-mortem examination did not disclose the mode of Smith’s death. Jsaac Mossop, underviewer at the Liverpool State Mine, who had been accompanying deceased when he had collapsed in the mine on August 14, said that during an inspection which he and deceased had been making in the No. 2 bank in the Morgan West Section, deceased suggested that they have a spell after passing one of the concrete stoppings. There had been traces of black damp all the way up

th e rise. They sat down on a stack of timber, and as soon as deceased sat down he collapsed. Witness had been experiencing slight difficulty in breathing, and, after carrying Smith for about seven chains, went for further assistance. He gave details of efforts made to resusciate deceased. Smith had never complained to witness of heart trouble and witness could not remember him having lost work as a result of illness. To Mr. Hunter: He had been previously warned of the dangerous nature of the atmosphere in that section of the mine. He had been taking every precaution. James Patrick Brown, shiftman at the mine, in evidence said that, accompanied by men named Gibson and Baird, he went up the bank to get Smith after being told by Mossop that he had been gassed. They found him in a semi-stupor, apparently as a result of the effects of gas.* Gas was bad in the section where Smith and Mossop had been. The men who were with witness were affected by the gas, and he could notice it affecting himself, though not to any) extent. For some time previously different men had been caught in that section and had to be carried out. It was a considerable time before deceased showed signs of coming round. Dr. Ongley' administered oxygen on his arrival, and S'mith was taken home after he recovered.

To Mr. Strongman: Stanley Olderog and James Anderson were the men previously carried out from that section prior to Mr. Smith’s accident. They were repairing fire stoppings. To Mr. Hunter: Olderog was carried out three weeks prior to Smith's accident, and Anderson about a week before. Mr. Hunter said he had never been notified of that fact.

A deputy at the mine, Frank John Oaklev. said that on August 14, Mossop had told him to go and get Smith who had been gassed. Mossop himself looked as if he had had enough gas. Witness found deceased in a sitting position, and unconscious. All the shiftmen there appeared to be affected by gas, and some were complaining of it. Until the arrival of. the doctor, deceased continued to gain and lose consciousness, despite treatment which witness detailed. Smith had never complained to witness about his heart.

Mrs. Emily Margaret Smith, wife of deceased, testified that the only time her husband had been ill during their married life,' was about three .years ago at Ohai, when he had contracted a chill and had been confined to bed for about a fortnight. He was brought home from the mine on August 14 suffering from the effects of gas, and remained home until the morning of August 21, when he went to the Mines Office to take part in a conference. On the fallowing morning he went there again and arrived home about 12.15 p'.m., apparently -in his usual state of health. He sat down to lunch, but shortly afterwards left the table and went outside. Witness spoke to him, but he did not answer. Dr. Ongley was called, but her husband died shortly afterwards. He did not complain of feeling unwell, and had never complained of heart trouble.

Returning a verdict that deceased died at his residence, Inverness Street, Dunollie, on August 22, the cause of death being heart failure, the result of aortic stenosis, the Coroner commented no useful purpose would be served by connecting his death with the accident. The most that was said was that it was probable. CO-OP. MINER KILLED. The death of James Buchanan, a miner, aged 49 years, of Dunollie, which occurred at the Grey River Hospital on September 7, following his being involved in an accident at Smith and Party’s mine the previous day, was also investigated. Mr. C. Huntej 1 represented the Mines Department and Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie conducted proceedings. Dr. H. T. Thompson, resident medical officer at the Grey River Hosffital,

said that deceased was admitted to ihe hospital at 9.45 a.m., on September 6, suffering from a fractured spine, fractured ribs and head injuries. His condition steadily deteriorated and he died the following day, September 7. The cause of death was shock following crushing injuries to the chest and a fractured spine. Thomas Halliday, manager of the mine, said that after his arrival at the mine at 6.20 a.m., on September 6, he examined the workings and found all to be in order. About 8 a.m., he heard a fall on the horse road and, investigating, found Buchanan lying on his side on the floor of the incline with a piece of stone weighing about a cwt. across his legs. Pie was bleeding profusely, and witness could see he was seriously injured. The stone was removed and deceased was carried on a stretcher from the mine to the bath-house, where Dr. Ongley attended him. A full of about four tons had occurred at the place of the accident. Witness was unable to account for this fall. The incline was last worked about a year previously, and deceased had been testing it to see if it was safe before starting work. The fall came from what was known as a “greasy; back.” The level and the whole mine was damp. The roof appeared safe before deceased, who was an experienced miner, went into the incline. To Mr. Hunter: The reason we started in a new place was to bring the coal along a safer level to the incline. The men to start in this new place had to be withdrawn from another working place. The incline was not through coal. He had been warned about the condition of the place from which the men had been withdrawn. It was on the grounds of safety that the men had been withdrawn.

Alfred Winstanley, a member of the party, said that the incline had filled from the bottom, through pressure, to a height of between three and four feet. Deceased stepped up to the incline to test the roof, which he did with his pick. Witness went .away to get some gear with which to commence work, but was only about 12 yards awtfy when he heard a fall. He could not account for the fall.

Evidence was given by an inspector of Mines, Charles Hunter, who examined the mine following the accident in which Buchanan had been injured. He said that h e found that a portion of the roof stone had collapsed and crushed deceased. The stone, which was’from 15 to 18 inches thick, had a tendency to break away from the main roof stone. The fall had revealed a break along the right-hand rib, which'was discoloured with water stains, indicating that it had been disconnected from the main roof for some time. The slight motion, set up by deceased as he tested the stone with his pick, was apparently sufficient to release it. Deceased was complying with the regulations when the accident happened. In witness’s opinion the accident wa's accidental.

A verdict was returned that deceased, James Buchanan, died at the Grey River Hospital on September 7, 1944, the cause of death being shock, following crushed injuries to the chest and a fractured spine, as a result of his being struck by a fall of stone at Smith and Party’s mine on September 6, 1944,