INQUEST VERDICT

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1933, Page 5

INQUEST VERDICT

DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT WAITAKI

" (Per Press/AssociationM-’dpyright). *- 6AM,\IRU, 'August ’l7.' V The adjourned • mqpestf touching the - death of; John Mui r ' ahd George. Todd, both of Bmjedin,,' Y’bq lost’ their lives <as the result of,a toll of earth, >and,. concrete- in tlte cbffer-dam' at The Wtita|d hydro . eleetrUv .wrkfi to 51 A ngu : - ;t 3, was continued .Ay : .Ihe '■CqtoneF; (Mr ' W; H. Frith)' to-day if the Hj’dro. 'Tod 1 \vas. killed'hi.|,'neck b.eiqA broken- and-his'-skull smashed,Muir suffered a, of, tha leg, succumbing .’to shock ondYhaWnmorhage in the hospitalvtlto;samo ; 4 l i^h|, i the medical to?t'xmbny^.J?th'tipg‘:iiite , .case .w s desperate and pinetibally, hopeless ; fpom the' start'. ; v , d ;■(;>'v ■ ■ y ,,! In giving his : vordiof, jthe Gqipnor stated that some of' the witntoses' were rather confused,' .but"tliaA" did npt' alter the fact that;The..iotoso' aecident s was ‘that- the- block, of ■ egneretoi..'rtodng on conglomerate, .which- ytbf. meff l v)e "e attempting to reniove, by some means which -11© one .'SeenitoU a-bto to.: explain, rolled over, crushing the two men. Hi» verdict 'was that -the.'men were'.accidentally kijjed by t}ie falling, of. the concrete block,' Todifebeing killed instantly and Muir receiving. - injuriesfrotn which he died a--f.ew hb'ur s later.