INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1934, Page 8

INQUEST

SOUTH WESTLAND FATALITY.

An inquest was held at Wataroa O n Thursday, before Mr W. Gunn, J.P.. acting coroner, and a jury consisting of R, E. Clarke (foreman), H WH-, Jiams, H. A. JopHOn and E. G- Taylor,, touching the death of Donald O’Leary. Edward George Silk, a miner residing on Wataroa river gave evidence that he was mates with the deceased , Donald O’Leary since March of this year. Deceased was horn at Lawrence, > Otago, and was h widower. On Tuesday, December 4, went to work as usual with decea.scd at their claim, Wata,rOa river. Deceased was picking out dirt (and wheeling it down to witness at the sluice box. Told him he had •better pack a big stone in crge it out. Deceased replied ''Oh it will bo all right,” and di.d not do as suggested. I About 11 o’clock, having put his barrow I down, deceased was in front of this stone, when, without (any warning, the stone polled loose and fell against him, knocking him down and pinning him with hi s legs under him. Witness saw it happen. Immediately started to remove the stuff, and blocked-the big stone to prevent it coming any further. After half to three quarters of an hour was able to release him. Laid him on the bank and went to the near- ' e st claim for help. John Cooper and •! Emil Stein came back with witness. ; Made a stretcher and took him to the I camp. O’Leary was not knocked un- ! conscious,..;,find sras conscious when I taken to the hut. Got there about 2 o'clock. Half an hour later he beI came delirious. He died about four [ o’clock. Cooper had gone to get a bicycle ■ to go for a doctor. 'Ho returned shortly after O’Leary had died and witness a s kecf him to get in touch with the police. About 7 p.m. \9 party of men came and the body was taken to Wataroa 'Hotel, arriving about 12.30 a.m. next da}. When O’Leary was pinned, he was held by the legs with his b°dy under the stone, but no weight wag on his body. Deceased complained of pain in the right leg from the hip down. 1 To the Inspector of Mines: Witness ■ said he and deceased had both con- | siderable experience in mining. The big stone that fell was undermined 'about a foot. He suggested to. dece"s!ed to pack .it up with stones. He was about 40 feet (away when the accident happened. John 'Frahcis- Cooper gave evidence .'that he was 'a miner residing half a mile further up the river from Sdk. and O’Leary’s claim. On Tuesday (about 11.30 a.m. ■ was told by Silk of j the. accident: Returned with Silk and my mate Stein' to the claim. Found O’Leary conscious. He said “Jack, I’m done.” His legs were bruised and ankle . swollen Carried him to the camp. Then went back to his own c amp for bicycle (and on returning to go to . Wataroa Silk stated that O’Leary h'd \ died some ten minutes before. Had , a look at O’Leary and then went d°wn the river, passed word for the police (and came back with a party. r To the Inspector of Mines ; Deceased i was quite 'cbnscious when witness got b there. Think the bruised groin was l caused by the rock coinng °ver on 3 his hip and then righting itself. The . stone was about 8 feet long, 5 feet j. high, tapering down to 3 feet at one r end. '• Emil Stein, a partner >of Cooper, endorsed the above. When cartying O’Leary to his damp he kept putting his hand to his chest and appeared to he pressing upwards. He did thig every : time they stopped for a sP eU - A verdict was returned that Donald O’Leary was accidentally killed while mining on the Wataroa river on December 4, no blame being attachable to anybody.