ACCIDENTS, INQUESTS, &c.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7865, 21 May 1886, Page 3

ACCIDENTS, INQUESTS, &c.

[Per Press Association.J BLENHEIM, Mat 20. A young man named Thomas Scott met ■with a fatal accident whilst rabbit poisoning at Mr A. P. Seymour’s Tyntesfield Station yesterday. A big boulder struck him as he was on the side of a hill, and he died from his injuries directly afterwards. DUNEDIN, Mat 20. " The inquest on the body of Mrs Finch is proceeding. It has transpired that since the accident the works have been under the immediate control of the Mayor. Mrs Finch’s funeral was largely attended. At the inquest on the fatal blasting ' accident, Mrs Vivian, in describing what she witnessed, said Mrs Finch had just sat down at a table crotcheting a little boot, ' when she heard a dreadful noise, and the room was then in perfect darkness. Witness rushed out to the landing, and called her daughter to come out quick, but heard no sound. She went into the next room, but there was a large hole in the roof, and witness could hot stop, so she sat on the landing. When she went back to the room she saw others there. Mrs Finch was lying in a pool of blood, which was trickling down her face. William Barnes, in his evidence, said he had not much experience of bitting. At these works, he only continued a practice which hid prevailed before he went there. After theblast, he told Rogers he must have pufin too much powder, He was too frightened at the result of the blast to move, and he shortly afterwards went home, without enquiring what damage had been done. Josiah Rogers, in his evidence, said he had worked at blasting for about 40 years, bnt . this was the first time he had done it in town. He might have put a little more powder than the specified quantity in the hole, but nothing to speak of. There was nothing to measure the powder-with. The inquest was adjourned to May 27. Mr John King, a resident at Arowhenua, had a narrow escape on Tuesday last. Whilst attempting to cross the Orari river, near Mr Badham’s farm, he missed the ford, and, his horse tumbling over a log or a boulder, he was thrown from the saddle. The river was running very high at the time, and it was with considerable difficulty that he succeeded in reaching the north hank. The horse also got out safely, but minus the saddle and a coat which was attached to it. Mr King was little the worse for his ducking, and made for Mr Badham’s place, where he was promptly supplied with dry clothes.