BLOWN TO PIECES

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3288, 6 March 1926, Page 3

BLOWN TO PIECES

INQUIRY INTO SHANNON TRAGEDY. An inquest concerning the death of William Campbell, who was killed at Shannon on Thursday as the result of an explosion, was hold at Shannon yesterday morning before Mr. Fraser, coroner. Constable Blackie conducted the case for the police, and Mr. F. J. Oakley, of Palmerston North, represented the Makerua Drainage Boat Ji. Robert Barron stated in evidence that while working at the new road formation close to the Tokomaru stream, about 9.20 on Thursday morning, the deceased came along driving a motor-car. Pie stopped him to enquire about using the Makerua Drainage Board's horses. The conversation lasted for five minutes, and deceased was in good spirits. He said he was going along to his camp to get something, but did not state what it was. The camp referred to was situated about 40 chains away. About 10 minutes later witness saw deceased

returning In the car, and when about 15 chains away the explosion ocI curred. 5 The car immediately burst ' Into flames. Witness immediately ran jto the scene of the explosion, and j found the remains of Campbell strewn ■ all over the place, ‘-fitness then notified the police. The condition of the road in this part was bumpy, being a new road half formed and now being completed. Campbell appeared to be driving in a steady manner. Witness I had no idea how the explosion oc- | curred. John Joseph Madden, working for the Makerau Drainage Board, stated that the last time he saw Campbell | was between 7 and 8 a.m. on Thurs- ' day morning. That was at the Ashley bridge, which is in the course of construction. Prior to leaving, Campbell said he was going off for explosives, as the stumps had to be blown out. ; He did not say how much explosives i he would bring back, but witness expected he would bring five pounds and ,at least 100 detonators. The explo- ! sives were in a tin shed in an old ! camp near the Okuku road. Deceased j was in the habit of carrying exploi sives in the car. Mr. Jickell, engineer 1 of the board, was supervisor of the | work .and as far as witness knew, was not aware that Campbell carried explosives in the car. This was the first time the deceased had gone to the old camp for explosives for the I Ashley bridge. I Constable Hugh Blackie, stationed iat Shannon, said he immediately i proceeded to the scene of the explo- | sion, and there found the car In ruins, pieces of which were strewn about j the paddock and roadway for a dlstI ance of 80 to 100 yards. He saw ftie left foot of a man. which had been blown off between the knee and ankle, about 30 or 40 feet in front of the car, and the right foot similarly damaged on the other side of the road. Strewn about the road were pieces of Campbell’s remains. Witness had known Campbell for the past 12 months. He was a hard-working man, fairly careful and steady. The ' verdict was that William Campbell met his death on March 4 by an accidental explosion of gelignite which he had In his car.