CRUSHED BY LOG IN MATA BUSH

Northern Advocate, 10 December 1937, Page 4

CRUSHED BY LOG IN MATA BUSH

A fatal accident occurred in the bush at Mata yesterday afternoon, the victim being Mr Bert Howard, aged 51. a married man with a grown up family.

Together with Mr J. R. Collins, a brother of the bush contractox’, deceased was working on the side of a hill preparing a large kauri Tog measuring 12 feet in girth for hauling. Deceased was on one side of the log and Mr Collins on the other, when suddenly' the log started to move.

Mr Collins called out to deceased, but the latter slipped and the log passed over his head, crushing it and apparently causing instantaneous death.

Mr Collins, the 'only man working with deceased, went in search of help and located Mr Kirkwood and a bushgang, which assisted in bringing deceased through two miles of bush to the head of the trail.

This is the second fatality which has occurred in the Mata bush this year, Mr J. H. Daniel having lost his life there in April last when struck b3 r the branch of a falling tree. An inquest was opened this afternoon before the district coroner, Mr G. H. Morrish. The Verdict, Dr. H. F. Buckley, who examined the body, said that he had found a fracture of the base of the skull, fracture of both clavicles of the sternum and ribs on both sides, and a fracture of the pelvis. The internal vital organs must have been irreparably damaged, and death was immediate and due to shock following these injuries.

The coroner's verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence. The coroner stated that it would appear from the evidence that the usual action taken by experienced bushmen in this class of work was observed.

Mr Marsden Woods appeared for the relatives of deceased.

Evidence was given 15y James Handed Collins, Charles Howard (a son), Alexander Thomas Kirkwood, a tractor driver, and Constable Rimmer.