DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT THE WHAU ASYLUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5395, 3 March 1879, Page 4

DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT THE WHAU ASYLUM.

As our readers are aware, a new wing is being erected to the Whau Lunatic Asylum, for which Messrs. Keane and Jenkinson are contractors. These works were the scene of a terrible accident, at nine o'clock on Satur. day morning (the result of the breakingaway of a massive crane, used for lifting heavy stones), to a working mason, named I Frank Veale, who was employed on the foun- I dations by Messrs. Davison and party, subcontractors. There were also some wonder-fully-narrow escapes,—one especially being little less than miraculous. Veale, the principal sufferer, is a young married man, about 26 years of age—a recent arrival from England,—and this was the first job he had undertaken in the colony. At the time of the occurrence the crane, the jib of which is about 40 feet long, was in use, when suddenly a large iron plate, which was bolted to the mast broke without warning, and as this plate, which is about | of an inch thick and 3 inches wide, was one of the shores which supported the mast, it allowed the whole structure to topple and fall. Veale was working in the trench when he observed the huge beam used as a jib, which is, as already stated, about 40 feet long and 8 inches square, falling towards him with terrific force, as at the time of the accident it was carrying a block of stone half-a-ton weight. He had barely time to stoop into the trench, when it struck him on the forehead in a slanting direction, with such force as to lift the scalp off his head for a length of about 9 inches. He bled freely, but was not stunned. Mr. Davison, who observed the accident, Btarted off posthaste for Dr. Purchas, whom he fortunately found at home, and he was on the spot in rather less than three quarters of an hour after the occurrence. He at once took steps to stop the hemorrhage, and recommended that Veale should be removed to the hospital, but the man desired to be taken to his own home, in Vincent-street, and here he was accordingly brought by Dr. Purchas iu his own buggy. The scalp was placed in its proper position and sewed on with nine stitches, and we glad to learn that, notwithstanding his terrible injury, he is likely to recover. He manifested the greatest fortitude throughout the trying ordeal, but so shocking was the effect that all the masons employed on the works knocked off for the day. Dr. Purchas is no w paying the poor fellow every attention. A labourer, named Heath, employed taking mortar to the masons, had an escape which was little less than miraculous. He had been down with some mortar, and as more was required immediately, he was hurrying with his wheelbarrow behind him across the plank. It was fortunate, indeed, that he was in such a hurry, or he would undoubtedly have been crushed by the falling beam, for it fell so close behind him that it grazed his back and buried the legs of the wheelbarrow in the ground. He was whirled around by the blow, and thrown forward, falling against a peg which was fixed in the ground. It gave way with him, and he escaped injury from that source. The man who was at the windlass also experienced a very narrow escape —in fact, the result of the accident is very much les3 disastrous than would have been expected. Great credit i 3 due to Mr. Davison for the expeditious manner in which he went for medical assistance, and to Dr. Purchas for his prompt attendance.