THE LATE CORONER'S JURY AND FATAL ACCIDENT (?) AT FORT BRITUMART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5637, 10 December 1879, Page 6

THE LATE CORONER'S JURY AND FATAL ACCIDENT (?) AT FORT BRITUMART.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—You are right enough alnut the constitution of the jury, but very wron; about the justice of the verdict. Warmhearted people are the very sort to tike up a ravelled liank by the wrong end. The cheapest way to cut down auy cli'l is to put in one row of blasts on a level with the ground, the whole side of tho cliff will then fall down, and when it talis it will break into nice handy-sized pieces for putting into the drays. It does not matter whether the cliff is 70 feet or 100 feet high. The only disadvantage ia that, whan falling, it maket no distinction between the honest hardworking, and lazy and worthless; everything is fisli that o mies into its net. If Fort Britornart had to be cut down from the top, it would require twelve rows of blasts from the top so the bottom; it would require twelve times as much powder, twelve times as many drill-men, getting the stuff down the slopes, breaking the lumps, Sc., at Ss per day would cost a mint of money ; it would be impracticable from the excessive cost. Why should Mr. Dempsey ba made a scapegoat of ? Ue has done nothing that has not been done by all contractors—sanctioned by universal custom, by the Government, by all coroners' juries, bj public opinion, &c. If Mr. Dempsey knew a change was going to be made, he would hare framed his estimate accordingly. While we deplore the accident (?), we must admit the Government have got the benefit of Boyle's death. They have gained at least £30,000 of a clear profit; they ought to be compelled (in the law courts, if necessary) to pay the relatives of rsoyle five percent, of the profits as compensation, because it is not right that private individuals should be damnified to benefit the general public.—l am, <fcc., O>"E of the Jci'.v.