BLASTING FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20264, 25 May 1929, Page 10

BLASTING FATALITY.

FAKMER KILLED INSTANTLY SECOND DELAYED EXPLOSION ANOTHER MAN INJURED. ACCIDENT DURING INQUIRY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] TAIHAPE, Friday. The death of William James Bayne, aged 42, who was killed by an explosion while blasting stumps on his property at Raketapauma, near Taihape, yesterday afternoon was the subject of an inquest hold before tho district coioner, Mr. J. P. Aldridfje, to-day. An accident similar in many respects to tho one which resulted in the death of Bayne occurred on deceased's property to-day. Tho coroner, Constable McDonnell, and several settlers visited tho paddock where Bayno was killed and it was discovered that there wero several stumps under which charges of gelignite had been left roiidy for firing. It was deemed advisablo to explode them. A young man, Albert Eady, lighted a fuse, but there was no smoke and the charge failed to explode. P. McCann, jun., of Rakctapauma, went over to the stump with the intention of lighting tho fuse again when an explosion occurred and McCann, who is a farmer about 30 yea'i'S of age, was found on tho ground in a semi-conscious condition. Tho full extent of his injuries it not yet known, but it is understood they are not serious. His lip was cut and his face was severely bruised. Eady was knocked down by the explosion, but was not injured.

Giving evidence at the inquest William Maurice Bayne, father of deceased, stated that his son left homo at 2 p.m. yesterday to blast somo stumps in a paddock about a quarter of a milo from his house. Two hours later witness received information from his young grandson to the effect that deceased had been killed by an explosion. Frederick T. Bankhart, farm labourer, employed by deceased, said ho and deceased were engaged in clearing stumps from a paddock near the latter's residence. His employer blasted the stumps and witness gathered up tho wood and placed it in heaps. It was tho custom of decoased to place charges of gelignite under several stumps and then firo them. Sometimes his employer placed two charges of explosives under one stump. Deceased would give a warning cry when ho lighted a fuse and both ho and witness would run for safety.

At 3.30 p.m. yesterday Bayne gave the usual warning and he and witness both ran a reasonable distance away. On this particular occasion deceased did not. inform witness he was firing two charges. \fter hearing one explosion witness and deceased both walked back toward the stump, but witness was in a hollow about 30yds, away from the stump when he heard another explosion. Bankhart said he could not see deceased and then rushed across and discovered him lying on his back about seven yards from the stump, which had just been blown out of the ground. Deceased was gravely injured and expired almost immediately. Deceased was a very careful and experienced man with explosives. In returning a verdict of accidental death the coroner remarked that even the most careful and experienced men with explosives came to grief. The present tragedy was the result of one of those accidents that will happen.