FATAL FALL OF EARTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20721, 14 November 1930, Page 13

FATAL FALL OF EARTH.

DEATH OF A LABOURER, NO BLAME ATTACHABLE, fEX TSLEGHAFH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA, Thursday. The adjourned inquest upna Louis Harold James, who died on October 9 from the effects of a fall of earth on the Kotorua Taupo Road works, was resumed <o day before Mr. W. L. Richards, J.P., acting-coroner, and a jurv. Cyril Norman Lavender, quarry foreman fo>* tho Public Works Department, said that tho deceased was about 60 years of age. He believed that he war. married, but did not think he had any relatives in New Zealand at the time of the accident. Witness was in charge of blasting operations on the road. Eight shots were fired about noon info fh« base of a face 30ft. high, and three more at 1.30 p.m. All the loose earth and rocks were trimmed off with the object of removing any danger in clearing a way the rocks and earth and to make matters safe for the with drays. Deceased was behind » dray, v, Inch he was tilling about <"5.45 p m , when someone shouted, "Look out!" Witness saw a. face of rock give way without anv warning. Tliey all hurried out of Hie way -with the exception of deceased, whom he found half buried and badly injured about the forehead. He was extricated and taken by y, passing car to the hospital, after first aid had been rendered on the spot. Tho witness said thai, he thought, the cause, of the fall was an unseen fracture, caused by vibrations after Hie blasting. He did riot think there was any negligence. He had had six months' e\perienco with gelignite on Hie job and also for some time in Australia. In reply to Mr. Parks, representing the. Public Works Department, the witness said that they had general instructions from Hie foreman, overseer and engineer to take every precaution to avoid the possibility of accident. The face was correctly benched and battered John J. Fitzwilliams, in charge of (hat section of the. road construction, said that lie witnessed the accident. He heard .James' head strike the dray. The face before flic fall was apparently safe. He had instructions from the engineer to dismiss men who did not. carry out instructions in regard to the safety of the work. The jury found that, deceased met, his death from injuries caused by a, fall of rock and earth forcing his head info contact with a dray. No blame was attachable to anyone.