DRILL EXPLOSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23415, 3 August 1939, Page 10

DRILL EXPLOSION

tauraroa fatality;:. POLICE IN V EST IG AT I Of®.. :j . " ~ REFERENCE JO GELIGNITE [BT TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] " WHANGAREI. Wednesday The police investigation is proceeding into the cause of the explosion of a hollow steel drill at the Public Work? Department's quarry $t Tauraroa on July 19. with the result that Mr. Gavin Cotter received injuries from which he later died. Mr. Cotter, .who ,was •; employed as a blacksmith, was sharp-■ ening a drill about Bft. long when the : explosion occurred. It had been supposed that the explosion had been caused by water being in the drill and the heat turning ' this to steam. Before he difed. however. Mr. Cotter told both his brother and - the medical superintendent at the hospital, Dr. J. W. Hall, that gelignite in the drill was the cause of the explosion. At the inquest the district coroner. Mr. G. H. Morrish, after hear- j ing part of the evidence, instructed the j police to secure the parts of the drill. • The police subsequently the parts of the drill to the Government analyst in Auckland, Mr. K Griffin, so that tests, coiild be carried out. Detective-Sergeant & G. and acting-Detective C. Ljane recently arrived in Whangarei from Auckland to assist Detective J. B. Finlay, o, Whangarei, with the investigations, Mr. Lane has now.returned to Aucfc^. s land, but Mr. McHugh will remain until the investigations are completed. The police are concentrating tien. investigations on how gelignite cou have been placed in the drill. They are awaiting the analyst's report.