THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT NAPIER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1069, 23 September 1879, Page 2

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT NAPIER.

- [BY TELEGRAPH.] Napier, Sept. 22. At the inquest to-day mi the bodies of the three men who were killed on Saturday by land slip in Chaucer Road, a verdict of accidental death was returned, with the following rider— l: lhat great bi.imeisattached to the contractors, Messrs. Davis and Honor, for the slight nature of the tunnel, and the jury hope that the contractors will do their utmost for the widows and orphans of the deceased. The jury are further of opinion that the system of excavation adopted in Xapier, particularly in this instance, is exceedingly dangerous, and would recommend the Mayor to bring the subject before the Municipal Council." It is generally considered that the censure on the contractors is by 110 means warranted by the evidence, the testimony of two skilledwitnesses, Weber and Rochfort, civil engineers, exonerating them from blame. The affair has caused great excitement in Napier, and as early as Saturday evening, only a few hours after the accident, LuO for the widows and orphans was collected by Mr. Becker, of the Criterion Hotel. This afternoon at a meeting of the Borough Council the matter was taken in hand and means improvised for raising subscriptions from every person in town able to give anything. There are two widows and eight orphans to provide for.