WAIKOKOPU FATALITY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17108, 14 November 1929, Page 14

WAIKOKOPU FATALITY

DEATH OF WORKER VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH (Herald Correspondent.) An inquest concerning the death of William Sullivan, or Edge, who died on Tuesday as the result of injuries received at Waikokopu the same morning, was held at the courthouse yesterday afternoon before Air H. L. Barker, J.T., acting coroner, and the following jury : Alessrs. ,J. Walker, foreman, E. A. Nilsson, J. 0. Fletcher and H. Grout. Sergeant Quayie conducted the proceedings, and Air. Haskell represented the Public Works Department. Dr. AL 1). Price, acting medical superintendent at the County Hospital, gave evidence that he was in the hospital on Tuesday when deceased was brought in. He found the whole of the right side of Jiis face blown to pieces, and there was a large fresh fracture on the right side of the skull. There were various minor injuries, but the man’s critical condition prevented a more detailed examination. He was unconscious, although muttering He was attended to in the hospital, but died at 12.25 p.m. Nothing could be done for him. The injuries were consistent with being struck by a piece of rock hurled by an explosion of gelignite. The cause of death was shock, haemorrhage, and injury to the brain. Arthur Norman, laborer, employed by the Public -Works Department, said lie first knew deceased as William Edge about 1917 or 1918, in Christchurch. He met him again at- Arapuni, where lie was known as Burns. Two months ago, he saw him again at- Waikaremoana, but be was known as Sullivan there. Both of them went through to Gisborne and they obtained a job at Waikokopu throe weeks ago and had been employed there ever since. He would be 45 to 50 years of age. Deceased told him that he was a married man with two or three children, and as- far as witness knew, he was a native of New Zealand. He understood lie had come from near Ambei'ley and had been in trouble about maintenance. He saw him alive about 7.45 a.m. on the morning of the accident. He had worked on several similar jobs and believed he had had experience of blasting work. I Charles Stanley Lougher, laborer, em- ' ployed at Waikokopu on the railway works-, stated that deceased and he were working together. Deceased was known as Sullivan. They were blasting at the bluff near Waikokopu. Ch Tuesday morning about 8.30 a.m., two shots were fired after all preliminary work had been carried out. A start was made , to bore another hole, deceased being in charge. A plug and a-half were used, a good length of fuse being employed to enable them to get well out of the road before the shot occurred. Deceased lit the fuse and witness went well tip the hill about ICOyds. off. Deceased followed up tile same track, being not far away from witness. Witness considered they were safe at that place. The charge was a small one and the first tiling he knew after it went off was.that Edge had been struck on the face. He judged that deceased had been hit by a piece of rock. No other charges were being fired in the vicinity at the time, j Witness was satisfied that deceased was an experienced man with explosives. He ' went down to the injured ' man and 1 found his face badly smashed. He was unconscious and witness called out to the men below who then came up. Firstaid was rendered, a stretcher procured, and Edge carried with difficulty to the I car and sent into Wairoa. In Ins opinion no bln me was attachable to anyone, as it seemed to be a pure accident. He could ‘suggest nothing that would have prevented the accident. A good many shots had been fired in the same spot previously and no rocks had ever reaeh- . ed what lie considered was a safe place. I Deceased had no explosives on him at ' the time of the accident. I To Mr. Haskell witness said there was ample time to get well out, of the road as there was plenty of fuse used. They sheltered in the same place when larger charges were fired off earlier. Henry Thomas Hyland, foreman, employed by the Public Works Department at 'Waikokopu, said deceased was an experienced man at blasting, hut it was the first day that he was actually in charge at that place. Witness asked deceased if lie knew how to “jump” a hole and he assured him that he was thoroughly experienced at the work. The rock was of sandstone mixture and very hard on the top. He went to the place and showed deceased what he had to do. The men were instructed to keep well) hack when the charge was fired. He could hardly think it possible that a man would be hit so far away, as he looked upon the spot as a perfectly safe one. It had been so for the previous shots. Witness was satisfied that deceased was injured by a piece of rock which was hurled by the explosion. He could not understand how the rock came in that direction as- no pieces had ever reached there before from the same place. It must have come over the ridge at an angle of 24 degrees, although it seemed impossible for it. to have come, that way. A search was made for the piece of rock that caused the injury, but no trace could be found. (\>ns,able Stanilands, of Nuhaka,stated that lie went to Waikokopu and made a fruitless search for the piece of rock that caused the injuries, but it had evidently rolled down into the sea as the cliff was verv steep below where deceased had fallen. Witness heard that deceased had come from Ashburton and the police there advised that his correct name was Herbert Joseph Edge; his wife and family were believed to be living in Rangiora, A verdict was returned that the deceased mot his death as the result of injuries received through a blasting accident at Waikokopu, no blame being attachable to anyone