VICTIMS OF AVALANCHE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19339, 1 June 1937, Page 8

VICTIMS OF AVALANCHE

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST JURY’S CRITICAL RIDER “RISK OF HUMAN LIFE” (Par Press Association.) INVKRCARCII.L, last night. A verdict tlmt Donald FredericHulsc, engineer-in-charge, and Thomas William Smith, overseer, died at Homer on” May 4 from injuries they received as described by the medical and police evidence, the injuries being suffered through me office in which they were working being struck by a gale of wind and an avalanche oi snow, and being completely demolished, was returned l>y the coroner’s jury at an inquest at Lumsden to-day into the deaths of the victims ol the recent avalanche at Homer tunnel. The following rider was added: “It is regrettable that the rider returned, touching the death of Percy Leign Overton, who met his death at Homer on July (», 1930, under similar circumstances, was not adhered to, inasmucii as the work was not suspended when visibility was bad. We further add and recommend that on no future occasions under similar circumstances, no matter what the, month of the year, should work be carried on at the risk of human life. If, while men are working, it is found that through had visibility in the vicinity of the tunnel the look-out is of no practical use, the work should be. immediately suspended John Michael Frances, a platelayer, giving evidence, said that there had been no complaints by other men about the danger of working on that particular day. In reply to a question from the acting-coroner, he said: “I do not think the look-out men would have beeu of any use, as the snow was on us before it could be seen. “Could Not Be Anticipated” Replying to the foreman of the jury, he said: “1 do not know if the office was on the same site as the building destroyed in the previous avalanche. I cannot say whether it is usual to work when the look-out man is not posted and the visibility is bad. George Anneslev, a turuieller, said he considered that the wind was the cause of the jin mage and not l lie snow. John Nicholas Dawson, overseer, stated that tnc conditions were nut thought to be dangerous. It was considered, in previous discussions with Smith and Hulsc, tlmt it would not be necessary to remove the buildings to a place of safety for another three weeks. He had nol heard any complaints about danger from avaianches. Tn reply to the acting-coroner, Dawson said that, the office in which the two men were working was built about one-quarter of a chain nearer the tunnel mouth than the crib-house demolished last year. It was snowing fairly heavily when the avalanche occurred.

“The evidence given is n full and detailed account of the tragic accident, and will, I think, lead you to concur with the opinion of the Public Works Department, that no blame is attachable to the department,” said Mr. H. J. Macalister, who appeared for