SAWMILL ACCIDENT

Southland Times, Issue 20615, 9 February 1929, Page 9

SAWMILL ACCIDENT

INQUEST HELD AT RIVERTON.

(From Our Correspondent.)

An inquest was held at Riverton yesterday concerning the death of John Cameron, who was admitted to the Wallace Hospital on Monday and died the following day. Deceased was employed at Birch’s sawmill, Papatotara. Mr John Geary, J.P., was the actingcoroner, Mr John Crawford (foreman) and Messrs John Rose, H. C. Johnstone and T. R. Winton the jury. Constable J. McCulloch (Tuatapere) conducted the inquiry, and Mr J. A. C. Mackenzie was present on behalf of the sawmill proprietors. Dr N. G. Trotter, medical superintendent, Wallace Hospital, deposed that on Monday, February 4, John Cameron was admitted to the hospital in a comatose state. He looked pale, and apparently was suffering from severe internal injuries. There was a wound on top of his head, a little to the left, about 11 inches long, and bruising on the left side of cheek. Witness operated on the wound in conjunction with Dr Todd, raising the bone off the brain. Deceased was paralysed on the right side, right arm and leg. He remained in a comatose state till about. 8.30 on Tuesday. The cause of death in his opinion was due to laceration of the left side of the brain, owing to the severity of the injury. • To Constable McCulloch: There was only one depressed fracture. Deceased could not receive such injuries by falling. It was due to a moving force. The clamp of the belt, (produced) would be sufficient to cause the injury.

Ernest Henry Melvin, sawyer, Papatotara, employed by Birch and Coy., Papatotara, identified the body as that of John Cameron, formerly engine driver, and his father-in-law. On 4th inst he started work at 7.30 a.m. in the mill. He did not notice deceased at- work. About, five minutes after the mill started his attention was called to the engine, and going there he saw deceased being carried back, but did not see the position the body was in. Witness saw he had a knock on the head when he was carried out. He had known deceased intimately for about seven years, and he ap]>eared to be in good health, never suffering from faintness or. sickness. The photograph (produced) was a fair representation of the position at time of accident. Andrew John Johnston, residing at Papatotara and trollyman employed by Birch and Coy., stated that deceased was employed as engine driver. Witness was at work when the mill started. He was standing on the same side of the engine as deceased. Witness was in the habit of taking out oil to the hawler. He saw deceased a few minutes after the mill started. He picked up an oil tin and went through the smithy to the engine to get the tin filled by deceased. When he first saw deceased he was about half a chain away. Deceased was standing on the platform working at the pump. The pump, was on the right hand side of the engine close to the main driving wheel. Through the smithy witness passed Buchanan and Broomhall. On emerging from the smithy to the mill he saw deceased’s legs and saw he was lying on the ground. Then he called out to the men named. He was lying on his back with his feet towards the fire box, and his head between the steps and oil drum, which was up on end.

To the Foreman: It was a steel oil drum —44 gallons. It was about 3ft high.

Witness, continuing, said when on moving him he saw deceased had a wound on top of his head. He was taken away for medical attention. From the time witness picked up the tin of oil till he found deceased would not be more than a minute. He noticed blood marks on the side of the drum, near where deceased was found. It was deceased's habit to go up on the platform and see to his pump. William S. Buchanan, Papatotara, mill manager for Birch and Coy., stated that deceased was employed as engine driver. The mill started at 8 o'clock (mill time), 7.30 being the standard time. About 8.5 a.m. witness went to the mill when it was working, and witness .passed deceased, who was standing at the engine with one foot, on the step of the platform and the other one on the platform. He was working the injector. Deceased’s back was to witness and did not speak to him. Witness passed on to the smithy and was speaking to Broomhall when Johnston passed through. This was within a minute of passing deceased. Johnston drew his attention to deceased lying beside the engine. To the Foreman: The belt was a good one, and had never been broken. Witness said the belt was joined with four Jackson fasteners and the nut and bolt protruded about, half an inch. If deceased was bending it was quite possible he could be struck by the protruding nuts or fastenings, if he put, his head near enough to the wheel. It was quite possible for deceased to slip on the platform. The main driving wheel and belt were the only moving forces on that side of the engine to do serious injury. To the Foreman: Deceased was not wearing a hat. Leslie Charles Brootnhall, blacksmith, at, the mill also gave evidence. The jury returned the following verdict: "That the deceased, John Cameron, died at Riverton Hospital on February 5, 1929, as the result of injuries sustained whilst working at Birch and Co’s Papatotara sawmill on February 4, 1929.”