KILLED BY TRACTOR

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1934, Page 5

KILLED BY TRACTOR

PLOUGH STRIKES LARGE STONE. DEATH OF H. O. PETERS AT OAONUI. That deceased died as the result of being crushed by a tractor, with which he was ploughing, striking a stone and rearing back and crushing his chest and abdomen, causing internal haemorrhage was the verdict of the coroner, Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., at the inquest into the death of Harry Oscar Peters, an employee of Karl Albert Andrews, Okato, who was killed on Saturday last. Mr. W. H. Freeman represented Mr. Andrews and Mr. P. Grey appeared on behalf of the deceased’s dependents. Andrews said he was a farmer and contractor. He was in the habit of leasing land for farming purposes. On November 7 he and Peters, who had been in his employment for three years, went to a property on Whitiora Road, Oaonui. Ten acres had been ploughed by Saturday. At 4.15 p.m. on that day Peters assisted witness to remove a stone, which was in the path of the tractor. Later Peters relieved Andrews on the tractor and witness, having collected some tools, followed the tractor down the paddock. He was about a yard behind the tractor when the plough suddenly struck a buried stone. It reared up 4 and fell back on top of Peters. The steering wheel of the tractor came down on his chest and stomach, crushing him between the tractor and plough. Andrews attempted to lift the tractor but was unable to do so. He then obtained help and it was seen that Peters was seriously injured. Dr. Watt, Opunake, was summoned but Peters died soon after ffis arrival. The accident happened about 5 p.m. Peters was driving the tractor at a fast walking pace. He was a very careful and experienced driver. Dr. Watt said he found deceased, Peters, lying on the ploughed ground with his chest severely crushed. He was still alive and conscious but efforts to revive him failed. His chest and the upper part of the abdomen were so 1 severely crushed that the lungs and liver must have been sufficiently severely torn to have caused internal haemorrhage. This would be the cause of death. To Mr. Grey Dr. Watt said he exam-

ined the plough and found the shear sticking into the rock. This had apparently caused the tractor to rear up and fall back on deceased. Tire plane of the paddock was level, although it was rough in places. Constable A. D. Ruston said the plough was a double -furrow one. In his opinion the accident was caused by the plough coming in contact with the stone. Before deceased could stop the tractor it suddenly reared up with the rear wheels turning and fell back on the driver.