MAN ELECTROCUTED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20360, 18 July 1934, Page 5

MAN ELECTROCUTED.

Contact With Fence Charged with Current. FATALITY ON 1 FARM. (Special to the “ Star.”) NEW PLYMOUTH, July 17. Practically within sight of his wife Robert George William Divin, a farm worker, aged thirty, met his death by electrocution at Kaimata, near Inglewood, at 3.30 p.m. to-day. He was electrocuted on a fence on his employer’s property, which had become charged with current from a falling wire. Divin’s screams were heard by his wife, who was in the house where the couple lived on the property cf Divin's employer. Mr Albert Henry Burwell, who employed them as a married couple. As the result of cutting down a tree the wires came down on a fence in front of the house. After felling the tree, Mr Burwell said he would get some bulls out of the paddock lest they would be . electrocuted and he instructed Divin to work in the garden. When Mr Burwell had got the bulls into the cow yard he heard a scream from Divin. lie went to his aid and found that Divin had hold of the top wire of the fence by both hands at a point near the house and could not let go. By this time Mrs Divin had heard her husband’s screams and came to his assistance. Mr Burwell told her to get a wet sack and throw it on the fence to take the current from her husband. She endeavoured to do this but, because of a hedge, failed to get the sack on the fence wire. Mr Burwell then got hold of Divin by his coat and dragged him off. Divin was still alive but breathed for only two minutes. Dr 11. M’Allum tried artificial respiration unsuccessfully. Divin was climbing over the fence to reach the house when he was clcctroeutesL