THE MILLERS FLAT DREDGING FATALITY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5119, 2 December 1903, Page 3

THE MILLERS FLAT DREDGING FATALITY.

An inquest was held at Bae's Junction on Wednesday, 25th inst., before Mr Hill (of Beaumont), J.P. and aotiog coroner, for the purpose of inquiring into the circumstances surrounding the death cf Alexander Taylor, dredgeman, Miller's Flat, who was drowned at Miller's Flat on the 3rd November whilst in the employ of Messrs Pringle and party, dredgeowners, Miller's Fiat.

Mr A. B. Haggitt appeared on behalf of Messrs Pringle and party, the Mines Department was represented by Inspector Green and Sergt. Bowman conducted the proceedings.

John Tough, dredgemaster on Pringle andparty's dredge, Millers JPlat, deposed that on the morning ol November Sri he ins'rae^ed Qeo. S. Hall (fireman) to choose two men to go to the other side of the river to let go two side lines of the old dredge, his intention being to drop down to No. 1 dredge, below No 2. After some discussion as to the methods that should be adopted in crossing the river, RMi, Paterson, and the deceaa<d man (Taylor) got into the boat with three oars and started across tbe river, Witness gavo tbem assistance to get clear, o! tbe dredge, and stood by the winch of the line they were on. When they were partly out in tbe stream Hall asked for more line. They got what they required. Witness turned his back to the winch to Bee bow tbe others wero getting on with their work on the dredge. Witness felt or heard a movement on the line and looked round, and at the same moment one of tbe other men, Herbert Smith, said " Andrew Taylor is overboard." Witness saw the boat adrift and nothing more. After this there was no possibility of saving deceased. They had no ftfßbuoy at lifebelts in the L-oat. There was only a boat hook and a light Hoe. Witnes received a notice from the Mines Department containing regulations under 14 The Mining Ac*-, 1898," being the special previsions as to dredges. It was posted on tbe dredge. Deceased was working on the dredge for about three or four months. He was a very williog worker. Witness understood that he had bad previous experience,"

la reply to the Inspector of Mines, witneßS I said tbere was no lifebuoy in the boat. It had lain in the boat for 12 months and had been taken away for repairs. The members of the crew did not wear lifebelts, the reason being that the men could not work properly, with them on, and also the men did not like using them. Witness did not iostruot the men to use the belts. The men were conversant with the regulations, and knew them as well as witness did. It waß very seldom that they crossed the river—about once in three months aB a rule. Witness bad only Been them wear the belts once or twice on the dredge. The men bad shifted lines on other occasions with the boat without wearing belts. Witness had every reason to believe that a belt would have kept deceased afloat, and bis life would probably have been saved. They had a complete set of belts on both dredges. The river was about 200 yards wide where the accident occurred, the boat being 50 or 60 yards from the Bhore at the time. Witness bad 12 yeaiß* experience on lbe river, and bad been about seven years dredgemaster. Tbere was nothirjg to prevent the men from weatiog lifebelts in tbe present case. Witness thought Taylor was probably to blame to a l&ige extent for the accident. He probably exerted his strength to the utmost in' pulling tbe line and -overbalanced. When Hall found that he could not clear the line witneßß Bhouted " Come back ! "

In reply to Mr Haggitt, witness said bad his original instructions been carried out two men would have been pulling and one man steeriug, and there would have beeu no danger from tbe Bide lines. He considered there was great danger in doing what they did, aa the boat yj&b neatly oapsiz<d by tbe' other lines of the dredge. He ntver dreamt of the likelihood of the men letting go the line wben they did. There was no margin of safety in leaving the line where they did. He impressed it upon Hall several times that ho would prefer bis pot going along the line, but that he wished him to row tbe boat clear of all lines. la reply to a juror, witpess said his experience waa that the iegulationg were very eel* (lorn complied mVa ub regarded lifebelts. He

bad not seen a lifebelt on a m;>n half-a-dozen times while be was woiiing.

Geo. S. Hall said, with Paterson and deceased, he attempted to oro^a the river to tak-j out aeide liqe po^t. They took linn abouf pulliDg the boat lundover-harjd on the bow side line until they got witb.ii 100 CC of the east bank. Tbe Hoe was then t\l such an angle that he deoicied to let go and run for tbe shore. He asked decked if he oould lift tbe line over. He said " Yes." There were three other lines brlow tbo boat, and w.tuess was standing with the steer oar, ready to run for the shore when he folt the boat ense off. He felt the boat ease and a splash at tbe same time. He ( ben saw that decased was oat of lbs boat. He saw deoeased'd brow appear above water, and then saw no more of bira. Tbe boat then fouled tbe second line, | and he seized the oar and eculWd to tbe centre of tbe river. They saw no appearance of deoeaeed, and then fcculltd ashore. They did ' all in their power to save deceased. There were no life-saving epplianc^s in tbe boat save a light line and dob (.hook. He bad been 27 years a boatman. The deaeaeed bad bad 10 years' experience. He was considered one of lbe strongest scullers on the river. Mr Tough wished him to cross free, but he preferred to use tha line. Tbe rpason m?n objected to wearing belts was that they made them perspire very frpely when doing laborious woik. Wi'.ness considered Hftbelts a necessary equipment of a dredg?. In all probabiliiy had deceased worn a belt h9 would have bad a chance for his life. Mr Tough's method would have been safrr. It would have avoided the side lines. The lifnbuoy was usually kept in tho bow, but. ho could not cay wbere it was on this occasion. Taylor did not show any negligence in the boat.

The jury returned the following verdiot : — 11 That the d ceassd, Andrew Taylor, m*t his death by being accidentally drowned whilst engaged shifting lines of the No. 1 Pride of the Clutha dredge ; acd add a lider requesting the Mines Department to enforce the regulations requiring life-savlog apparatus and appliances beiDg carried on the boats of dredgus and lifebelts being worn by the men."

Our Millers Flat correspondent wr.ites :— " Both the bodies of Taylor, who was lately drowned at Millers Flat, and Nicholson, who was drowned about the same time at Alexandra, have now been found, the former in tbe river near the Beaumont, while tbe latter Was picked up by some ot tbe Sredgemeo at Millers Flat. An inquest was held on the body of Nicholson at Noonan's Hotel on the 26ih inst., before Acting-coroner Johns and a jury of six, Mr P. C. Grant being chosen foreman. Mr Green oonducted the enquiry ou behalf of the Mines Department, and Mr Stuart, Eolioitor, Roxburgh, watohed the proceedings on behalf of the relatives of deceased. Tbe verdict of the jury was accident pure and simple, there being no blame attached to anyone, The crew did all they oould under ibe ciicumitanoe3 to save bis life. A rider waa added that if a lifebuoy line and boathov k hr.d heen in the boat Nicholson's life might have been saved. It may be added that the boat referred to was a small dingy ustd for the convenience of tbe crew themselvrs, which was contrary to the ins'ructions of the directors and dredgemaster, and had notbiog to do with ibe accident, as tbe deceased, Who along milh others ot ihe crew wos releasing a lice that got j imbed, got himself wed ; he proposed, being wet at anyrate, swimming ashore, and in attempting to do so lost bis life."