FATAL ACCIDENT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15789, 10 April 1919, Page 5

FATAL ACCIDENT.

HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING AT MANGAONOHO. WIRING A GULLY. (From Our Travelling Reporter.) Advice has been received at Marton of the death of Albert George McMurchie at Mangaonoho. According to the evidence given at the inquest, held by Mr J. J. McDonald, it would appear John Palliser, and deceased were working on the Poukiore track, wiring battens across a gully on the roadside. On account of the wire being slack deceased went to the roadside end and decided to erect a forked post to raise and tighten the wire. After taking over the first bundle of battens he went across and unloaded them, and returned to the other side on the wire. Later Palliser went into the bush to cut a post to raise the wire to go across the fence, and called out to deceased: "What length will you require?” Getting no reply he looked across the gully and saw deceased lying on the face of the hill. The wire had broken, having snapped at the knot. He crossed the gully and spoke to deceased, but got no answer. He carried him to where water was available and bathed his head, but found life extinct. The wire was ordinary No. 6 fencing wire. Prior to the accident deceased was bellying the wire up and down on the roadside of the fence. Palliser in his evidence said that ho remarked to McMurchie: “I would not go across this wire if you had diamonds over there.” This was after he had gone across in the morning. Medical evidence was given, and a verdict of accidental death was return-