The Mining Fatality

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1346, 7 June 1905, Page 2

The Mining Fatality

Coroner's Inquest

Yesterday afternoon an inquest was beld on the remains of the late John Loft* who was killed in tho No. 2 shaft.of the Waihi .mine on Monday' night. The inquiry was conducted by Mr Mas D Kirig, District Coroner, and a jury consistiug of Messrs R, 8, Roady (foreman), James Galbraitb, J, Dorance, D. Beaton, H, Gordon, uud D. Kemp. '

| Tho inquiry was opened at the" Waibi Hospital, whore, after examining the remains of deceased, an adjournment was made to tho scene of the accident, after whioh evidence was taken at. the Court' House. Messrs R E. Williams (superintendent), J. L. Giltnour (mine manager),, and F Stewart, wero prosent on bohulf of the Waihi G.M. Co,' MrT. Ryan, Mining InspeQtor, on behalf of the Mines Depanmont, and ConRlfthln Plimull '

muuie i'laveii,lor the police, were also present. THE EVIDENCE ; Ernost Thornhill, examined, deposed that ho eirae up in the cage with deceased from No 8 level, Deceasod appeared to be in his usual state of health when in the cage, Witness was Binding opposite to tbo deceased. About 10 feet above No 2 level ho foltasudden jerk, and something took the lid off his billy .can. He stooped down quickly and felt something k the bottom of tho cage, nnd momentarily gripped tho clothing of deceased. XHe.next instant it slipped from his grasp. Had he (witness) not had a good grip of the cage with tho other hand he would havo fallen into tho shaft with deceased. The cage was ascending at tbo ordinary speed when the aeoidont occurred, Tho ohamberman was in his plico at No 3 level. Oulj six men wero on tho cage. He had heard that the deceased had taken a drink of water bofore getting into the.oagc, Dr. Claridgo described tho condition of the body ol deoeased when he (the doctor) vißited tho miue, ; On ranking a poet mortoni examination he ascertained that the hend was cut away just above the eyes, The bones of both legs and both forearm? were broken, The chest was smashed in, the spine was fraotured, the lungs wero pulverised, and the heart was iu shred?., There were numerous bruises on tho body. During his fifteen yetirß* experience as a Burgeon ho had nevor seen a human body so horribly mutilatod. William McConuachio, shift boss, deposed that he was on shif;, He know docoased to be a practical tniner, and was a steady man. He was of opinion that the | deceased fainted, and fell off the cage, He had heard of case} of fainting on the cage, | but had never witnessed such a case. Ho did not think that six men overcrowded [ tbo cage.

Eobort Trembath, examined, deposed that ho had known deceased for over 12 months, He was a very steady man. He was speaking to deceasod in the chamber at No 8 level just prior to getting into the! cage. No conversation took place while' ascending in the eige until they reached . just below No. 2 level, At this point he heard tho rattliug of a . falling bdly c^n, Just then a man exclaimed that somebody had fallen down the shaft. Witness thought it was a man from No. 2 level had fallen. By a light he was carrying he / discovered that o.uo of the six in the cage ■ was missing. Ho hen I '' no cry. He ilid not know whit caused iho man to fall,/but there must hvo boen something wrong V with him/ iAuased was not standing on / t the outside, and, in falling ho knocked ~ a;jainsi his compsniou on the outside, Ho had been working for thirty years in <V mines, and had novor seen anything of the like beforo. Ho cbuld not understand how tho ac;:idont happened, Tho oago was ; asoonding very slowly at the time. Ho •>■ had on one occasion seen' a man hint in a /.■ cage While descending, The man slipped :V down to the bottom of the cage, ,• (witness) assisted to; keep him ia. By tho Inspector: He was quite deceasod fell before they reached No 2 level.

Olmiles Scboloy deposed tbnt he was • • ibc ninto of decpased. He noticed nothing A unusual about bini previous to tho accident. B.c hml .Jmown hiin for about six .years,', : and was always in: good health, He' < florid not offer au; opinion as to how ibo , ; deconsod foil out of tho cage, ■ ' v By the Inspector; During the shift tho..; deceased complained about ji headache, the result of gelignite fumes,

George Barry,, obamberinan, deposed v ,V that the first intimation lie. got of the aoeident was the sound 1 of a falling billy, Ho afterwards came to the conclusion , v that somebody bad fallen down the shaft, Ho mado investigation, and later found f tho remains of the deceased on top \ of tho pont-bouso at No. 7 level, V . Tho body was almost denuded of clothes. : He last saw dpceasod alivo at about 12 o'clock (midnight). Ho was than getting into the eago at No. 3 lovel. He was of opinion that the deceasod had fainted and 1 ivhiloin that condition foil out of the cage. ... Edward Lmgdbn, engine driver, de* f / posed that he was on night shift. He 1 i•heard the signal rung from No. 3 level to £ tho surface. Whon the coge had reached; . ■{ a little pass No, 2 levol, the signal for stopping the cago was rung, ''Tho signal ". for stopping the oago is .'usually one sharp' ring, buG on this ooeasion it was mora of a. . dragging signal, as if the cage had caught , ; the knockor lino. . •• THE VERDICT, \ Tho jury, after a short retirement, re'.

turnod tbe following verdict That John Loft met with his'death by falling oofc of a . ■ : cage while ascending No, 2 shaft of the ' Waihi Gold Mining Company's miho, no blame being attachable to anyone.