C—2

34

Date. Name c a ol S minf °" ° ( Name ilH&S?kmed Patl ° n description of Accident, and Remarks. Name and Situation of Name, Age, and Occupation Coal-mine. of Person killed. 10 May Westport - Stockton, Percy Revis (35), horse- He was driving a horse drawing a race of six minenear Stockton driver trucks, each of 30 cwt. capacity, between lay-bys on an almost level roadway in the No. 2 section, Eastern Mine. During driving, as the horse was not pulling the race well, he went to remove a sprag from a truck-wheel, and after he got the horse to start he tried to put the sprag in again, when by some means unknown he was crushed between two trucks. No person witnessed the accident, and he was too injured to give, much explanation ; he sustained injuries to the back, hip, anil side, also severe shock, from which he died on the following day after an operation in the Westport Hospital. The Coroner found that he was accidentally killed by being jammed between trucks. With this I concur. 16 May Chamberlain, Albury i John Hector Robertson I He was an alluvial-gold miner, who had been employed (52), miner at this mine for three weeks. On the day of the. accident he was working alone getting coal in an untitnbcred back heading. At, about 10 a.m. Mr. T. F. Slowey, the mine-owner, acting by permit, as mine-manager also as underviewer, ordered deceased to withdraw from the place, as he did not consider it safe ; but he did not see him withdraw, and deceased continued to get coal from .the place until about 4.15 p.m., when a fall of about 2 tons of coal occurred, which killed him instantly. In connection with this accident the Coal-mines Act and Regulations had been utterly disregarded by the mine-owner, in consequence of which he, was prosecuted by the Inspector of Mines on charges that he neglected to carry out his duties as manager, and did not control or supervise the mine ; that he failed to securely protect and make safe the working-place of deceased ; also that he did not. withdraw deceased from a dangerous place. He was convicted on such charges, and fined £3, with costs £8 10s. 4d. 4 July Ironbridge, Denniston | George Potters Jack (17), I While working alone unelipping the chain-clips from rope-road worker full coal-tubs on the endless-rope haulage-road at No. 8 section curve by some mischance his left foot was caught under the tub or haulage-rope, and he was dragged towards the stationary detached tub ahead and crushed between it and the tub which he had failed to unclip. He was evidently 7 unable, while being dragged along, to reach the signal-wire to stop the rope. He was killed instantaneously, death being due to shock and asphyxia. The youth who usually worked with him was absent at. the time, having been called away to a breakdown elsewhere on the haulage-road. As a result of this accident it was promised by the manager that in the event of one of the hangers being absent the haulage-rope should not be started until his return. This i3 the first fatal accident on the extensive endloss-rope-haulage system at the Denniston collieries during the thirty-five years it has been in operation. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was accidental, no blame being attributable to any one. 12 Sept. R o t o w a r o, near I George Torby Scurr (18), [ He was a mine-trucker, inexperienced at railway shuntHuntly temporary shunter | ing, that day temporarily employed, in the place of the regular shunter, with the company's locomotive on the branch railway near the mine. About 3 p.m., when the slowed-down engine was approaching the points, he descended from it to open them ; by some means he was run over, both logs being broken. It is supposed that he slipped and fell in front of the engine. Ho died in the Hamilton Hospital that evening. The engine was provided with a cow-catcher but no handrail. The Coroner's verdict was " Accidental death," with a rider that better provision should lie made for shunting, and a handrail should bo provided on locomotives. This must be classed as a coal-mining accident by the Coal-mines Act interpretation of a "coal-mine." Subsequent proceedings for damages owing to neglect were instituted by the father of deceased. The case was settled out of Court by a substantial payment. 17 Sept. Liverpool No. 1, Re- | Robert Joeelyn Meade While engaged upon his duties he slipped on a flatwanui (48), bath - house at- sheet near the boiler used for heating. He strained tendant himself, affecting an old rupture, necessitating an operation. As a result of haemorrhage he died on the 7th October. No inipiost was held. Owing to the legal definition of " coal-mine," referred to in the remarks upon the previous accident to G. Scurr, this also must be classed as a mining accident, although in no other country, to my knowledge, are similar accidents so classed. Oct. . . Kaitangata No. 1, | James O'Rourke (51), I With his mate, John Smith, both being experienced Kaitangata miner miners, he was working in No. 6 dip district, in a pillar place 32ft. long, 20ft. wide, and Oft. high, which was systematically supported by props, but there were no chocks. About 8.30 p.m. they were filling coal into a truck when they heard a prop break. They immediately ran into their truckingroad, about 7 ft. wide in solid coal, and systematically timbered with sets. A great fall of coal then occurred, filling the place and a portion of the trucking-road, and burying the two men. Afterstrenuous and very hazardous work by many brave rescuers, Smith was extracted in five hours and O'Rourke in fifteen hours, both being then conscious, and without serious injury. Little if any warning was given prior to the fall, which was due to the settlement of the overlaying cover owing to inadequate support. The injuries received by Smith consisted of bruises and skin-abrasions; lie recovered in a few days ; but O'Rourke never rallied, and died on the Gth October from heart-failure due to shock. At the inquest all the witnesses, including officials, the workmen's inspector, and others who had seen the place shortly before the fall, testified that it appeared safe. A verdict of " Acci dental death" was returned by the jury, consisting mostly of coal-miners, no blame being attachable to anybody. '9 Oct. Ironbridge, Denniston ' Kdward James Oldham j At about 8.30 a.m., when engaged upon bis duties. (54), shiftman while walking around a curve which ascended a narrow trucking-road rising I in 8 to a pillar place, he was crushed between a rapidly descending full truck and the centre prop of a set; the truck, which was supposed to be double-spragged, had been started off down Hie incline road by a trucker from a distance of only 23 ft. from the place of accident, and was out of control. The deceased could not have been aware of its approach until it was close upon him. Ho was not an active man, anil appeared to lose, his presence of mind, and when he became aware of his danger he ra.n backwards a few paces instead of stepping to one wide The place was systematically timbered with sets spaced 6 ft. apart. He received injuries consisting of a fracture of the left thigh anil serious internal abdominal and other injuries, from which he succumbed the same day in the Denniston Hospital. Tin- jury at. the inquest returned a verdict of " Accidental death," holding no person blameworthy. In this case the trucker acted incautiously in starting off a full truck at a rapid speed anil out of control without first ascertaining if the road was clear. The curve at the bottom prevented him from seeing the deceased from the place of starting, or from deceased seeing him.