FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE THAMES.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 474, 18 July 1871, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE THAMES.

Yesteeday morning the workmen at Tookey's mine, on descending the shaft to work, found the body of a man, with the neck brokea, on one of the levels. The remains proved to be those of a man named Gilbert Seymour Hal), known orer three years in tho district. It is supposed that he must have fallen down the shaft on Saturday night, when on his way home, in the direction yf the Moanatairi. An inquest was being held yesterday afternoon, at which the following was the principal evidence given :—William Phillips, sworn, deposed : I am a miner, residing in Graharastown. Between six and seven o'clock this, morning I and my mate Morrison wont down Tookey's shast to start work. When we got nearly to the 100-feet level 1 remarked to my mate, "Jack, some one has knocked out the air-shoot," perceiving that the small air-shot, which crossed the saft, was gone. When we got to the 100-feet level we noticed that the bucket rested on something unusual. I stepped out and found deceased lying under the bucket in which, we had come down, and very much injured. He was lying curled up on his right side, witb his face looking up the shaft. We both got into the bucket and came to the surface to give information to the police. There are powerfully built doors on the top of the shaft. Without these doors being opened no one could get down the shaft. Should the doors be lefr. open, I am not aware whether anyone is left to watch them. There are watchmen on from Saturday night until Monday morning. Thero was no work going on in the shaft ou Saturday night to necessitate leaving these doors open. We knocked off work some, time between six and seven o'clock on Saturday evening. The deceased, to my knowledge, had no business connected with the shaft. When we left at seven o'clock on Saturday uiy mate closed the hatches on tho brace, and also the door on the landing. Any person can open the door by pulling it towards him; having opened the door, a step forward would precipitate him down tho shaft. Tho door was closed when I and my mate came to work this morning.