PROPERTIES OF SODIUM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 40, 1 February 1946, Page 5

PROPERTIES OF SODIUM

LOCAL MAORI’S DEATH

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST The explosive properties of sodium chlorate, which is used all over the Dominion for the purpose of destroying ragwort, was of the evidence at the inquest into the death of a Maori workman Pure Bore, employed by the Whakatane County Council as a ragwort ganger. The hearing took place yesterday before Mr C. S. Armstrong District Coroner. Mr G. OUey watched proceedings in the interests of the Council and Mr Cooney'of Tauranga j appeared on behalf of the deceased’s relatives. Deceased who died in the local hospital following extensive and severe burns was a married man aged 50 years residing at Paroa, a Maori settlement near Whakatane. When returning to Whakatane from

ragwort eradication work at Pekatahi, on November 10 last, he with two other Maori mates were seated on 11,0 empty sodium bags on. the hack of a stecl-bodied truck when an explosion occurred which imiue,diatcly set the entire rear of the truck on lire. All the evidence emphasised that no person in the party was smoking or was ever permitted to smoke during the handling of sodium. Hemi, Tako'tohiwi another of* the labourers on the truck at the time, said that the sacks were bone dry and the weather was hot. Many of the sacks had a small portion of sodium in them The explosion which occurred some miles along the road, set the whole rear of the truck in flames in a matter of sec-, onds. He had jumped off at once while the truck was in motion but not before his body was burnt and his clothes were on fire. He stripped at once. He had no idea-what caused the lire but was of the opinion that it was caused by the friction of the sacks moving about the stee 1 ! floor. His story was borne out by Malta

Heihei another Maori who also leaped oif the truck in time to save himself from serious injury. The truck did not pull up for some two chains and the deceased was aboard, in the flames all that time. Two other Mhori passengers in the cab, Rangi Kotua and Tarcwa Kopae, stated that the flames licked right through to the forepart of the vehi icle. They were extremely fierce. The driver Maurice Finucane, said he was taking a gang of Maoris in

the truck and had carried out the usual procedure Avith regard to the return of the empty sacks. The sodium Avas always mixed Avitli fine pumice before used. When he first noticed the truck on lire lie applied the brakes. The heat in the cab Avas intense ancl his two passengers lost no time in jumping otf. He noticed deceased trying to tear his flaming clothes, from his body, but he Avas unable to do so on account of his badly burnt hands. Witness had hastened to his assistance. Deceased who Avas conscious all the time Avas removed to the hospital in a ’bus.

Dr. E. T. DaAvson, Superintendent of the Whakatane Hospital, described the burns suffered by deceased as practically covering his Avhole body and limbs. He Avas. operated on and treated at once but despite all that could be 'done lie had suffered a scA’ere secondary shock and died two days later. To Mr Otley, witness said that every ‘sodium’ season three or four cases Avcre admitted to hospital. To Mr Cooney he explained that he was referring to the rag r wort season Avhen sodium was used so extensively. The chemical was akin to potassium chlorate Avhich Avas used in the making of explosives and the action of each was much the same in inflicting se\ r ere and sudden burns.

The coroner found that deceased died from seA 7 ere shock following extreme burns on body and limbs.