Fatal Accident Emphasises Dangerous Practice

Chronicle (Levin), 5 October 1949, Page 5

Fatal Accident Emphasises Dangerous Practice

GREYMOUTH, Oct. 5. ' Stating that" he felt it" his' duty to make some observation as" a warning to others engaged in; oil-5 ing similar equipment, the coronet; Mr. F. F. 'Reid, S.M./ at an inqu'est !ap Greymouth yesterday afternoori j added a rider to his verdict concerning th'e death of Walter Herbert Watson, aged 33, married,- a bush tractor driver, who was killed in the Hohonu bush of United Sawmills, Ltd., on August 27. The coroner's verdict was thaf deceased met his death when his c|othing became entangled in the mechanism of a moving rail traqtpr ; driven by him, there being insufiicient evidence to determine ho.W the clothing became so entangled. The evidence showed that the tractor arrived at the bush Ipading fcjank driverless, and when bushr men raft back they found dpceased's body stripped of its plothesv and lying between the tram T.ails dne and a half miles from where the tractor stopped. The coroner said that although the evidence was insufficie'nt for him to hold that deceasdd was in fact engaged in oiling operatibns while the traetor, was in motion,' eertain evidence rend'ered it highiy probable that he was so engaged. As experts had Mid, |t was 0 very dangerous practice and the unfortunate opcurrencp had. emphasised it agairi. y