BEALEY TUNNEL COLLAPSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 820, 18 May 1910, Page 4

BEALEY TUNNEL COLLAPSE.

0 JURY'S FINDING AND BIDED. j (By Telegraph— Press Association.) Greymouth, May 17., The jury which inquired into the Bealey tunnel fatality returned the following verdict this morning:—'"We find that deceased Charles Beemer met with his death by a fall of rock and mullock causing one of tho sets of timber to collapse and pin him beneath the truck on tho floor of the tunnel and an overhead beam for thirteen hours before ho could be extricated." A rider was added, in which tho jury asked the coroner to make "very strong representations" ns to the methods employed in this great tunnel undertaking. It was pointed out that no provision was made in the specifications for tho inspection of the timbering, and the jury did not appear satisfied with the class of timber used. The jury thought it should bo provided that the blocking of the tunnel as close up to the working face ns practicable should be insisted on. It ivas also urged that everything should be dono to, minimise the possibility of accident?, and that a commission of exports should be appointed to inquire as to the strength of the timbers used in tho tunnel. The coroner said ho quite agreed with tho verdict, hut some of the statements in tlr rider he did not consider quite borne out by the evidence. Anvhow, he should send it to tho Minister for Justice, and if it only had the result which the jury desired and all hoped to see, namely, protection of the workers, it would have dono good.