MASTERTON ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 25, 24 October 1921, Page 7

MASTERTON ACCIDENT

INQUEST ON THE VICTIM. From Our Own Corresnondent. Masterton, October 23. An inquest was held yesterday by Mr. E. G. Eton, District Coroner, concerning the death of Henry Rooks, an employee of t*ho Masterton Cement Pipe Company, who was killed on tho previous day through being struck by a piece of tho iron rim which flew off a revolving drum used in the manufacture of cement pipes. Dr. P. R. Cook said the bones of the skull were smashed apparently by the broken flange from the revolving drum. Death would be instantaneous. Edward Thomas Waters, who was working on tho other side of tho drum at the time of tho accident, said the drum wife running in first gear when it suddenly began to jump and knock. It did this twice and witnessed called out: "Look out." Tho next instant he saw a shadow and turning round saw deceased lying in tho pit with his skull fractured and a piece of broken flange near by. Under cross-examination witness said the deceased attempted to stop the machinery by pushing tho driving belt into neutral. Had the drum held together a few seconds longer the machinery would have been stopped and the accident averted. So far as he knew the belt-shifting apparatus and t'he machinery generally were in perfect order. Other evidence was given and a verdict was returned that death was caused bv a broken flange striking and fracturing deceased’s skull. Apparently the machinery was in good order and there was no evidence to show the cause of the accident.