FATAL ACCIDENT AT KAWARAU.

Evening Star, Issue 3363, 29 November 1873, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT AT KAWARAU.

A miner named Joel ('liapman, well known ;it Kawarau (lorgo, was accidentally killed on Friday last. .Deceased, with his mates, Thomas Trevathan and William Trudgeon, had only been at work for a few minutes when the accident occurred. They were working with three lios.es, Trevathan directing one and deceased another, while Trudgeon was engaged about ten fee,t beneath both of them in the tailrauc. The top ground, where Trevathan and deceased were standing, had been stripped back a good way, sp that apparently they were in the titjnost safety, (deceased was directing his stream of water upon the ground in the middle of the paddock, and consequently his back was turned to the face, where the boulder which caused the unfortunate accident was securely bedded, They had scarcely licfcu'iuurc than fivo minutes work, when Trevathan s:ny the stone rolling towards the deceased, and he at once called out to him to look out. Deceased dropped his hose, and made a jump to one side to get clear of the stone. _He would in all probability have succeeded in so doing had the shingly bank upon which he was then standing not given way, anil carried him into the bottom of the paddock, about ten feet belong and probably right in the track of the rolling stone. Trevathan at once ran to his assistance, but before he could reach him Trudgeon (who up to this time had noticed nothihg-of the accident, a thing easily understood by those accustomed to sluicing upomtiur.'i) had pulled deceased out from tiic rush of water. Trevathan says that Chapman only gave one slight shiver whilst he was holding him, and that he never otherwise showed the slightest symptom of consciousness.