Another Fatal Accident

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 60, 20 November 1886, Page 2

Another Fatal Accident

THE INQUEST. An inquest was held by Gh M. Snelsori, Esq., Coroner, at Bellvie's Hotel this morning on the body of the late John Derby, killed yesterday by the fall of a tree. The following were the names of the jury:— Messrs Holland, Fowles, Cottrell, Ben J. Gbsling, C. Browny and Parr. Mr 0. Brown was chosen foreman. ! The jury having been sworn, they > were taken to view the body. | Geojge Henry Derby deposed : He. ■ was a son of deceased, who was acontractor for bushf ailing for Mr Manson; yesterday morning left the whare to go to work at about half past six; deceased and witness were working together until twenty minutes ' to nine; witness was putting the front scarf, and deceased was putting the back scarf in a double tawa tree; one was green, the other was dead ; when the trees were falling both (witness and deceased) ran back ; the green tree slewed round and fell in the opposite way to what it was expected to fall ; it struck the dead tree, dropped in between the stumps, and slewed the dead one round ; was about ten feet away, which is far enough to get away; was standing side by side with deceased; not one of the trees struck witness; saw the the stump coming on them, but could not get away on account of the other trees; the tree struck deceased right on the; iiop of ' the head : he did not speak cine, word; l thought he was dead when he fell ; witness lifted his father's head up ; called his brother William, and ran to Joseph Hughes for assistance ; they were about three chains away; and they came at once ; went for; Arthur; Thomas, and Montague Augustus' George Smith to help to carry deceased out ; we carried the body on to the road and left it there until Mr l'leasants came with the trap,' in which the body was brought to Mr Bftiive'B. . . „"",;; .'". By the Constable : ?ent for the Constable; could not say whether his brother did. ... ; .> fi Joseph Hughes deposed : He w;i» working as a partner with deceased in the bush contract ; about twenty niiuutes to nine heard a, tree go down, then two sharp cooeys ; the sound came from the Derbys ; knew the yeice ; ran as quickly as possible to the place; took his axe over m case anything should have happened ;- saw the eldest son supporting his father ; he uaid he thought his father was killed ;. suggested more assistance should be got ; thoupht deceased was quite dead, because the blood had ceased running from him ; Tom Stubley came up, and witness said he had better go for 'the doctor and the Constable; the body was not shifted until the'doctor came; then the body was got out on the road. Arthur Thomas deposed : He was a bushf filler ; knew deceased ; had a siib-coutract f r'oni him, with Montague Smith and "Nicholson (recently kill«d); this accident Mm; «pened yesterday morning; was called to the spot, and ou arriving fouud deceased lying on the ground with his le£ slightly bout, some of the pieces of wood ou his feet, and a large piece lying at right angles with the body; assisted to straighten his legs ; to all tippearawoe Dei'by was dead ; helped to carry the' body out to the road. . Dr Monckton deposed : He was a duly registered practitioner ; was oalled yesterday to attend v man who had been killed by the fall of a tree ; his presence was required as a satisfaction to the sons ; took the messenger to the police to give the necessary information ; reached the spot about 12.80 p.m. ; found' Derby lying on the ground in a thick tangled bush; a quantity of blood was under one arm, which had run ou* of the mouth ; the skull was fractured ; on touching the fracture felt a slight pulsation of the brain ; procured cold water and applied it; pulsation ceased in about 10 minutes, and the man was dead; then directed a stretcher to be made to carry the body on to the road to meet the trap; from the quantity of blood thrown up there was no doubt that deceased was seriously injured inline chest ; the injuries to the head were sufficient to account for the death ; thorefore did not remove his garments; the fracture was over the right temple. The Coroner said it was a very painful thing that so many accidents were happening in the bush. The men did not seem to take proper precautions to protect themselves. In this case deceased and his son did not get far enough away from the tree. He did not think they could make any recommendation, but something should be done to prevent persons from taking contracts for bushfalling who know nothing about it. \.i.u-! -; ; The jury found a verdict of " Accidental Death/ A rider was attached to the verdict to the effect that the attention of the Government be directed to the number of fatalities occurring from unexperienced persons undertaking bushwork.