INQUEST.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1240, 26 February 1878, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Mitre Hotel, Lyttelton, yesterday afternoon, on the body of William John Wearne, who was killed by a blast on Saturday last. Mr George Ayers was chosen foreman of the jury. Lawrence Bradley, sworn, said—l am foreman at the reclamation works, Lyttelton. I was in charge there on Saturday, and knew deceased, who was a workman there. Deceased was employed in charging a hole eleven feet deep with blasting powder. Before he began I told him to put the powder well down and I would bring him the wooden tampion bar. Ho said he preferred the iron scraper. He had got all the powder in when the powder exploded, blowing him about three chains from tho place where he was standing. I was just in front of him, about 25 feet away, when the explosion occurred. In reply to the Coroner, witness said deceased had told him before that there was no danger in using the iron scraper, and that he had used it for seven years in previous jobs. Witness had not liked to put a decided stop to the use of the iron scraper, deceased being an experienced miner. There were about 28 lbs of powder in the charge. The hole was slightly inclined downwards. William Henry Luke, sworn, said —I am a miner working at the reclamation works. I know deceased, and was with him on Saturday. I put the powder in the hole, and deceased rammed it down. After putting the powder in I went down for some clay to stop the hole with, and when about 12 feet away I heard the explosion, and some of the clothes of deceased fell by my side. Tho body was blown into the sea, and I assisted to get it out. Deceased opened his mouth three or four times as he was being taken out of the water. and then died. I have been with deceased some time at the work, and he was in the habit of using the iron scraper to ram the charge with. I saw tho foreman bring the wooden tampion bar, and tell deceased to ram the powder with it, but he refused, preferring the iron. I knew .the danger of using the iron tool, but was so accustomed to seeing it done, I thought nothing of it. The hole had been charged and fired off half-an-hour before. It had been washed out with water, and cleaned with grass. I have heard Mr Bradley point out to deceased the danger of using the iron scraper several times, and have remonstrated with him myself. Patrick Minogue, a miner, knew deceased, and saw him at work on Saturday, charging a hole with gunpowder, using an iron scraper for a rammer. He saw Mr Bradley, the foreman, take over the wooden rammer to deceased for him to use. Deceased said the scraper was handier. Several times previously he had lizard Mr Bradley pointing out to deceased the danger of unng an iron scraper for ramming the gunpowder. Witness was four chains away when he heard the explosion. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death."