THE ACCIDENT AT HALF-OINCE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 945, 7 August 1871, Page 2

THE ACCIDENT AT HALF-OINCE.

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Half-Ounce on Saturday, before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M., on the bodies of Nicholas Panam and George Nelson. The following evidence was taken : — Frank Gixien : lam a miner residing at Half-Ounce. I have seen the bodies viewed by the jury, and identify them as those of Nicholas Panam and George Nelson. The deceased were mates of mine. 1 have known Nicholas Panam for eighteen months, and George Nelson for about eleven months. Nicholas Panam was a Greek, and a native of of Spezes. George Nelson was a native of Norway. Panam was about 40 years of age, and Nelson was 33 years old. The deceased men and myself and seven other mates were blocking out in our claim on Thursday afternoon last, the 3rd of August, 1871, about four or five o'clock. I was working near the deceased men. There was only a couple of feet distance between us. I was driving. Thomas Walley was knocking in the laths. All at once I heard a great smash, and I turned round to see, and I saw the timber had fallen over the decased men. There were three other men with me. The ground had given way between us and the main drive. The timSer under which we were working did not give way. We got out through a tail-race we had put into the ground a week previously. As soon as I got out I found a number of men collected at the shaft. I and others worked to get the men out. We got Nicholas Panam's body out about seven o'clock, on the evening of Friday, the 4th August, 1871, and we got the body of George Nelson out about four o'clock to-day. I have examined the workings, and 1 believe the accident was caused by a false cap giving way. Two or three sets of timber fell altogether. The decased men had put in the timber that had fallen . The timber that gave way was round timber, sin. in diameter. The laths were driven home at the time of the accident. The deceased were cutting washdirt out at the time. The deceased had no property except their shareß in the claim. Apostelo Nelson : I am a miner residing at Half-Ounce. I knew the deceased men George Nelson and Nicolas Panam. They were mates of mine in a claim at HalfOunce. I was working with the deceased men on Thursday afternoon, 3rd August, about five o'clock. I was engaged in trucking, and the deceased were blocking i>ut. I was taking ont the washdiit from them. I was engaged in filling a truck when I saw the roof of the place where they were giving way bodily. I drew back into the old workings, and saw the ground and timber give way over the deceased. I called out to the deceased, but got no reply. I got out into the main drive, and got to the shaft, and called out that all hands were smothered. I called for help, and the miners working near came to help. At first I thought all the men working below were killed, until I saw Frank Gaxien and others come out of the tail-race. We went to work at once, and we got out Panam's body yesterday (Friday), about seven o'clock in the evening, and Nelson's body this afternoon, about four o'clock. Both men were quite dead when taken out. Two or three sets of timber had given way at the spot where they were working. I think the accident was caused from the timber not being properly wedged. The timber was good. Nelson should have wedged the' timber. George Milne : I am a miner working in Half-Ounce. I heard of the accident on Thursday afternoon, about four o'clock. I went up to the Greeks claim. I found about fifty or sixty men there when I got to the shaft. I went to work. When I went below I could see Panam's leg as far the knee. The deceased was lying on the shovel-boards, with a ten-inch cap across his loins. I worked for four hours, and then was relieved. I could not form any idea as to how ihe accident happened. All the ground I saw in the claim appears well timbered. The timber that had fallen was also good timber. An accident might happen of this kind through the timber not being properly wedged. The timber gave way sideways. None of the timber was broken as far as I saw. 1 believe one of the false props must have given way. The reef is a sort of blue clay where the accident happened. Wm. Clark : I am a constable stationed at Half-Ounce. I heard an accident had taken place at the Greeks claim on Thursday afternoon, about five o'clock. I proceeded to the spot, and went down the shaft. I found eight men working to get some men out, upon whom the timber had fallen. There were eight men working when I got there. I remained on the spot until half-past four on Friday morning. There was great difficulty in getting I the bodies out. I left, and returned again yesterday afternoon, and on going below I saw the body of Nicholas Panam. There was a cap lying across his ribs. I saw the body got out. Panam was quite dead. All the miners in the vicinity were there to render assistance to get the men out. A verdict was returned of " Accidental Death."