SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1924, Page 2

SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

ON RIM U DREDGE. FRED ARCHER KILLED.

A fatal accident happened on the Itiin ll Dredge at South Hokitika this morning about 0 o’clock whereby -Mr I**ic«lerick .Joint Archer, about 20 years, employed as an oiler and greaser, lost his life-

Work was proceeding as usual on the dredge, the deceased being engaged in cleaning up the top (leek, while his t.vo brothers Alexander and Hector were also engaged on the shift, one in winchinan and the other as tnotorninn. The deceased was sweeping up the to]) deck while one brother was engaged at the tail of the screen oiling up. Mot seeing bis blether for some time, Alex went round to the top deck and seeing his brother Hector, enquired us to the whereabouts of Fred. .Not having been seen, a search was made and deceased was found near the tail of the screen, smashed to pieces. The broom which deceased had been using was also there near him. Deceased had apparently fallen in from the top, for he had caught his right arm in a top angle of iron, ami the arm had been to n out of the socket, while the body was badly mangled, in passing between the screen and the lii jug. there hardly being a sound la ne left, though the face was not badly disfigured. It was a difficult matter to get the body out, and some of tin. machinery laid first to be removed.

The cause of the accident is at present unexplained, but apparently the deceased laid gone inside the guard rail to sweep up and bad over-balanced and fell between the screen and side lining. No one saw the accident, which must have happened some 20 to MO minutes before it wn.s known. Deceased's injuries were of a shocking nature, he being crushed almost to a pulp and t *i must lmvo boon instantuneous.

The fatality was all the more sad because the two other brothers of deceased were at work at the same time and discovered it. The workers on the dredge eompri.se quite a number of relatives and include Messrs Pettigrew (brother-in-law,), and Christiansen (2), all closely related with deceased. Ihe deceased w as a fine stamp of young man ar.d very popular. There are quite a large number of other relatives in the dirtrict. The accident caused a very painful impression when it became known, and general sympathy was expressed for the relatives. This is the first serious accident that has happened at the dredge since the commencement of operations. An inquest was to open this afternoon at 3 o’clock anil would l<e adjourned to await the arrival of the Inspector of Mines from Ileefton. Deceased leaves a father and mother fMr and Mrs D. Archer of Brittan St), three brothers and four sisters (Airs Pettigrew of Hokitika and Airs Afclnnis of Australia, at present in Hokitika, and two single).