INQUEST.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1924, Page 1

INQUEST.

THE WAIKUKUPA FATALITY. An inquest was held at the Glacier Hotel, Waihu, on Saturday, before Mr Win. Gunn. Acting Coroner and jury consisting of John Donovan. Albert Weenick, Thomas Condon, and James Foley, touching the death of Ernest .Tame.s MiTtirov. George Basil Mclnroe identified the body of deceased tt.s that of his brother Ernest James Mclnroe. married, aged

.10 years. •John Keller deposed lie was an employee of t(ie Public Works Department at present employed on the Waikiiknpn bridge construction. The deceased was foreman carpenter on that that bridge. Last saw him alive on the works at 11.1.1 a.in. on the I.lth. lie was working on the old structure, levering up a point of a cord with a crowbar. Witness was working the horse pulling the cord by a wire rope and a capstan. The horse bad a strain on the rope attached to the cord. The cord moved forward when the stringer broke. throwing the whole structure into the bed of the river, a distance of fully 17 feet. Saw the deceased fall with file structure. Went across the bridge and down to where the deceased had fallen. Found him lying with his face on the cord and about 8 feet of a stringer across his thighs. Spoke to him hut got no answer. Moved the piece of timber from off the body and sal him up, and then went for assistance. No other persons were on the job. Sggiued assistance and then went to We.hcka to ring for a nurse. On his return found deceased dead. Mr William Hohorts was then with the body. Deceased was breathing when witness left for assistance but was unconscious. The system-of working was as follows—..V rope from a capstan thiough. a block attacked to a half cap hack on to the cord. The horse was harnessed to the capstan and was pulling the cord across the stlingers of the old bridge. The span would he 10 feet. After drawing the cord fully .TO to 33 feet across the span, the structure gave way and fell into the riper lied. The old structure had licen used before by placing the derrick for driving the piles for the new bridge and stood the strain without mishap. Do not know if deeease.xaniined the stringers previous to the accident. Examined the stringers after the fall and found it was dozy and decayed. 'Before the accident deceased gave the signal to pull. Deceased was in his usual health anil sawnothing unusual about linn. William Huberts deposed he knew the deceased. Was a roadman employed on the Weheka-Waiho road and resided at Waikukupa. Was at work about two miles south of Waikukupa when John Keller came to him about 11.30 a.in. on Friday reporting an accident at the bridge, saying the stringer had broken away and that deceased was bleeding and cut about the face and that he (Keller) could not do anything himself. Witness went down to the bridge and found flic stringer and the cord. Deceased spoke and asked to be lifted up. repeating this three times. Witness di<l so. Left him in that position for a short time, and then carried him out to the main road, lie never spoke again alter being carried out on to the road. Carried him with blankets. Me died shortly afterward... Hit breathing »;n very lu-a'.y. Then assisted to remove* the body to the (<laeier Hotel, a distance of 12 miles. Do not nndei-staiul bridge work. Nicholas Hovhford and witness cairicd the deceased from the wreckage to the* side of the road. . Jean Scott, district nurse deposcif she resided at Wailio. Was called to an accident on Friday. Attended at Waikukupa and found deeeared lying on the side of the road, lie was quite dead. Did not examine the body. Saw no bruises on tbc face nor traces of blood. Could not say bow long bo ha-.l been dead. David Sinclair Mnndie. constable stationed at. Okarito deposed on receipt. of a message at Matainui reporting the accident he went to Wailio and saw tin* body at tbe Wailio hotel. Strioped the hndv and found the back of tin* shoulders, nock and light side, down to the thigh, ilisiolored. a bruise on the left armpit ami a severe wound on the left side. No other-marks were on the body. 11n* jury returned a verdict that Finest .laim-s MiTuris* was accidentally killed lhrough the mllaise of a structure which was being used whilst building a new bridge at the Waikukupa river on August loth.