THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT CAPE TERRACE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2574, 22 September 1884, Page 2

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT CAPE TERRACE.

■ + . CORONER'S INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Sluicers' Arms Hotel this morning, before F. A. Monckton, Esq., a Coroner for New Zealand, touching the death of Daniel M'Namara, who was killed in his claim at Cape Terrace on the morning of Wednesday, the 17th inst., by the collapse of a portion of the tuunel whilst at work near the face of it. The following jurymen were sworn in : Louis Ziegler, Gilbert Stewart, Michael Wall, Michael Murphy, John Mulvihill, Michael Dracatos, Michael Maloney, James Rngg, Garrett Dee, Jeremiah Gilbert, Patrick Chambers, David Moore, Patrick Brick. Michael Wall was nominated and chosen foreman.

After viewing the body, which was laid out in a coffin in another room of the house, the following evidence was

taken:—

James Dwan, on oath, saith : I am a miner, residing at Capo Terrace. I have seen the body of deceased; I recognise it as that of Daniel M'Namara. He was a mate of mine workin« m the same claim. Last Wednesday, 17th instant, deceased, Edward Boban and myself went to work in our tunnel at 8 o'clock in the morning. The length of the tunnel is about four or five hundred feet from the face. We wore all three at work in it at the time of the accident. I had the timber drove home on the false set, waiting for the permanent set. I was shoveling at the time; so were my mates, Bohau loading the truck. We were distant from each other from seven to nine feet at the time of the collapse. I heard a crash, and the timber broke right over my head. This was between 11 and 12 o'clock. I saw deceased when I heard the crash ; he made a rush for the main drive when the timber broke. After he got away about three sets, he was knocked down; he was running at the time. I was caught by the leg by the timber and became boxed for about 22 hours. I believe the accident occurred through the dangerous nature of the ground. Ido not think the late rains had anything to do with it.

By Jurors : I made a jump to get after M'Namara, but I was caught by the timber; T was caught by the leg by falling timber, and fell. I could not go any farther. I did not hear M'Namara. I sang out " Dan i Dan !" but there was no answer. I heard moaning, and was answered by Bohan, who said " M'Namara must be dead or killed." Bohan was about the same distance as M'Namara from me. I was between them. I did not see M'Namara fall; when I last saw him he was running. He got about 15 or 16 feet away from the face. Bohan said "I believe Dan is killed." To the Foreman : I believe if deceased had stopped where he was, he would have been safe yet. Timothy Corby, on oath, saith: I am a miner, residing at Cape Terrace. I have seen the body lying in this hotel; it i.s the body 0 f Daniel M'iYiimara. I have known him seven or ei.niit yens. 1 v. ; ,s A t, deceased's claim at Cape TVnae.-.' yesterday. I was assisting >vuij uiw, o i y recover the

body of M'Nainara, supposed then to be lifeless. I was working at the face, about 400 feet from the mouth of the tunnel. It was about half-past two o'clock in the morning when I came upon the body; the left foot was about 2ft. in advance of the other; the body was doubled down, with timber and earth pressing on it. He was quite dead at the time. At the request of his friends, with others I brought him to Kumara. I thought the place was safe to work in. I can give no reason for the accident, only that I consider the timber being used was not strong enough for the nature of the ground. This concluded the evideuce, after which the jury returned the following verdict: " That Daniel M'Namara was killed accidentally on the 17th day of September, 1884, in a tunnel at Cape Terrace, near Kumara, by a fall of timber and earth." The Coroner thanked the jury on behalf of the Queeu for their attendance, and then dismissed them.