THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT KAWHAKA.

Kumara Times, Issue 2614, 22 January 1885, Page 2

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT KAWHAKA.

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF ROBERT QUEALE.

An inquest was held at the Court House yesterday morning, at 11 o’clock, by J. Giles Esq., and a jury, as to the cause of death of Robert Abbott Queale, a youth of 16J years, who was found dead under a dray-load of wood, which had capsized near the 15th mile-post on the Hokitika-Ghrist-church road, on Monday afternoon last. The following thirteen jurymen, after proceeding to view the body at the residence of deceased’s parents, were sworn in : —William Wade (foreman), John Mulvihill, Robert Howe, James Woods, John Palmer, Samuel Clarke, William Weisner, Garrett Dee, Solomon M. Spiers, William J. M'llroy, Jean Spindeler, James Pearson, Edward Bohan, The evidence of two witnesses was then taken, as follows: Robert Haylock, sworn, said :—I am farmer, living at Kawhaka. I knew the deceased Robert Queale; he was in my employ. I have supposed him to be about 15 years old, but have heard since that he was older. On Monday last, the 19th inst., about 5 p.m., I was working on the Government race at Kawhaka, when my daughter came to me to tell me there was an accident with the dray, and she was afraid that Bobby (meaning deceased) was hurt. I ran immediately, knowing which way the dray had gone. I passed my house about a mile from the Kawhaka, on the road to Hokitika, when I found the dray upset with the wheels in the air; the mare also was on her back, with her legs in the air, struggling. I saw deceased under the dray. The dray was loaded with firewood. I could see deceased plainly ; he did not move at all. 1 set to work to take out the bolt that fastened the shafts to the dray, which I managed to do after some trouble. I I then got the mare up; and then took the wheels off the dray. By that time my daughter and Mrs Dixon came up and helped me to turn the dray over, and then we got the wood off the boy. He was quite dead. There was a piece of wood about twelve feet long lying across the side of his neck; there was a pool of blood that had come from his mouth. I examined the position of deceased: the right-hand rein was fast in his right hand; the other rein was between his legs and a piece of wood, which I believe he must have been sitnpon when the accident happened. I imagine deceased let go the rein to clutch the wood, in order to secure his seat; and, by pulling the off-rein, had caused the wheel to go against a stump, and so upset the dray. I found by. the wheel-mark that the dray had been upset in that manner. The boy’s movement might have been caused either by the horse stumbling or by the load slipping. The accident happened coming down a hill, but not a very steep one. The load was fastened by a piece of rope to the guardirons. I had seen deceased at dinner time. I knew lie wa-t going for the firewood; William Duggan went with

him. Deceased had frequently driven the dray before. William Duggan, sworn, said : lam working for Mr Haylock. I knew the deceased Robert Queale; he was also working for Mr Haylock. On Monday last, about ten o’clock in the morning, he went with me to the bush to get some firewood ready to bring home in the dray. Deceased went away for cattle, and came back to me in the bush about twelve o’clock. We were getting the wood out from that time until we went home to dinner. Deceased harnessed the mare, and we both went together in the dray after dinner. We loaded the dray with the wood, and he (Queale) started for home in the dray. He got on the top of the load. I told him he had better walk by the mare; but he said he could drive her better on the top. I remained to get another load ready. When I thought the boy was stopping too long, I walked along the road a few hundred yards, when I found the dray upset. The mare was on her back, with her legs in the air, and the wheels of the dray were in the air. The load seemed all compact on the dray, and not scattered. I saw deceased under the load. I caught him by the leg, and sang out to him; bub he was quite dead. I ran home to get help. I saw Miss Haylock, and asked her to go for her father. I went to look for him, bat got on the wrong race, and so missed him. I fastened the rope round the load. I did not examine the wheel-tracks, and cannot give an opinion bow the accident happened. The accident must have happened at least three-quarters of an hour before I got to the spot.

The verdict returned was to the effect that Robert Qneale was accidentally killed by the upsetting of a drayload of firewood.

The Coroner thanked the jurymen for their attendance, and then discharged them.