THE INQUEST.

Manawatu Herald, 14 March 1899, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

Au inquest was held at the Hospital yesterday morning on the body of Fred Walker, before the District fcoroner, Mr G. M. Snelson, and the following jury — Henry Fuller, John Meyers, George Graham, Patrick Kennedy, John Ayers, and John Aitcheson (Foreman). After the jury had viewed the body, Horace Brown was called, and deposed that he was a scutcher employed at Yanko's flaxmill, at Carnarvon. Walker and witness were working together, and at 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, Walker caught hold of the driving belt to prevent it going round the shaft. Witness went to the engineer to get him to stop the engine which he did. On his return the engineer told witness that Fred's leg was broken. It was not the rule in the mill to attempt to put on belts before the engine was stopped. To a juryman : When the belt came off the pully it fell on to the shaft, and not on to the ground, and Walker caught hold of it to prevent it going round the shaft. Robert Nimmo, scutcher, deposed that he was at work on Saturday afternoon with Walker. He remembered the belt coming off the driving wheel of the scutcher. Witness sent Brown round to the engine, and in the meantime Walker was interfering with the belt, and witness told him to leave it alone, but the words were scarce out of his mouth before the belt caught deceased and dragged him rouud the shaft twice. The belt then broke and fell to the ground ; and witness caught hold of deceased, and found blood on his trousers, and the bone of the leg protruding through the flesh. Witness gave the necessary instructions to have the leg bandaged up, and he went himself for the doctor. Witness had been about eleven years in flax mills, and the rule was to stop the engine before any attempt is made to put a belt on a pulley. So far as he knew, deceased had been in mills about two years, and as far as witness knew he was a competent workman. , The belt in question was much the!

same as most scutching belts, and in the ordidary course of their work the men were not required to go near it. Archibald L. Meares, M.D. at Foxton, deposed that on being called to Yanko's mill at Carnarvon on Saturday he found Walker to have a compound fracture of the left thigh, and he advised the removal of the patient to the Palmerston Hospital as he was bleeding internally, and losing blood. Everything that could be done for him at the Hospital was done. The treatment Walker received before witness' arrival at the mill was also most admirable. Walker died about seven o'clock from shock to the system and internal injuries. George Wilson, M.D., who examined the boJy since death, deposed that in his opinion the cause of death was shock from internal hemorrhage. Deceased also had a compound fracture of his left thigh, and from his blanched appearance, and the absence of external hemorrhage he had no doubt t r that death was due to that cause. Thomas Westwood, owner of the mill, deposed that the Government Inspector had passed the arrangement of the machinery and belting in the mill in November last. The engineer was one of the most experienced men amongst flaxraillers in the colony, deceased was also a steady, industrious man. The men were not cautioned against touching running belts. To the foreman : He did not think the enginedriver held a certificate, as it was not necessary, and there was no contrivance now in use at the mill to communicate with the engine room in case of accident. Without, retiring the jury brought in a verdict that deceased met his death by an accident, for which there was no blame attachable to anyone. Sergeant Wilson conducted the enquiry on behalf of the police.