MAORI LAD’S TRAGIC DEATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3670, 26 July 1927, Page 2

MAORI LAD’S TRAGIC DEATH.

CRUSHED BENEATH LOAD OF FLAX. The death occurred under tragic circumstances yesterday of a wellknown local Native lad named David Kimura, or Paul, aged 18 years. Deceased, who resided at Motuiti, was engaged in carting flax from the swamp on Barber’s Estate, at Himatangi, with a three-horse team, when the dray with its load of 45 bundles of flax, capsized on top of him, causing his death almost instantly. The body was removed to Motu*iti, where an inquest was held this morning. Deceased was well-known locally, having been educated at tile local State School. .

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Motuiti this morning, before Mr A. Fraser, Coroner, into the circumstances surrounding Paul’s death. In evidence, William Reupena Takurua, flaxworker, of Motuiti, said that yesterday morning he proceeded to the swamp ahead of Paul, who had charge of a three-horse team and was engaged in carting flax from the swamp to the Himatangi road. When Paul arrived, witness asked him to take fifteen bundles of his (lax out first. Paul asked how many bundles he had altogether and witness replied that he had forty which was too much for one load. Paul said he would take the lot, however, and witness warned him that forty bundles would be too heavy and might cause an accident. Paul persisted in his desire to take all* the bundles, however, and witness loaded, them on the dray and when Paul set out he walked behind the dray to see that his flax got out of the.swamp safely. The road out ran around a small sand hill and when negotiating a bend at this juncture the horses were walking quickly and witness saw the wheel of the dray on the hill side of the track rise and he shouted out to Paul to jump off the dray, but lie kept his seat on the flax and called to his horses to go steady. Witness was about half a chain away when suddenly the dray tipped right over and buried the driver beneath the flax with only his left leg showing a short way above the ankle and his left wrist and forearm being visible. The dray was completely overturned and resting on top of the flax. Witness ran up and listened for any sound from deceased in order to locate his head. He heard choking noises and -tore the flax away from deceased’s he fid. Deceased was lying face down is the swamp and witness lifted his face clear of the water and put some dry flax under Jiis chin to keep his face out of the ooze. Witness asked deceased how he felt and he replied “I can hardly breathe, 1 think the weight on my back is killing me.” Witness found he could not free deceased by himself and told him to hang on while lie ran up to the top of the ridge and called the other men to his assistance. He had not gone more than a few yards, however, when Paul called out: “I’m done, Good-bye George.” When witness got back to him Paul was dead. Wlhen the others arrived the cart was hauled ofL with the horses and the flax removed hut Paul was quite dead when his body was released. The total weight on him would be about two and a-half tons. The accident happened at about 10.45 a.m. George Papara gave evidence to the effect that he was working in the swamp at the time of the accident. He was adjusting a load on another dray when he heard a call for assistance. He jumped on a horse and rode over to where the accident had happened, and, with others, helped to extricate the body. There was no sign of animation about the body when recovered. Timothy McDonald, another flaxworker, gave similar evidence. He removed the body to Motuiti aftei the accident. The verdict was that David Paul came to his death by being buried beneath an overturned dray, loaded with flax, no blame being attachable to anyone.