Fatal Accident near Auckland.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 137, 9 May 1884, Page 2

Fatal Accident near Auckland.

A Man Killed, Another Dangerously Injured, and a Horse Smothered In a Gravel pit.

Last week a fatal accident occurred at the Mangere Mountain gravel reserve, by which a carter named Roht. Pollock was killed instantly, another named Joseph Hastie was seriously injured, and a horse, the property of Mr Miller, was killed. Mr Pollock had driven his horse and cart into the pit to load up with scoria. A young lad named Short, a boy about 14 years of uge, son of a settler at Mangere, was present, and observing the dangerous state of the place, told Pollock and tfustie that he would not take a pound a day and work hi such a dangerous place, but they beiug accustomed to the place took no notice of the warning. Shortly afterwards, however, some gravel began to run, and they attempted to clear away with the dray, but they were too late. Down came an avalanche of tons of scoria and earth from a bank 30 to 40 high, burying Pollock and the horse and dray under a vast quantity of scoria and earth. HavStie was farthest out from the face near the hoivse's head, and was only partially buried. Poor Pollock fared worse. He was buried under the mass with his horse. The boy, who was the only one who observed the accident, at once gave the alarm, and a number of people quickly musteied. Mr Knight* a former resident m Mangere, who was passing at the time, at ouce drove into Onehunga and informed Constable Greene and Dr Scott of the accident. Tliey immediately came to render assistance, and m the meantime Mr Strtbley, with the aid of about a dozen willing helpers,eitricated Hastie, who, although severely crushed about the legs and head, was at first able to walk, but he almost immediately fainted, and was taken to his own house adjoining. Neither Mr Pollock, the horse nor cart were then visible, but a dozen men working for lite and death were endeavouring to extricate the unfortunate man. Following the directions given by Mr Hascio they worked directly towards where Pollock lay, but it took fully two hours to extricate the boJy, whicli was then quite dead. Dr Scott and Sergeant Greene were present when the body was takeu out. The former having pronounced life to be extinct, the" body was removed to the residence of Mr Miller to await an inquest. He., is not much disfigured, but it waff evident death was instantaneous from, the crush. The accident caused quite a sensation m Mangere, Onehunga, and Auckland, and people became alive once more to the dangerous circumstances under wliich these gravelpits are worked.