MELANCHOLY AND FATAL ACCIDENT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 53, 13 April 1878, Page 2

MELANCHOLY AND FATAL ACCIDENT.

\ Ah inquest was Held at Halcombe, on. 1 the 10th of April, before Dr. Rockstrow, the District Coroner, on the body of 1 Adolph Boerk, who met his death on I the previous day by a fall of earth, at the Corporation GPravel Pits, Halcombe, J- The jury, of whom Mr William Henry; , Lash was chosen foreman, having been r .SWdnii ■ ■ . '■'' ''':'''}! . '"' ' ' ~' : ' ':; : i [ Ernestina Boerk, was called, arid dei posed as i follows :^- 1 am the wife of the i deceased. *He was a native of Germany, • and twenty^eight years of age. -He left home yesterday morning to go to >.. work at? the Corporation Gravel Pits. I never saw him alive afterwards. James Garland, sworn, said :— I am a laborer, residing about four miles L from Halcombe. On the tenth instant, : at about 10 o'clock in the morning, I" was working at the pit. Deceased was '•' filfing in a dr^y with loose stuff. He ' was riot working at the face of the pit. The face is about twelve feet highv I : was standing about five yards from ■ Boerk wh^n I heard the. fall of earth: Decease4-was buried under it, and it [■" took about seven minutes tpiinoover , him. About twenty-f our yards of gravel : came (iown without any warning- I consider the ground quite, safe. J James Mollison, being sworn; deposed :—T am a laborer residing four miles from Halcombe. Yesterday morn- ;;.: ing, at 10 o'clock, I was with ! deceased in the Gravel Pits, filling a i dray. He stood on the left side of the dray, with his back towards the face of it. I never before saw any stuff come down. There was a man working on 1 the top of the pit. I consider the ground quite safe. . William Sanderson "deposed: I am ' the- Corporation pverseer. I know the pit.y It is safe ground. There is a a ganger in the pit to watch the work, arid seejo the safety of the men. •-' -jj. . This was all the evidence produced, and the jriry, After a short consultation, returned the following verdict :.— " That the deceased Adolph Boerk met his death accidentally near Halcombe, on; the lOth of April, whilst working in the Corporation Gravel Pits, and that no blame attaches to anyone." . The Coroner in rocbrdirig the verdict said that he agreed with its finding, bu| ! recommended that in future iriore prev; cautionary measures against accidents should be taken, by placing watches on the, top, of the Workings to give the , alarm. ' '■' ",'■//., .'-/f] '--. " / -