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FATAL ACCIDENT.

Yesterday morning' a man named Patrick Moriarty was killed in the Bimutaka summit tunnel.'; He, with several others, had been working on the shift which goes on at 12 midnight until noon, and was engaged in removing the centres from under the ar*h, when the roof for eleven feet—the length of one centre—gave way, and buried Moriarty, and John Muthieson, who was working close to him, was also knocked down. Mathieson was soon rescued, and he was found to have his face much cut and braised, the eyes being so much hurt that it was feared that his sight might be seriously impaired. The body was greatly bruised, but there were no bones broken, and no serious internal injuries. Poor Moriarty must have been killed immediately, for he; neither moved nor spoke. There is some doubt as to the exact time at which the fall occurred, and the' men who were at work cannot agree whether it was shortly after 7 or at about a quarter to 8 o’clock. It seems that the men usually knock off work at 7 o’clock for their morning “ crib,” or breakfast, but they had not had this when the roof caved in. The place where the accident occurred is about two chains from the Featherston end of the tunnel, and when Mathieson was rescued he was placed on a trolly and afterwards taken down the ballast line to Burt’s store. A man then went to Kaitoke with a message to have the engine sent up, and Mathieson was brought by train to ; Wellington and removed to the Hospital, where his wounds were dressed. He suffered great pain in the face and head; but last night he was much easier, and was reported to be doing well. It is probable that an inquest will be held on Moriarty’s body at the Upper Hiitt this afternoon.

It will be remembered that in consequence of the great cost and delay which would ensue ffomsendmgbricksalongthe line to the tunnel it was resolved to use concrete blocks. These are 14iu. by 7in., and are shaped so as to form the arch of the roof. From statements made it would appear that many of the men engaged in this work are not skilled workmen, not masons er bricklayers, but laborers, and the result would seem to have been that much of the work has not been done so well as such a lining should have been. In proof of this belief as to the inefficiency of the work, it may be stated that several men have left, preferring to give up their employment rather than run the risk of accident. The statement of one is to this effect :—“Tradesmen are not working at the concrete blocks, and it is a very rough piece of work. I knew the tunnel would come in, and so it has come in. The men who are overseers are not practical men.” Some weeks ago two masons went away from the works and obtained employment elsewhere, their sole reason for going away being that they disapproved of the manner in which the concrete lining of the tunnel was being carried on, and they feared that the whole thing would come down some day. Above the arched roof of concrete blocks there is backing consisting of earth and rubble from two to three feet in thickness. The work is carried bn by the Government on the wages system, the overseer being Mr, Brookes, and the engineer in charge Mr. Mason. It may be expected that at the inquest information as to the safety or otherwise of the works will be elicited. ■ ’ '' ,

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18780503.2.14

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5335, 3 May 1878, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
607

FATAL ACCIDENT. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5335, 3 May 1878, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5335, 3 May 1878, Page 2

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