THE NAPIER ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5767, 23 September 1879, Page 2

THE NAPIER ACCIDENT.

(?£R PEJESS AGESCr.I Napieb, Monday. At the inquest to-day on ,the bodies of the three men who were killed on Saturday by the land slip inChaucer-road, a verdict of accidental death was returned, with the following rider : tors, Messrs. Davies and Connor, for the slight nature of the tunnel, and the jury hope that the contractors will do their utmost for the widows and orphans of the deceased. The jury farther are of opinion that the system of excavating adopted in Napier, and particularly in this instance, is exceedingly dangerous, and would recommend the Mayor to bring the subject bid Municipal Council.” It i ■ . Uy considered that the censure on th; c .iiT,..ctors is by no means warranted by the evidence, the testimony of two skilled witnesses, Weber and Rochfort, civil engineers, exonerating the contractors from blame. The affair caused great excitement in Napier, and as early as Saturday evening, only a few hours after the accident, £SO for the widows

and orphans was collected by Mr. Becker of the Criterion Hotel.

This afternoon, at the meeting of the Borough Council, the matter was taken in hand, and means were organised for rairing subscriptions from every person in the t.wn aide t > give anything. There are two widows and eight orphans t > provide for.