ACCIDENTAL DEATH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 398, 6 December 1932, Page 6

ACCIDENTAL DEATH

YERDICT AT INQUEST INTO DEATH OF W. STEELE OCCURRENCE ACCIDENTAL Accidental death, was the verdiet returxxed by the Coronet", Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., at the adjourned inquowt completed yesterday into thc jircumstances surrounding the death >f Walter Steele who was struck by i hook at Mamaku on November 29. The first part of the proceedings as held at Mamaku and the coroner ■ijourned after bearing several wit •esses to hear the balance. of the evidnce yesterday. Constable A. D. Brown represented Ihe police. Thomas Cecil Wooffinden, a mill .land, said that he was one of a g'ang uigaged in "fleeting" logs and the ieceased was standing in front of rim. Steele lifted the hook to trip it ind witness moved to give him a hand. Ihe hook slipped out, fiew back and -itruek Steele on the head. Witness said that it was usual to •;*ull the slaelc out if the block were aupped hut not if the strain were on. In this case the strain was not on when they went to trip the block a.s the haul was finished but everydxing happened so quickly that it was hard to say what actually had occurred. David Widdup a winch driver said Lhat he got the signaf- to haul from a man naxxied Kelly but could not see Steele from where he was, at first. He hen saw Steele holding the block up and the next thing he saw was the hook flying out, and he stopped the .vinch. He then saw Steele carried away bleeding from the head. It was not usual for Steele to stand where he did but he was anxious to get the Iruck away. The hook often did fly out, but Steele was experienced in handling logs. Steele was taking an unnecessary risk and would know ihat he was. All the gear was in good order and the block flying out was an accident. Kelly Hana gave evidence that he was also at the scene of the accident. When a rope had been placed three tin.es around the log witness gave the signal to go ahead to the winch driver. As the log turned over 'he hook fiew out and struck Steele. The operation was a common one but deceased wais standing in an unusual and dangerous place. Duncan Steele a brother gave hvidence of identifiction. Evidence was given by Dr. W. S. Wallis of Rotorua, that he had been •alled to Mamaku when he had found Steele unconscious and suffering froni a severe head injury. He ordered Steele to be removed to the King Street Hospital and iperformed an operation but without success, Steele -Lying the following morning without regaining consciousness. The injuries to the head were suffieient to cause death which was due to concussion and intra-cranial haemorrhage. ~ The coroner returned a verdiet that deceased died from concussion and intra-cranial haemorrhage due to being struck on the head hy a. timber hook. The occurrence was accidental.