INQUEST

Southland Times, Issue 18823, 17 May 1920, Page 7

INQUEST

GROVE BUSH FATALITY. On Saturday morning the Coroner, Mr G. fruickshank, S.M., held an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Thomas John Cook, who died as the result of injuries received at Grove Bush on May 12. Senior Sergeant Eccles conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police, and Mr Richardson, manager of th» New Zealand Pine Company, by whom the deceased was employed, watched the proceedings on behalf of the company. Pr Donald M accomdfi Wilson, medical miperintendent of the Southland Hospital, aUted that the deceased reached the hospital in the ambulance about 3.15 p.m. on Say 12. He was dead when he arrived. He made an examination of the body found a large haemorrhage between the skull and the brain on the right side of the head. This came- from an artery to the brain which had been ruptured. The injuries were such a? might have been caused by a blow from a falling tree. Death was caused by blood pressure on the brain due to the haemorrhage. The artery was probably ruptured by the vibration of the itrain title to the blow. That would account for the fact that there were no external injuries. In reply to a question by Mr Richardson, the doctor -rated tha" it would have been very likely that rite seriousness of the injuries would he unknown to anyone. William Patrick Wright, manager of the mill, stated that the deceased had been employed as a shoeman ami on May 12 he was working at- Grove Bush. He had been at Grove Bush since October last. He was experienced in hush work. On the morning ot ; May 12 he was assisting to lay a new tramway, and was gathering the material for it. About 9.30 a.m. Cook came to him and asked for a handkerchief, stating that a amal! limb of wood had fallen on his head and hurt him. He stated that the injury was not very painful and an examination of his head, tidied, to disclose any marks. He showed no signs of distress and said that b>- would be all right in a few minutes and went back tit his work. About half an hour later Cook left the job he was on to assist witness. After he had been with witness five or ten minutes working with a jack he complained of having a very sore head. fie continued his work for a few minutes longer and then said that he could do no more and would have to lie down. Witness mafic a shakedown for him and Cook said that he felt better. Some minutes later witness heard Cook calling him, and when he went to his assistance witness found him on his hands and knees. Cook stated that his sight was failing him. They placed him back on the stretcher and sent tor a trolley to take him to Ryai Bush. All the way to Ryal Bush Cook was unconscious. hut ho did not seem to be suffering. They sent to Invercargill for the ambulance to lake him to the hospital. , Witness did not know that Cook had died before reaching the hospital as he had noticed him breathing at Waikiwi. The ambulance arrived at Ryal Bush within half an hour of being sent for. The deceased was a, widower and had five children. W T hen Cook first complained to him of the accident he stated that he was billing a sapling for the tramline. The sapling fell against a broken limb which was knocked free and struck him on the head. Thomas Robert Newton, a sawyer, employed at the Ryal Bush sawmill, stated that on May 12 he was employed at Grove Bush close to where the deceased was working on the trams. About 9.30 a_m. Cook went into the bush to get some stringers. Witness heard a tree fall and caller! out to Cook, who did not answer with the third mil, when witness went into where Cook ,vas working and found him sitting on a mossbank. He stated that he had • been ■truck on the head by a limb but would be I

all right in a few minutes. After a--while tl Cook went with witness to the tramline'and commenced work again. After about ten minutes Cook went to get'a handkerchief to put on his head, and within a few minutes was ‘back at work. Soon after he went down to where Wright was . working,; and witness heard that he had become unconscious. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally killed by being struck on the head by a fulling limb at Grove Bush on May 12.