FATAL ACCIDENT AT WAIORONGOMAI.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 156, 29 May 1886, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT AT WAIORONGOMAI.

"In tbe midst of life we are in death .\ These words are often lightly spoken by many who do not pause to consider their solemn meaning. The truism was terribly exemplified in our rniust on Saturday last. In the forenoon of that day Thomas Robinson, a well-known resident of Waiorongomai, met with his death whilst employed at the works now in progress r.t the New Era Battery. Deceased and several others were engaged in assisting 1 to raise the stone breaker (a large iron casting weighing upwards of three tons) from the floor oE the battery to a place where it is to be fixed a little above the newly-erected furnace, and about fifty feet above the battery site. After the stone breaker i had been raised about four feet, the hawser to which the tackle was attached, suddenly parted with the strain, and the large mass of iron fell to the bottom of the skids with a fearful crash, and, canting a little to owe side, struck Robinson, crushing part of his chest, breaking fire 'of his ribs, and injuring him so severely that he died within ten minutes from the time the accident occurred. Another man named Edward Burton was standing on top of the stone breaker at the time it I ell, but escaped with only a slight wound in the leg. Mr McKay, the manager in charge of the erection of the machinery was also employed at the timo near where the stone breaker fell, and had a very narrow escape. The tackle was well tiied when raising the mass off the floor, anJ was thought to be sufficiently strong and perfectly safe, and no one apprehended that anything would give way, however the hawser, which was an eight-inch one, made of coir, snapped as already stated, although it appeared to be soi/Tid and strong. The deceased at the time of the accident was in" the act of assisting Burton to take up a portion ol the weights by hauling in an endless chain tackle fixed to abeam immediately above, and hooked on to a strop at the lower end of the stone breaker. When the accident occurred, Robinson was apparently about three feet from the skid's, and no doubt would have escaped serious injuries if the stone breaker had lain where it hai landed, but the foot of the breaker was on the opposite side to where Robinson was standing, and being considerably longer than the other side it landed on the longest part first, and immediately canted over about two foot, thus striking Robinson before he could get away. The news of the sad occurrence threw a great i gloom over the whole place, as deceased a^s widely known and highly respected. Mr Dobsun, of Te Aroha, brothor-in-law of the deceased, proceeded to Waiorongomai immediately on hearing of the accident, and took all necessary steps towards diopo&ing of the remains until an inquest fchould be held.

THE INQUEST. An inquest was held on Monday, the 21th, in the Premier Hotel, "Waiorongomui, before Harry Iveuriek, Esq . Coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs Samuel L. Hirst (Foreman), David Wallace, Charles Fugill, Samuel T. Sinardon, Wm. Roycroffc, John Borrie, and James Forsman. Alexander T. Me Kay millwright and engineer, Edward Burton and Johane Myers were examined relative to the accident and the evidence went to prove that the cause of death was accidental and a veidict was returned to that effect and that no one was to blame.

FUNERAL. At 3 o'clock on Monday the remains were conveyed from the residence of Mr Thomas Scott at Waiorongomai to Mr Dobsons at Te Aroha. A large number of the inhabitants of Waiorongomai and Te Aroha attended and followed the body to Mr Dobsons house, and expressed the utmost sympathy with the relatives on their loss. The coffin was conveyed on Tuesday morning by train to Ellerslie, and the remains buried at Howick, at which place the father and mother of the deceased aie still living. Thomas Robinson was aged 42 j and unmarried.