The Mine Accident.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4376, 20 February 1909, Page 2

The Mine Accident.

DEATH OF HEARN

We regret to report the death of Joseph Hearn (who fell 70ft down a pass in the Waihi Mine yesterday), which took place at the Waihi District Hospital this morning at .1 o’clock. The District coroner (Mr W. M. Wallnutt) on being notified of the death, pro eeded to the mine ithis morning, and in company with Mr J. Gilmour, mine manager, inspecied the {place where the accident occurred, in the stopes over No. 8 level. It appears that Hearn and his mate (Watson) were in the act of lifting a fairly heavy pole on to the top of the pass, which had just been cribbed up, mullocking operations being in progress, when the accident occurred. Deceased got on to the pass and stood on the slabs, which had been placed in the usual manner across the top. He then got hold of the end of the pole, his mate being at the other end, standing on the mullock, when the weight caused the end piece of cribbing to roll off and the slabs to drop into the pass, precipitating Hearn into the pass—an almost vertical drop of 70ft. There was nothing in the pass at the time, and the unfortunate man was taken out at the mouth of the pass, and three slabs with him. The result of the fall caused a severe concussion to the spine resulting in paralysis. Deceased evidently made the mistake of getting on top of the pass as it was, a dangerous procedure under the circumstances. The same pole was lifted up on to the top of the pass by the men standing on the mullock, in the preseEce of the coroner and Mr Gilm'iur. It appears that the pole was being put there to keep it from being covered with mullock.

The inquest will be formally opeued at 2.30 this afternoon at the Court-house, before the coroner and a jury of six, when the body will be viewed at the morgue, aid the scene of the accident inspected. An adjournment will be made until 7.30, when the evidence will be taken,

A regrettable feature of the fatality is that the deceased’s wife and family are due here next Monday from Australia, ajid we are sure the sympathy of the community will be extended to lliein in their sorrow and loss.