Accident at the Reservoir.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 780, 24 March 1905, Page 2

Accident at the Reservoir.

N.YHHOW ESCAPE FROM UK ATI I. At the works in progress at the reiLi'vuir un accident occurred on Wcdn'sduy by which a man named T. Punster narrowly escaped instantaneous death, u appears that Mr Williams, conriiclor, was on the siirl'iice supcraU'iuling operations at the shnlt, ( .'t the boitom of which Punster and I ~-,vo other men named M. Miilonc mid C. Lord were engaged jtnvkiiiK .-stones in the well. Malone called | up for a truck of smaller stone to j I* sent down. There was a loaded i ruck on the surface, and to •i s the wire rope was hitched, niiil l!ie tr:ek hauled to the rcltre of lit si,nit. Hire, tliriu'h soi'ie i-iuse, n,,1 \it,\ clear, the tr.icl. "chopped" .Mid c.inted over, with the alarming e n't. wMc'i those on "M> v'"'' »"- able to avert, that a poriion of the load of ston.s dropped down the shaft to the peril of the men beneath. As it happened Malone and Lord were fortunate enough to escape unhurt, hut two of the stones uui.k Punster before he could get nit of danger, inflicting severe in- , ui-ies on his head and breaking his should, r bono. The marvel is that he escaped so lightly, us had he received the full force of the falling material, the confluences w-6uld doubtless have been fatal. The injured man was conveyed with nil haste to the hospital, where, we learne* on intpjiry last nighti he is • now progressing- as favourably as • can be expected.