FATAL MINE EXPLOSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1919, Page 5

FATAL MINE EXPLOSION.

CAUSE Of THE TRAGEDY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. An inquest regarding the trageuy at Waikoria beach on Juonday, by wliiun tlir«e natives were blown to atoms by a German mine, was opened yesterday. Avver tauug evidence of identification, the : inquest was adjourned sine die to enable expert evidence to be obtained as to the probable cause of the tragedy. The .Natives were given permission to bury the remains, and preparations are now in hand for a tangi at Pukerewa. The beach ,presenteu a gruesome sight after the tragedy, fragments of the victims and their horses being strewn in all. directions.

Mr. Ryan, who heard the reports of the e.\pioaton, stated that there were two explosions The first was a dull boom, followed almost immediately by a sharp deafening report. On examination of the beach he found two parallel lines drawn on the sand in the direction of the, water, as if some heavy object had been carried in by the tide, dragging on the sand as it came as bore it is surmised that the three men, seeing the object on the beach, went out to inspect it and tampered with it, with fatal results. It is also suggested that the mine may have been buried in the* sand and exploded by one of the hor.?es standing on it. Natives at tthe scene of the tragedy stated that some months ago/a mine came ashore near the entrance to Re.<?lau harbor and exploded with a terrific report against me cliff on the beach, and they J stated that fragments of the mine were in possession of local Natives, but no report had ever been made of the occurrence.