THE ELTHAM TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1919, Page 8

THE ELTHAM TRAGEDY.

INQUEST ON LATE W. W, STANNEKS.

The Hon. W. Carncross, acting-coro-ner, (foreman), and a jury held an inquiry into the circumstances attending •tile death of the late W. W. Stanners last Thursday. Thomas Charles Stannera gave evidence of identification of the deceased, who was <52 rears of age. He and liis brother had heen engaged at Mr. C. A. Wilkinson's bpne mill on Bridge Street west. "They had heen working there about three months, having been present at the trial ran. "" On Thursday doming deceased found a nlit loose in the bearings of the machine. He tightened it, and they started work about 9 oWock. At about 10 40 he- (witness) could tell bv him machine that, one of the bearings wsys getting hot. He found out where the trouble was and he and his brother attended to the bearing which was on the main shaft On refitpting the machinery he went to seii his brother commence work. He was not there, and "he imagined that he was et the elevator which frequently became blocked. He went back to his own machine, and findint; no bone coming up he returned to discover what was wrong. Mr. Hunter met him and told him that his brother was injured. They found him caught in the co»s of the machine. He was dead. He was of opinion that deceased reached over two large cog wheels to try a nut on the far aide of the machine, and his coat beonming caught, dragged him into the machine. Death must have been in-

stantaneous. It was not necessary to \ iSo what deceased did while the machine Was running. In rcplv to a question, witness said in fairness to 'Mr. Wilkinson he"woul3 like to emphasise thg fact that after wor])iii3 there three months he considered the plant a' safe as it could be made. Mr. Wilkinson* told both his

brother and himself to do anything that .was necessarv to make the plant absolutely safe no. matter whet the cost and they did it. From week to weeli If thev fmmd thev could mp.ko any improvements they did so. There was no qnestion of negligence, and no blame teas attachable to anvone. Other evidence was given by Dr. Cooper (describing the injuries reeeived), gnd W. H. Hunter (employee) who corroborated T. C. Stanners' evidence. Without retiring* {he jury returned a Verdict as follows: That deceased was beddentlly killed through bein? causrht In the cop wheels of the bone mill; no Mame being attachable to anyone.— Argns.