Late Mining Accident.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3018, 17 October 1878, Page 2

Late Mining Accident.

Death of McEelvio and Inquest.

An inquest on the body of McKelvie was held at -three o'clock yesterday in the Salutatation Hotel before Dr Kilgonr, coroner, and a jury, of which Mr J. H. Jefferson was chosen foreman. Mr Sub-Inspector Bullen conducted the proceedings for the. Crown, and Captain Goldsmith, Mining Inspector, was also in attendance.

, The following evidence was elicited :— The evidence of John Ash, mate of the deceased, showed that the deceased was 36 years of age, and a widower. The party were working the Queen of the Msy section, their block commencing from the pass in which' the accident occurred. The pass had not been used by the tributers up to Friday, when they used it to send stuff down. Three .sides of the pass were solid ground, and the fourth mullock. Finding it clocked, the tribaters tried to run it from below, but not being able to remove al the stuff, McKelvie went down the piss from-above to clear out the obstruction, which was about 30 fset down, and nade a standing stage. Deceased pirtly cleared it with an- iron rail, ahd then knelt on the slab and flushed clearing it with a pick, when tie mullock wall gave way near where he tjas standing, and- fell right away from tie top, carrying him six or seven feet d>wn the pass, and completely burying him. ' Witness described the steps taken ti release deceased, and denied that he

had warned deceased against the pass being dangerous. He had considered it quite safe though no timber was used, but timber should have b3en used. The pass had been used by those who previously worked in the section. It was customary to have, passes timbered. In answerto the Mining Inspector, witness said: I was present on Monday when Ivey cautioned McKelvie about the insecurity of the timber in the drive, but that had nothing to do with the pass." James Bice gave corroborative evidence.

Thomas Badford, sworn, deposed—l am mine manager of the Queen of Beauty, ,1 know tbo two last witnesses and the deceased. They had a tribute in the Queen of the May section of the mine. According to their agreement tributers are compelled to secure their own workings. I know tbe old pass where the accident took place. I don't know who made it but it was made before I took charge of- the mine three months ago. I b have never used the pass nor instructed it to be used. ,1 knew it was chocked.i«l visued it about 10 days before the accidents but never inspected it so aa r to be able to. - tell what state the wall was in on Friday ' last. I have frequently visited tbe tribute party at work. I don't think the pass wai intended for a pass for dirt, but only for an opening to allow work to be started on the aolid. It would never have done for a pass without timber, and I would have timbered it if I had wanted it for a pass. '

By a Juror—lf McKelvie had put in half a dozen slabs the.pass would not have caved in. , f- * ';' Dr. F. O'Flaherty, sworn, deposedHearing of: the accident at the Queen of Beauty mine, I proceeded to the spot, and on the arrival of, McKelvie on the surface I examined him, and ordered him to be sent to the Hospital. > I found lie, had not sustained much .apparent injury. There was a fracture over the left-fibula, and he had very little power over his, legs. On Sunday his condition changed "' for the worse, there being a want of action of the bowels, and from that time* he gradually sank, and died this morning. Death was caused by want of action of the bowels, and the absorption of) fecal matter. . - - \ Henry Goldsmith, sworn, deposed—l am Mining Inspector to the Thames elstrict. I know where the deceased -'ciet with the accident. It was not safe to use as a pass, and neither I nor my assistant had any idea that it was about to be used as a pass.. By a Juror—lt would hare been safe with a, slight timbering. The Coroner having briefly summed up, the jury returned a verdict of "Acci«'! dental death."