The Fatal Shaft Accident.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4964, 6 December 1884, Page 2

The Fatal Shaft Accident.

CORONER'S INQUEST.

After we went to press jesterday the following evidence was taken at the inquest into the death of Walter Adair :—

G. S. Clark, manager of the New Prince Imperial mine, deposed to descending the shaft on Thursday night, in company with Constable Dunn and others and finding the body of deceased laid out in the chamber at the 570 ft. level. It was sent to the surface, and witness and the constable then examined the shaft, but could find no marks of deceased striking anywhere, though afterwards the sole of one bout was found at the 340 ft, level. It was the braceman's duty to keep the gates closed at night and during the day when possible. The gates had been put up on purpose to prevent accidents such as this one. It was impossible to keep the inside gates always shut, es peciaily when lowering timber. The top of the shaft was well lighted, both from the engine shed and the hotel opposite. Thomas Kneebone, braceman, deposed that he did not see anyone about the shaft on Thursday night. The outside gates were closed at the time of the accident, and there was plenty of light to enable anyone to see the shafc.

Constable Dunn corroborated previous evidence as to removing the body, on which ho found a purse containing 15s 7d, some papers, and a memorandum book, showing that his name was W^rttgr^Adair. Amongst the papers was a scrap upon which was written a note, evidently intended for deceased's wife, as follows : " Dear Annie,—l send you £5 ; don't tell anybody I sent it to you—not even your dearest friend. From your husband, W.&."

Sergt.»Major Kiely here explained that a cheque for £8 Ss had been cashed the previous day by deceased, it purporting to have been drawn by-H. H. Adams, of Waiorongoniai, in favor of Jas. Sampson, but when the signature was compared with authentic ones in the Registrar's Office, they were found to be dissimilar, and it was thought this circumstance might have something to do with expressions given vent to by the deceased, and with the troubled state of mind he was

In reply to tho foreman of jurors, the police stated they had searched unsuccessfully far the boy who was with Adair. After F. Sykes bad identified the body, th© Coroner summed up the evidence, showing that it pointed rather to an intentional act on the part of deceased than

to an accident. The case was, however, a difficult one to decide.

The jury were then left to consider their verdict, and after a few minutes' deliberation, the result was announced by the Foreman, who said that they were unanimously of opinion that the deceased, Walter Adair, came by his death through falling down the Imperial shaft, but there was not sufficient evidence to show how he got into the shaft.