SWITZERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 188, 14 September 1871, Page 5

SWITZERS.

(From our oivn~ Correspondent.)

September 8.

Another rad accident occurred among us yesterday on Frenchman's Hill. Thomas White and Henry Ennis, who had just arrived back to their claim after dinner, and were standing on tbo surface looking over, the face when the ground fell from under them, takm* them both down with it. Ennis had presence of mind to cry out when falling. That called the attention of Mr. James M'Laren, Mr. Matheson's storeman, and others who were in the store, that was near by, who ran to see what was the matter, when they found Ennis with the lower part of his body covered with carth — be was the only one visible. Further assistance wa* speedily obtained to get him ut, uuJ

when they had been working about five miimtes over him, the head of water, that was still running, uncovered White's boots. One of the witnessos at the inquest stated that when he saw the boots he said to Ennis, " Hallo ; who is that ?" when Ennis said, "It is Tom ; he must be dead." Ennis was got out as quickly as possible by one party, while another party, as soon as it was known that White was there, put forth every effort to get him out. There was .about two feet of loose earth and lumps of clay over the body, which it was evident was quite lifeless from the position of it. Erom the time of the accident uutil the body was recovered, it must have been fully half an hour. He was quite dead, and there is reason to believe, from the bruised state of his head and neck, that he was killed instantaneously by the large pieces of clay. An inquest was held over the body in the afternoon, and from the evidence it was quite clear that it was purely an accident. Il is thought that Ennis is out of dantior, but he- is severely bruised, and one of his ribs is broken. The doctor is of opinion that he is not in a fit state to be removed to the Hospital yet. In the fall that came down, I should think there was from six to eight tons. Eunis has stated since that when they felt the ground falling with them, that White leapt forward and got before the fall, and ho leapt backward and got behind it, which is fully borne out by the positions of the two men. Thomas White, the deceased, was a native of County Keatb, Ireland. He has been on Switzers about five years, and has taken an active part in most of our local affairs. He possessed a fair amount of intelligence, which was manifest in liis correspondence to the press. I believe he was £or some time the Switzers correspondent to the. " Bruce Herald." He was well known in the Tuapeka district, and especially about the Blue Spur, as he cut one of the first water-races from the head of Gabriels Gully to the Blue Spur for sluicing purposes. I believe ho was one of the oldest minors in Otago. The funeral will take place on Sunday next, when a larse concourse of miners it is expected will attend it, as he was generally respected by them. There was a public meeting announced to be held about the Chinese yesterday evening, but on account of the above-mentioned accident, it was postponed until Saturday the 16th inst, I shall let you know the result of it.

TY^e have had. an unusually heavy fall of snow thi3 Tveek, heavier than any that has fallen for the last four years, but the strong wind that we nave had to-day has cleared most of the low country — the hills are still thickly covered.