LOCAL AND GENERAL.
In event of the school picnic tomorrow being postponed on account of wet weather, the children are expected, to assemble at school as usual.
Archibald McDonald was killed yesterday when working at the Public Works Department quarry at Upper Junction. No particulars are available, says a Dunedin message. -Hawera Star, 11/2/1926.
QUARRY FATALITY.
INQUEST ON VICTIM OPENED.
An inquest was opened at the morgue yesterday, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner, to inquire into the circumstances of the death of Archibald Donald McDonald who was killed at the Public Works Department’s quarry at Upper Junction on Wednesday. Formal evidence of identification was given by Ebenzer Bannatyne McDonald, brother of deceased, and the inquest was then adjourned to 10.30 a.m. on Monday next. Deceased was a married man, aged 38 years, and resided with his wife and family at Mount Cargill, he was employed by the Public Works Department at the Upper Junction quarry and met his death through being caught in the belting’ driving the crusher. Before the machinery could be stopped, he was badly crushed about the head and body, and died shortly afterwards. -Otago Daily Times, 12/2/1926.
NO NEGLIGENCE
Mt Cargill quarry fatality
CIRCUMSTANCES UNFORESEEN
Further evidence heard this morning at the inquest on Archibald Donald McDonald, who was killed at the Public Works Department’s quarry at Upper Junction last Wednesday, satisfied the coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) that there had been no negligence in the matter of looking to the safety of the machinery, in which deceased was caught and flung to the ground.
Mr F. B. Adams appeared for the department, Mr J. O. Saunders for the relatives, and Sergeant Bonisch for the police.
Evidence was given by John Albert Hodges (who was working with deceased just before the accident), Gordon George McIvor (a lorry driver), Lionel Stanhope Dawson (inspector of machinery), Dr Charles Ritchie Burns (resident medical officer at the hospital), John Joseph Jones (quarry overseer). Constable Connor (of Waitati), and Thomas George Gordon Beck (assistant engineer of public works, Dunedin).
The evidence showed that deceased was working in the bins with the first fitness, and seeing a lorry coming, he attempted to descend to help load it. He had to step over a moving belt, and close to the end of an uncovered shaft, and his coat became caught in the shafting, so that he was flung to the ground. The Inspector of Machinery was of opinion that the erection of such machinery should have been reported to his department. There was a difference of opinion among the witnesses as to whether it was necessary for deceased to go round that way, and the general opinion seemed to be that while it might be necessary, a careful man would have stopped the machinery first. It was stated that this particular piece of machinery was assembled by deceased, who was a highly competent man, and one who would be well aware of danger.
CORONER’S REMARKS The Coroner said that the actual cause of this unfortunate accident was clear enough: the clothing of deceased was caught, and he was thrown to the road. The belt and shafting were not protected, and at first glance that appeared to be a matter of negligent oversight. Nor had the erection of the granulator plant been reported to the inspector of machinery. The explanation of the engineer was that the structure was only a temporary one, and the department’s own skilled officers looked after such matters. It seemed that the actual duties in which deceased was engaged at the time of the accident were duties that were not contemplated by the overseer of the work. They were duties that were the outcome of the exigencies of the moment, when a shortage of lorries kept the bins full of metal. Deceased himself was spoken of as a very careful and competent workman, who was in charge of this particular portion of the plant, and who was fully alive to its condition. If it had been contemplated that the plant was to have been used in that way by deceased, then it would have been proper to provide the protection that was afterwards added, but the work which deceased and the boy were doing did not enter into contemplation at the time. What first appeared to be a matter of considerable negligence had been fairly well explained away. The verdict would be that death was due to injury received through deceased being thrown to the ground after his clothing had been caught in the shafting at the Mount Cargill quarry. -Evening Star, 15/2/1926.
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