John Vincent Spence, 1887-21/1/1936.

THROWN THIRTY YARDS

BUSHMAN'S NECK BROKEN 

CAUGHT BY SNAPPED WIRE ROPE 

Caught by the whip back of a snapped wire rope, which severed one leg and fearfully injured the other, Vincent Spence was thrown 30 yards, the fall breaking his neck, in the bush at Glenomaru on Tuesday. 

Spence, who was the third son of the late Mr William Spence, of Glenomaru, was employed by Cunningham Bros., who have a sawmill in operation at Romahapa and get their logs mostly from the bush at Glenomaru. He had fixed the hauling rope to a log when the hauling engine stopped suddenly. The jerk caused the wire rope to snap, and it swung back with terrific force, catching Spence across the thighs. One leg was completely severed and the other partly, and the injured man was picked up and thrown a distance of 30 yards, to land on his head, breaking the neck. Death must have been instantaneous.

The deceased was a married man, with two children, a girl and a boy, aged respectively 19 and 16. Mrs Spence is a daughter of Mr A. H. Kilgour, of Kaka Point. 

An inquest was held at Glenomaru yesterday.  -Evening Star, 23/1/1936.

Glenomaru Fatality 

The inquiry into the death John Vincent Spence (aged 49 years), who was killed while logging in the bush at Glenomaru on Tuesday, was held at Romahapa before Mr M. T. Jackman, J.P., acting coroner, and a jury of four. After hearing lengthy evidence the jury returned a verdict that the deceased met his death through being struck by a wire rope and pulley block while engaged in log hauling operations. The evidence went to show that the usual precautions had been observed by Cunningham Bros., proprietors of the sawmill.  -Otago Daily Times, 27/1/1936.

BEREAVEMENT NOTICES

MR H. T. CHADWICK and Family and Grandchildren desire to Thank all kind friends and relations for letters, telegrams, floral tributes, and personal expressions of sympathy in their recent bereavement.

MR and Mrs J. LANDRETH and Family desire to Thank all kind friends for expressions of sympathy in their recent sad bereavement.

THE Relatives of the late MARY SMITH sincerely Thank all neighbours and friends and the Paretal Women’s Institute for expressions of sympathy, telegrams, and floral tributes in their sad bereavement.

MRS SPENCE and Family, of Romahapa, also the Spence Family, of Glenomaru, wish to Thank all friends and relatives for expressions of sympathy and floral tributes in their recent bereavement.  -Otago Daily Times, 22/2/1936.

Romahapa Cemetery.