Death of husband: Alfred Ernest Hawkins
Cause: Accident Kaitangata No. 1 Colliery, Kaitangata
Kaitangata, South Otago, New Zealand
May 8 1919Confidence: Direct and primary evidence Citation text:
Extract from Official Records A deputy on his morning round of inspection prior to the commencement of work detected on a trucking road in No. 6 dip section several sets of broken props. Owing to a shortage of shift-men for effecting repairs it was arranged that four miners, including deceased , instead of proceeding to their working places, should repair the timbering by erecting other props under the bars alongside the broken props. These four miners proceeded to this work and were engaged preparing props prior to erection whe, without warning, a large fall of coal and timber occured. Two of the party were partly buried, but not seriously injured, but deceased sustained a compound fracture of the right tibia, together with severe body-bruises and a wound of the scalp. On 11th Deceber his leg was amputated, but he died on the 8th May 1919, of blood-poisoning. The coroner held no person to blame. Regarding this accident it may be stated thjat repairing timber is a necessary but often dangerous operation; also that timber on trucking roads should not be allowed to become so broken as to collapse without giving warning. The admitted shortage of shift-men may have some bearing on this accident. | 
