Witness's duty was to set the men to work and to see that all was safe, The " shift" was nearly up, and witness went out to the mouth of the tunnel to meet the other " shift" and give the men their candles. When he left the face deceased and Smith were work* ing to bring down a lump out of the roof, Bather more stuff than was expected came away, and the unexpected piece struck de ceased. If the men had kept the position they were in when he left them no harm would have happened. There was a long bar they could have used, and so have kept out of danger. .They, however, went too close to the piece, and so deceased was caught. By the Coroner : Witness was bred a miner, and so far as his experience taught him, he was of opinion that the tunnel ought to be bricked. That was the only way to prevent accidents, By Sergeant Neil: He did not think it waa dangerous for men to walk in and nt of the tunneL Pieces occasionally fall from, Vhe roof, and that of course would be dangerous for the time being. In some parts of the tunnel the ground was much slacker than in others. James Crawford, Government Inspector of Works for the Port Chalmers and Deborah Bay Railway contract, was, at the instigation of Sergeant Neil, examined,' and deposed that he visited the tunnel in his official capacity once a month, to measure off the work, ana sometimes between whiles. He had not any experience in railway tunnels before. He visited the south end of the tunnel where the accident occurred on Sunday last. He did not consider the roof of the tunnel safe for men to wcrk under, or walk to and [fro. Mr Blair, the District Engineer, was in the tunnel with him on Sunday. Considered the tunnel to be in a dangerous condition. Had been in dange himself whilst on duty in the tunnel. He was of opinion that the contractors did all they could do to keep the tunnel safe, but the ground was of a very shelly nature, and it was therefore almost impossible to keep it safe. Had reported the matter, and given his opinion that the tunnel ought to be lined with either brick or stone work. 