SAD FATAL ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 244, 14 October 1889, Page 3

SAD FATAL ACCIDENT.

BOY KILLED AT NEWTON FIRE

BRIGADE PRACTICE.,

On Saturday afternoon, ab about four o'clock, while the Newton Fire Brigade were holding a practice, a little boy named Samuel Robert Davis, 7£ years of age, was run over by the hose-reel and killed almost instantly. The little fellow, with his mother, had been to the Saturday afternoon service held in the Seventh DayAd ventist Churoh, Surrey Hills, and on the way home left his mother to watch the practice. It appears that there was *» crowd of youths and children in front and at the sides of the reel when it was going ab the " double," and it is said that the unfortunate boy wae jostled by the crowd, and fell in front of one of the wheels, which passed over the lef b side of his head, above the ear. Death was almost instantaneous, the boy expiring before there was time to raise him. Mr Wilkins, of the Ponsonby contingent, and Mr Moulden ran to the boy'e aesistance, but he was found to be past all help. Dr. Purohae was sent for, but could of course do nothing for the boy. The body was removed in the first instance to the brigade shod, and subsequently it was taken to the parents' home in Manning - street, off Newton Road. Owing to the unformed nature of Williamson's Avenue, and the consequent jolting of the reel, the men in charge of the latter noticed nothing unusual in their course to the fire-plug, end did not know of the accident till informed by Mr Riggs. The practice was at once discontinued, and the brigade men started a subscription list in aid of the parents, who are not financially in the best of positions. The Seventh Day Adventist Churoh people also did what they could to mitigate the parents' trouble. INQUEST ON THE -BODY.

The inquest was commencod at 10 o'clock to-day at the Star Hotel, Newton; Dr. Philson, coroner. Constable Barnard represented the police. The evidence of eight witnesses was taken, but no new facts were elicited. The jury brought in a verdict of "Accidentally killed by a hose reel passing over him;" no blame attributed to anyone. Great sympathy is felt for the parents, and some of those who -witnessed the accident have subscribed sums to pay the burial expenses.