ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9114, 27 May 1895, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A sad accident occurred at Prebbleton on Saturday, by which r William Thomas Potter, stationmaster ab that place, met with his death. He was engaged in shunting a goods waggon, and his feet got caught in the points. He was unable to extricate himself, and a moving truck knocked him down, and the wheels passed over his body. He was conveyed to Christchurch station by rail, and from thence to the hospital, where he was received in a very serious condition at about 11 o'clock in the morning. His right leg and thigh were smashed severely, the latter being shattered beyond hope of recovery. The leit collar bone was broken, and across the right leg to the left bhigh were the marks of the wheel, whioh had passed over his body, causing an internal injury. Several doobors were in attendance, but nothing could be done, as his case was hopeless. The patient was unconscious most of the time, and expired at 1 o'clock on Saturday. Mr Potter was a married man. Dr. Anderson, who was a passenger by the tram, attended Mr Potter, and did not leave him until he was placed on tho ambulance.

As a holiday tandem team was being driven down East street, Ashburton, on Friday evening, the leader got his leg over the trace, the result being a capsize. Mrs A. Curtis was bhe only sufferer, and* this lady, unfortunately, had her ankle badly sprained.

A rather serious accident occurred to one of the players in the football match at Rangiora ou Saturday last. A young man, named Kelcher, received a knock during the game which has resulted in concussion of bhe spine, the effects of which may be very serious. He was attended by Dr. Volckman.

At Kaiapoi, on Queen's Birthday, a buggy driven by a Maori, and containing other Natives, collided with the verandah posts of Mr Shannon's premises, through the horses bolting and being pulled up suddenly. The vehicle, harness and verandah posts suffered, but the Natives escaped injury.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

DUNEDIN, May 25.

McLeod, a shepherd employed at Boyd Brothers, sheep farmers, Taieri, was killed through a buggy accident at Lovell's Flat. NEW PLYMOUTH, May 25.

A young man named Grey Fraser was out shooting hares at Karaka, near Waitara, with a Maori, when the latter fired at an animal just as Fraser was coming out of a bush where the bare was seen, and tbe charge went full into Fraser _ chest, and Fraser is in a precarious condition.

INVfiRCARGILL, May 25.

The drowning of Miss May Smith, head mistress of the Middle school, to-day, has caused a profound sensation, the lady, who was a daughter of the late Mr J. G. Smith, Secrebary to the Education Board, being greatly respected. This morning Bhe was bright and cheerful and left home for a walk, saying that she would call on a married sister when out. She did not do so, and her body was found in a pool of the Waihopai a little after noon. Nothing is known that was disturbing her mentally. For some time she had been troubled with earache and with a singing noise in the head, and it is possible that a sudden accession of pain caused a paroxysm whioh temporarily bereft her of reason. Miss Smith was thirty-six years old, and was a lady of singularly amiable disposition. The first intimation of the calamity waa the finding of her hat, boa and gloves on the river bank by some boys.