ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10148, 22 September 1898, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Yesterday afternoon Thomas Wliitaker, a passenger from Sydney by the Mararoa, fell off the platform of a carriage on the train which leaves Ashburton at 11 am. It appears that Wliitaker and a friend of his, Mr Ehodes, also of Sydney, got into the southern express in the morning in mistake for the Lyttelton train. They got as far as Rakaia, where they got out, and joined the slow train on their way back to Christchurch. When the train began to slow, approaching Islington, Whitaker, who was standing on the platform buttoning his coat, lost his balance and fell off. When th« train reached Islington a trolley was at once sent back, and Whitaker, who had a hole in the back of the head, was picked up and brought back to the train. Every attention was shown to him, but he died on the way. Dr. Thomas met the train at the station on arrival, and prorxunced life io be extinct. The body was taken to (Jhe Terminus Hotel, and an inquest will be heLd there this afternoon. The deceased was 49 years of age, and came from Sydney a fortnight ago. He and his companion intended to continue their journey in the Mararoa, yesterday afternoon. He is supposed to be a son of JVo , Whitaker, of "Whitaker's Almanac" fame. A lad, named Robert Ormislmt fell from the Screw Pile jetty, Lyttelton, into the water, but was quickly rescued by another lad named Uoberb Rich. * An inquest was held yesterday before Mr R. Beetham, Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr F. Board was chosen foreman, touching the death of David Hood, who met with an accident on Monday at tflie Pumping Station, Linwood. A • verdict , was returned tliat death was caused iby broken ribs ami lacerated lungs, caused !by the fall, and the jury added the following -7 '' rider—"That the attention of the Drainage ■ Board be drawn to .tho unsafe condition oi ' v the clearway about the machinery." An accident happen ?<l to Mr W. Chart! es yesterday morning. He was inth« stable loft at the rear of tho New Zealander Hotel when the floor gave way, and he fell -: through to the ground, a dietance of 12fb or 15ft. He was somewhat bruised, and one ■• of the bones of his arm was broken. Hβ j. was attended to by' Dr. Moorhouse. _ 7 ■ ' -< ) (PRESS ASSOCIATION TBt.TSOttAM.^ 1 / ,'; AUCKLAND, September'2l,,' George Smith, sixty-five,- a ■ gardener, " living in Ponsonby, dropped dead while re- > , turning home from work to-night. Hβ,'.',' leaves v. wife and large family. " .;' M. BE ROUQEMONT. ' ? \ m (PRWSS ASSOCIATION TBLKORAM,) WELLINGTON, September 21. ' , .- A portrait of M. de Rougemonb, published "\" I in the London journals, bears a strong like* "'£■ ne&s to a gentleman who spent some time in . /; Wellington at the end of last and the ~■ ■ beginning of tin's year. He was known by '*£- the name of Grieg, or Grien, and spoke of himself as an artist with a family in Sydney. _ - f When in Wellington he was an ardent '* :| Spiritualist and was said to be a, strong-'-/ "medium." v\"Js

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