ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23802, 23 November 1942, Page 6

ACCIDENTS

* ARMY INSTRUCTOR KILLED ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE OF BREN GUN (P.A.) DANNEVIRKE, November 21. Sergeant Stuart Cotter, aged 23. single, a son of Mr Colin Cotter, of Brentwood avenue, Mount Eden, Auckland, attached to the staff of the Central Military School of Instruction, was killed instantly yesterday afternoon. He was riding alone in a lorry following troops during a range practice by a class of junior non-commissioned officers when a bullet from a Bren gun in the back of the lorry hit him in the back of the head. Death was instantaneous. The bullet was the last round of the last magazine issued in the first practice. Evidence at the inquest disclosed that apparently the bullet had been retained in the gun in spite of the customary precautions, and had been discharged through the friction caused by the jolting of the lorry over rough ground. TWO PERSONS DROWNED IN SURF (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 22. A double surf fatality occurred at Waihi beach, near Hawera, to-day, when a party of six young persons were in trouble in the surf. The victims were Miss Mary Noleen Frampton, daughter of Mr C. E. Frampton, Hawera, and Bernie Wallace, grocer’s assistant, Hawera. The latter’s body has not been recovered. Other members of the party suffered shock. The surf was calm, but there was a strong undertow. All of the party were in difficulties at the same time. MAN WASHED OFF ROCKS AND DROWNED (P.A.) OUNEDIN, November 22. While walking round some rocks near Cape Saunders lighthouse on Otago Peninsula this afternoon, Hector Bayley, aged 28, was caught by a wave, swept into the sea, and drowned. Mr Bayley, whose parents live at Cromwell, was one of about a dozen in a fishing party. He was walking round the rocks, accompanied by Miss Mabel Walden, when both were caught by a wave. Miss Walden clung to some seaweed and was able to save herself from being swept away. Mr Bayley’s body has not been recovered. COMPOUND FRACTURE OF LEG A compound fracture of the left leg was received by Frank Cronin, aged 14 years, when he fell after jumping a creek at Cashmere yesterday afternoon. Cronin lives at 77 Tilford street, Woolston. He was admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital, and his condition is reported as satisfactory.