Coroner’s Court Soldier’s Death After Injury At Football

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30270, 24 October 1963, Page 12

Coroner’s Court Soldier’s Death After Injury At Football

A soldier at Bumham Military Camp, who died in the Christchurch hospital on August 12, five days after he was kicked on the thigh in a football match at the camp, was found by the Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell), at an inquest yesterday, to have died from bronchial pneumonia an<j toxemia due to blood poisoning from an infection of the thigh after the football injury.

The dead man was Reginald William Sandilands, aged 20. Sydney George Winiata, a soldier, said that after the football match he accompanied Sandilands back to their barracks. Sandilands did not say he had been injured. At 6.20 a.m. next day, however, he said he had had a very restless night. He had difficulty in getting out of bed and walking.

Denis John King, a corporal, said Sandilands told him he wanted to report for sick parade. He said he had suffered a kick in the thigh while playing football the previous day. “It was obvious he was in pain, and he was unable to walk to the regimental barracks,” said Hing. He said Sandilands was admitted to the camp hospital that morning.

Dr. Maureen Lester, a house surgeon at Christchurch Hospital, said Sandilands was admitted from the Burnham Camp hospital on the morning of August 12. He was given blood transfusions but died 12 hours after admission. Fatal Shock

Electric shock caused the death of Winston Frederick Rose, aged 38, a post office clerk, when he received a 230volt shock while using an electric sander outside his home at 40 Wroxton terrace, on August 30, the Coroner found.

Shirley June Rose said her husband was using the sander outside their home on August 30. After a few minutes of silence, about 3.30 p.m., she went outside and saw him lying on the ground. She said she switched off the lead to the sander and a 14-year-old boy gave moutii-to-mouth resuscitation.

Joseph Francis Geohegan. an engineer of the New Zealand Electricity Department, said he examined the sander. It was a drill with a disc

attachment. It was in good order and correctly earthed except for a single strand of wire out of place on the lead attachment. Burn marks on a chain that secured the drill key indicated that this had touched the wire, Geohegan said. “A 230-volt hand to hand shock would be received, and muscular contraction would maintain this,” Geohegan said. Evidence that death was caused by electrocution was given by Dr. L. L.. Treadgold, a pathologist. MOTOR-CYCLISTS DEATH A motor-cycle travelling “far too fast” swung to the wrong side of the road just before It hit the front of his car, said William George Fraser, aged 24. The Coroner found that the motor-cyclist. Graham John Wallace, aged 17, died at 4.30 a.m. on September 15 from brain and other multiple injuries Suffered in an accident at the intersection of Harper and Deane avenues and Fendalton road, about 12.50 a.m. that day. •Fraser said the motor-cycle finished on top of ' the rider beneath the car. He backed the car off while the ambulance was being called. Dr. Mason Drurie, an actinghouse surgeon at the Christchurch Hospital, and Dr. L. L. Treadgold. a pathologist, gave medical evidence. POWER-CYCLIST KILLED Reginald John Davidson, aged 65, was found by the Coroner to have died on July 29 from cerebral lacerations and hemorrhages, and a massive hemorrhage of the chest associated with fractures of the skull and ribs, suffered when his power-cycle was struck by the rear of a truck driven by Graham Edmund Pilkington. CHILD KILLED Shadows cast by a block of shops might have obscured a four-year-old girl who ran out on New Brighton road at 10.40 a.m. on August 3. said Enid Mary Florance. Mrs Florance said she braked her car, but she could not avoid hitting the girl. The Coroner found that the girl, Lynda Kathleen McDonald. died on August 3 at 4.10 p.m. from heart failure due to bronchial pneumonia and injuries she received in the accident. Medical evidence was given by Dr. Maureen Joan Lester, and by Dr. L. L. Treadgold. a pathologist SUICIDE VERDICT Lionel Reginald Ross Earle Carter, aged 46, of Darfield. was found to have died in Christchurch Hospital on August 28 from hemorrhages of the brain and multiple fractures of the skull due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.