ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1128, 16 May 1911, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

1 THE FATALITY AT PETONE. ADJOUHXED INQUEST. Tlid iii(|i!c.-.t concerning tlio death of George Denis Cronin, who was killed mi Iho railway near Lower Hull' on hVlur(la.v morning, was resumed at IVtoiie yesIsrilav afternoon before! the Coroner (Dr. M'Ar'tliur). Air. GVncrofr. Wilson, lrlin appeared for the relatives of the deceased, made reference to certain statements in an article: which had appeared in the local paper regarding (he accident. Tho Coroner remarked that such stalcments, though I hey did not appear in evidence,- had doubtless been gleaned by a representative of the paper in question. He did not think that the statements made reflected on (lie character of deceased.

Jacob Hall Haumber, striker in the Fetouc workshops, but residing at Lower Hutt, stated that ho had passed deceased at 0.55 a.m. on Saturday morning, about 20 yards from the scene of the accident, lie "did not notice anything peculiar about Mr. Cronin's demeanour. '

Pethorick H. Jane, of Upper Hutt, stated.that ho was the driver of the train which had caused the accident. He noticed that the ballast was scattered between jMellings and Lower Hutt, but did not attach much importance to the occurrence at the time. AVhen the train was brought into Lower Hutt Station some passengers rushed along and told him that .1 man had been run over. He examined the engine and found evidence in accordance with their statement. When he reached Wellington he made a thorough examination and discovered further traces of what had happened. The scene of tho accident was on a slight curve, but he could havo'scen a person on the track less than 50 yards ahead. When tho accident happened ho had not begun to slow down preparatory to entering Lower Hutt. An engine-driver usually looked from 100 to 200 yards ahead of the engine. At this *tagc proceedings were further, adjourned until 11 o'clock on Friday morning to allow' of several important witnesses being called.

SAILOR DROWNED AT SEA. (By Telesraph— Press Association.! Christchurch, May 15. Jean Yviquel, a young Frenchman, who came to Lyttelton a year ago on the French barque Mario, was lost overboard from the- 'schooner Eliza Firth on Thursday morning. The. schooner was on the voyage from Knipara to Lyttelton, and when off Stephen Island the crew were called to shorten sail. Yviquel was standing on timber on the deck, when he slipped and fell through the rail into the. tea. A lifebuoy was thrown at once, but the sailor failed to reach it; and though a boat was got away promptly, it was too late to effect a rescue. _ The captain, who went aloft, saw Yvicjucl sink within a few feet of a lifebuoy, his oilskins doubtless impeding him. Deceased was about 19 years of age, and was much liked by his shipmates. COLLISION WITH A MOTOR-CAR. Timaru, May 15. Mr. Millichamp, florist, of Ashburton, met with a painful accident to-night, resulting in a broken leg, through collision with a motor-car at Cave. He was on his way to Fairlio at the time, riding a motorcycle. CHILD DRINKS RAT POISON. Auckland, May 15. A child named Noel' M'lntloe, aged twenty-two months, drank a quantity of rat poison from a saucer at his parents' residence, Stanley Ray, on Saturday afternoon. The mother administered an emetic and a doctor's services were secured, but the child died on Sunday afternoon. AN INJURED SHOULDER, . A man, named — Wilkinson, employed on the Wadestown tramway works, injured his shoulder rather badly yesterday and was removed to the Hospital for treatment but, later in tho day, was able to leave for his homo. ACCIDENT AT PETONE. Yesterday morning, whilst engaged in unloading a truck of chaff at the Pctone Railway Station, an elderly man named J. Luke, fell from the top of the load, and sustained a fracture of his collarbone. He was conveyed to his homo for medical treatment and is stated to bo progressing favourably. . A single man, named James Bowker, employed as a cook on the railway, was admitted to the Hospital at an early hour this morning, suffering from a serious cut on the left arm near the wrist.