ACCIDENTS AND TRAGEDIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 February 1936, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND TRAGEDIES

REEFTON GIRL UNDER TRAIN

SERIOUS INJURY CAUSED

The Reefton Schools’ annual picnic held - yesterday, at Hokitika, was marked by a serious accident, which occurred at the Hokitika Station, shortly before the departure of the excursion train, on return to Reefton. ~ Alma Hindmarsh, ten-year-old daughter of Mr and Mrs Ralph Hindmarsh, Buller Road, Reel'ton, while attempting to board one of the carriages, which were being shunted: was swung in under the car, one of the wheels pasing over her right leg just above the ankle. Medical attention was given by Dr. Oakey on the platform, and the child was removed to the Westland Hospital, where an operation was found necessary, the right leg being amputated below the The child suffered considerably fropt shock, loss of blood, and extensive briiising. Her condition this morning, was reported to be as well as coUjld be expected. Apparently, the child under the impression, when she attempted to board the train, that it was departing, and that her mother was on the train. The cars were moving along the second line out from the platform. The child raced across the first set of rails, and grasped one of the handrails of a carriage. Then she was swung in under the carriage. She displayed remarkable presence of mind in remaining perfectly still, despite her injuries, while six more carriages passed. ; The accident was witnessed by over 200 people, among whom were the child’s mother and grandmother.

FATAL WOUNDS.

AUCKLAND, February 5

Found at his home this morning, wi£h wounds in the throat and left wrist, Joseph William Scott, aged 68, a widower, was taken to a private hospital, where he died in the afternoon. Scott, who lived at Ponsonby, was in bed when found.

SUDDEN DEATH IN CAMP.

BLENHEIM, February 6.

Hugh Aitken, about 60, on loan from the Mines Department to the Unemployment Board, and employed as goldmining drill supervisor, in Marlborough, died suddenly in camp, at Onamalutu Valley yesterday.- He came to Marlborough from Wellington a year ago. LIFT WELL TRAGEDY. , WELLINGTON, February 5. An inquest was held to-day on Robert Whitford, Superintendent of the National Provident Fund, and Registrar of Friendly Societies, whose body was found at the bottom of the lift well of -the Farmers’ Institute Buildings on the night of January 15, , after he had been missing since the previous day’s lunch hour. Evidence was given to show that the lift had passed its weekly inspection on January 10, and its half-yearly inspection by the Marine Department on January 13. After lengthy evidence, the Coroner said that it appeared to him that the lift door had Hot been sufficiently closed, and that there was no light in the lift car itself. The deceased must have stepped into space and fallen to the bottom and been killed. He returned a verdict that the deceased died from injuries so received.