ACCIDENTS AND TRAGEDIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1938, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND TRAGEDIES

CROSSING COLLISION TRAIN KILLS BABY [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, April 17. A level crossing at Huntly was the scene of a fatal accident when William Buchanan Whitelaw, aged two, was killed. He was travelling with his father in a motor-car when the car struck the side of a locomotive. The child was thrown out and dragged under the train. YOUTH DIES FROM INJURIES. AUCKLAND, April 17. Injuries from which he died within a few minutes were suffered by Leonard Carleton, aged 17, when he struck his head against a passing motor-car while walking on Titirangi road. Apparently Carleton, who was a son of Mr. Francis L. Carleton, tripped or stumbled, and fell against the car, his head striking a mudguard. CAR CAPSIZED. WESTPORT, April 17. A party of seven had a narrow escape from serious injury when the rear wheel of the car«in which they were travelling from Granity to Westport yesterday morning seized. The cai’ skidded, and turned over three times before coming to rest upside down. Mr. P. J. Hopkins, of Christchurch, was pinned, but was soon released, .suffering from bruises and shock. The other occupants were Messrs A. C. Caldow, of Greymouth, the driver, R. Black, A. Brown (Christchurch), F. and N. Jones, and A. Cochrane, of Granity. Mr. Caldow’s marriage to Miss E. Jones, of Granity, took place later in the morning, no delay in the ceremony resulting from the accident. CYCLIST KILLED. GERALDINE, April 17. Fatal injuries were received by John Davey, aged about 26, a son of Mr. Davey, of Flaxton, when the cycle he was riding was struck by a motor-car on the main road two miles south of Geraldine about 9.30 p.m. yesterday. Davev was employed by Mr. Michael Lyons, a farmer, of Tripp Settlement. Geraldine.

The motor-car, which swerved to avoid the cyclist crashed into a stump and capsized. The two occupants, Mr. Peter McShane, of Talbot Street, Geraldine, who was driving, and Miss Brownlee, of Milford. Temuka experienced a narrow escape from serious injury. Both car and cyclist were travelling north.

Dr. G. W. Curtis, of Geraldine, was called to the scene of the accident, and Davey, who suffered severe injuries to the head, was removed to the Timaru Hospital, where he died this morning. McShane suffered a wound on the forehead and concussion and the woman passenger received minor injuries to her legs and back. Visibility was bad at the time of the accident. PASSENGER KILLED. AUCKLAND, April 17. Severe cuts on the throat and head, which caused his death within a few minutes, were suffered by AValter Henry Doyle, when a motor car in which he was a passenger, struck a polo on the. Great North Road, Grej Lynn, on Saturday night. Doyle was thrown against the windshield, both panes of which were shattered, the jagged edge inflicting the severe wounds. HORSEMAN MISSING. GISBORNE, April IS. Joffre Lane, single, aged 22, station hand, Hore Hore Station, North Tokomaru Bay, is believed to have been drowned on Saturday morning while crossing a tributary of the Mata River. His people are believed to reside at Blenheim. The horse was found on the bank of the stream, which was in flood. Crossing was dangerous. There was no sign of the body. WASHED FROM BREAKWATER. OAMARU, April 18. James Chalmers, 70, Oamaru, and his son, James Chalmers, Dunedin, when fishing from the Oamaru breakwater on Saturday afternoon, were washed into the harbour by a big wave.

Chalmers senior, was l drowned. His son managed to grasp a rope and haul himself to safety.

‘ SOUVENIR” BOMB EXPLODES ■ HASTINGS, April 16. In an explosion of an old bomb, a. war souvenir. Allen Proffitt, aged 141, suffered a badly shattered left hand and internal injuries at his home in Maddison Street, Hastings, yesterday afternoon. The injured boy, who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Proffitt, had been examining the bomb, which had been sent to New Zealand from France during the Great War and was still caked with mud from the trenches. The bomb had been in the house for years, and it was understood that the detonator had been removed, but it now appears that it was merely hidden by the mud and had remained a potential danger for more than 20 years before it finally exploded. The boy, who was alone outside the house, apparently tapped the bomb on the ground with his left hand, and it immediately exploded. When his parents rushed outside he was lying on the ground unconscious and bleeding from the left hand. He was taken to hospital. This morning internal injuries were diagnosed in addition to hand injuries. His condition is reported To be still serious.

DEATH AT BANQUET

CHRISTCHURCH, April 17

The sudden death of Mr. Edward Smith, the first headmaster, occurred during the celebrations of the Mayfield school jubilee on Saturday. He was in the middle of his speech at the banquet when he collapsed suddenly and died before the arrival of a doctor from Ashburton.

Mr. Smith, who was 82 years of age, has lived in retirement at Allenton, Ashburton, for the last 20 years. He taught at the Mayfield School when it was opened in 1887, and later had charge of the Pendarves and Lismore schools. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

DETONATORS EXPLODE

CHRISTCHURCH, April 17. Stanlev Borcoski, aged 33, of Chaneys. was putting detonators in a matchbox when they exploded in his hands. He was admitted to hospital at 6.30 o’clock this evening. Several fingers of each hand had to be amputated. FOUND SHOT. DUNEDIN, April 16. William Robert McFadden, aged 21, was found dead in bed at St. Clair with a rifle alongside the body. At an inquest his father said that no reason could be assigned for the act, except that the youth had suffered from a nervous breakdown. A verdict was returned that McFadden died from a gunshot wound selfinflicted, while of unsound mind. FISHERMEN DROWNED. SYDNEY, April 17. A fishing tragedy is reported from Port Kembla, where five men are believed to have been drowned. They left in a row-boat last night for Rabbit Island, beyond Port Kembla harbourThe boat was found washed up on the beach to-day. One body was recovered a mile away. There was no trace of the others. LATER. The body recovered has been identified as that of Joseph Pallier, 45. The four missing are Pallier’s son, aged 18, Riay Moon, 25, Edward Arney, aged 30, and Reginald Lawson, aged 25.