ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 21 December 1927, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

DEATH FROM GAS POISONING. tin IALAUItAPIJ riaos ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 20. Early tnis morning Eleanor E. Bay-n-on, single, aged 44, was found dead m me kitchenette of her parents’ residence at St. Albans. A gas jet was round turned on, but the fanlight and one of tne doors were open. At the inquest it was stated- that Miss Baynon was on sick leave and nad suffered from sleeplessness for some time. Dr. R. H. Baxter said that the deceased had suffered from thyroid and nerve trouble, and was in a. debilitated condition. She was liable to sudden collapse, and gas from an open jet would in that' case accelerate death. The coroner (Mr. Young, S.M.) returned a verdict of death from gas poisoning, which might have been accidental.

RUNHOLDER. MISSING. DUNEDIN, Dec. 20. John Butler, a. runholder, of Deep Stream, has been missing since last Friday evening. He had occasion to go to Rockland station that night. He has not been heard of since, and it is feared that while returning home he slipped into a culvert and was drowned. From the fact that the stream was in flood at the time it would appear that he was carried out into the river. Dragging operations are being carried out, but so far the body has not been recovered. BOY ACCIDENTALLY SHOT. WANGANUI,.Dec. 20. A distressing accident, occurring at Mangawhero this evening, resulting in the death of Donald Gunn Poison, aged 16 years, eldest son of Mr. W. J. Poison, Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union. The lad was out hare shooting, and when he was attempting to get through a hedge the gun went off, the charge entering the right side and inflicting so severe a wound that the boy died a few minutes later.

ENGINEER’S TRAGIC DEATH.

GISBORNE, Dec. 20. The death occurred this afternoon under tragic circumstances of Mr. Jjohn James Keane, engineer to the j Cook County Council. In July last ai I cloudburst enveloped the Waimata I Valley, some 14 miles from Gisborne, I and among other damage washed away a bridge. This bridge was replaced ai few weeks ago by a temporary low-level structure. In the course of road construction work to-day Mr. Keane had to cross this new bridge. A member of the county council, Mr. J. Tomhleson. was about to cross the bridge this afternoon, when he noticed Mr. Keane’s car balanced on the side of the bridge, with the front and rear left wheels hanging over the water, and the left-hand door open and the engine still running. Mr. Keane’s bat was seen in the water, and a few minutes later the body was discovered lying in four feet of water. Mr. Keane had lately been in illhealth. and on more than one occasion recently bad had a seizure. One 'seizure occurred at a recent meeting of the rouucil, when Mr. Keane was immediately granted leave to recuperate. It is believed be bad another seizure near o" on the bridge to-day, and fell through the door into the river. The deceased, who was 51 years of aare. was one of the most highly re-snoet-ed men in the district, and was nonular with all classes of the community. He had liecn county engineer tor nearlv 20 years. He ‘leaves a widow and family of two children.