ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1933, Page 2

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

MAN STRUCK BY LOG AND KILLED

FORMER MILL OWNER.

THAMES, April 17

A distressing fatality occurred yesterday afternoon, when Mr Harold H. Hoyle, a married man with five children, was killed at hi s sawmill in Banks (Street.

He was feeding a log of pinus insignis to a circular saw when the log jumped back at him, striking him in the face. Death occurred almost instantly. Mr Hoyle at one time had a large mill at Shortland. He had only recently set up his machinery on a vacant section to make boxes for a local fishing company.

A I2in. log was being broken down and the last piece, measuring 9ft by 4ft, fell on the revolving saw. It was thrown into the air and struck Mr Hoyle’s face, killing him instantly. So great was the velocity of the timber that it dug a hole in the ground after striking Mr Hoyle. Medical evidence showed that Mr Hoyle’s injuries consisted of a fracture of the skull and broken jaw bones.

ELDERLY MAN KILLED. AUCKLAND. April 17. Grave injuries to the head, which later proved fatal, were received by John G. Phillips, aged 65, single. 0 f Huntly, when he wag knocked down by a. motor-car on the Great South •road, near Huntly, this evening. The motor-car, which was driven by 'Joseph Clark, of Otahuhu, was crossing th e railway line when the accident occurred. who was on foot, . was thrown heavily. He was taken to the Huntly Hospital, and an ambulance wa s summoned to take him to the Hamilton Hospital, but he died before the ambulance arrived.