ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11462, 28 December 1897, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A FAMILY BURNED TO DEATH. United Press Association—By Electric TelegraphCopyright. Received Dec. 28, 11.45 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 27. A fire at Dixie Street, Bethnal Green, burned to death Mrs Jarvis and nine children, whose ages ranged from sixteen years to eight months. The unfortunate victims earned their living by making matches. Most of them were suffocated in their sleep. A curious coincidence was that the father died from consumption in the hospital on the same day as the family perished.

[Per Press Association.] OAMARU, Dec. 27.

William Rowlands, aged about thirty-six years, met with his death on Saturday night or Sunday morning by falling down the stairs of the Terminus Hotel at Duntroon. He stayed at the hotel overnight,, and nothing was known of the occurrence, till the morning, when he was found by the servant girl with his neck broken.

There are no additional particulars to add to the sad shooting accident at Gebbie’s Valley. Constable M’Cormick, from Lyttelton, visited Teddington late on Sunday night and made the necessary arrangements for the inquest, which is to be held at 11 a.m. to-day. A little boy named M’Alister, who was in one of the picnic parties that left Kaiapoi yesterday, fell from a waggon and dislocated his elbow. He was attended to on the spot by members of the Ambulance Association, and then conveyed to Kaiapoi for medical treatment.

An inquest was held at the Cave Rock Hotel, Sumner, yesterday morning before Mr E. Beetham, S.M., touching the death of Percy Harold Comerford, who was drowned while bathing on the previous day. Mr J. D. Watson was chosen foreman of the jury. 11. W. Comerford, a brother of the deceased, identified the body. Frederick J. Dowding deposed that at 6.40 on Sunday morning, at full high tide, he and the deceased launched a boat for the purpose of bathing. Deceased was in the boat which witness pushed out some twenty-five yards from the shore. The boat was anchored in eight to ten feet of water, and within twelve yards of shallow water. Witness dived off the boat and was followed by' deceased, who swam a few strokes towards witness. Deceased showed no sign of distress, and did not call for help. Deceased suddenly caught witness round the arms and legs, and held on without struggling. After both had been some time under water deceased let go, and witness rose to the surface and called ‘ for assistance. The body was recovered by dragging. Deceased bad been steadily improving in his swimming for a fortnight, and was confident in the water. On the previous day deceased did not appear quite well. Witness thought he could have saved deceased if he (witness) had had only one arm free. D. M’K. Smith, a boy who witnessed the occurrence, corroborated the evidence given by Dowding. The jury returned a verdict of death by accidental drowning. A serious accident occurred at the Broadfield sports yesterday. At the start of the Hurdle Race Handicap, at 11 a.m.. Fishhook, ridden by C. Dawkins, blundered at the first hurdle, bringing himself and his rider heavily to the ground. The horse had his shoulder broken, and had to be sbot, and Dawkins, who fell on his head, was rendered unconscious, and remained so after he was taken to the hospital. It is believed that he is suffering from concussion of the brain. He is about twenty-six years of age. In the first lap of the Second-class Three-mile Race, at the Pioneer Bicycle Club’s meeting, at Lancaster Park, yesterday, a young man named George Sturgess had a severe fall, by which one of his kneecaps was fractured. He was attended to by Dr Jennings, who was on the ground, and was afterwards taken ,to his home in Harper Street, Sydenham, in the police van.