ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15176, 14 December 1909, Page 8

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

THE FATAL FIRE AT CHEVIOT. An inquest was held at Cheviot oni Saturday before Mr S. Haughey, J.P., acting-coroner, and a jury., in regard to the death of Arthur May, who was burned to death in the fire at Homeman's livery stables, Cheviot, early on Friday morning. Sergeant M'Kay represented the police. A. Welch stated that May was in the stable on Thursday niimt with a number of other men. A five-gallon keg of beer had been brought from Bonn's brewery, Cheviot, by several men; and put in a loose-box in the back part of the stable. About ten men, including May, were in and out of the loose-box up till about midnight. With the.help of a man named Tweedie, witness put May to bed. May was fully clothed, and they left George Burton lying on the bed with bim. Burton was asleep, but witness did not think him drunk. The light was a kerosene lamp, audi smoking was going on in the stall duiv ing the evening. Tweedie and witness were the last to leave the stables. The * front door was padlocked from the outside, and they left by the back way'< Witness was awakened about daybreak 1 by Fraser. Witness had about four glasses of beer, and had had drink in/ the stables previously; in fact, it had' been a common thing to have casks of beer in the stables by night. Witness could form no opinion as to the causal of the fire. ' : Evidence as to being aroused by an, alarm of fire was given by J. Rentoul.; who lived close at hand. He detailed.' the rescuing of Button. ' j George Burton, Bryden Tweedie, iwJ Spence and Constable Holland aOsogay«| evidence. • J The jury returned a verdict thatf. Arthur May met his death through ajj fire at .Home-man's stables, but there* was no evidence to show how the firaj originated.

At Medbury on Saturday Mr J.J Honeybone met with an accident. Whilei he was galloping on horseback after} cattle his horse fell, and crushed hisj left foot. Mr Honeybone will be unable*, to attend to his work for some time.

[Per Press Association.] GISBORNE, December 13. Robert Martin, labourer, aged sixtyeight years, dropped dead in town oft Saturday evening. He had been ingood health up to noon on that day. Heart failure is supposed to have beei* the cause of death. Hugh O'Connor, a labourer employees in the Publio Works Department, was drowned in the yesterday afternoon whilst having a swim.. NELSON. December 13. Information has been received by the police that a settler named Walter A. Gainsford. a young married man, was found shot dead last evening on a hill at Wangapeka. He. had gone to ■muster stragglers, taking a gun. Ao further details are yet to hand. GREYMOUTH, December 13. Patrick M'Donald, aged thirty-threS, employed at Coal Creek railway extension . works, when proceeding to camp last night/fell over a cliff 100ft'high, striking a rock. He was killed instan-"; taneously. At the inquest to-day rai, verdict of accidental death was re*: turned.