ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17699, 28 January 1918, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

SEAMAN DROWNED. [Peu Press Association*.] WESTPORT, January 27. James Dick Hastie, an able-bodied seaman, single, twenty years of age, fell into tho Buller River on Saturday afternoon and was drowned. His body was recovered at 2.35 this Deceased’s mother resides at Cashmere, Christchurch. (J. D. Hastie tvas the elder son of Mr and Airs Robert Hastie, of Cashmere Hills. He tvas educated at the South School, Invercargill. Coming of a seafaring stock, and having a, strong love for the sea. young Hastie, immediately on leaving school, joined the Government steamer Amokura, later on transferring to the Union'Stcam Ship Company’s training ste-amer Aparima as a cadet. On board that vessel he sail’ a great deal of transport work during tho tvar. Having undergone sufficient training to qualify for an officer’s certificate, lie left the Aparima just be. fore the voyage on which she was tor-, pedoed off the English coast, and joined the Kini, in the coastal service, with a view of putting in time while waiting to sit for his officer’s examination next mouth.) RETURNED SOLDIER’S SUDDEN DEATH. An inquest was held at the residence of Mr H. S. Chappell, Killiuchy, on Friday afternoon by Mr AV. G. Lueu, J.P., concerning the death of Private Sidney Bell, a returned soldier, who died suddenly on Thursday afternoon. The evidence was to the effect that deceased had not been in good health since his return from the front a feiv weeks ago. While on active service lie had suffered from trench fever, shell shock and rheumatics. He complained of feeling unwell on Thursday, and while sitting in a chair in Air Chappell’s orchard exclaimed, “Lord preserve me from such pain,” and immediately collapsed and died. Dr B. Volckman, who conducted a postmortem examination stated that he found deceased’s heart very much dilated and enlarged. In his opinion death wa® due to dilation of the heart. A verdict in accordance with tho medical testimony ivas returned. Private Bell was a native of Nottinghamshire. England, and came out to New Zealand seven years ago, taking up his residence at Killiuchy, where he tvas engaged in farming pursuits. He was forty-five years of age and had served in the South African u-ar. He ■was accorded a military funeral on Saturday.