ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18282, 18 December 1919, Page 3

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

ACUTE ALCOHOLISM. [Pub Press Association.] FEILDING. December 17, A middle-aged married couple named Lano died within a few hours of each other of acute alcoholism. Lane was the manager of a cordial factory. Both had been drinking heavily, and they obtained some highly alconoljsed spirit from the factory, which hastened their end. ELECTROCUTED. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 17.' A telegraph linesman named Alexander Anderson, while at work on a ladder in Eden Terrace, came in contact with a high tension wire, and was killed instantly. A companion, on whom he fell, wns slightly injured. MOTOR-CYCLE ACCIDENT. Richard John Barrett, aged about sixteen years, a son of Mr J. S. Barrett, was admitted to tho Hospital on Tuesday evening suffering from severe injuries consequent upon a spill front a motor-oyele, on which he was returning from a gathering at Lincoln College that afternoon. The lad was picked up in an .unconscious State on tho roadway, and he died at the Hospital at three o’clock yesterday afternoon. suddeiTdeath. An inquest was opened at tho Magistrate’s Court yesterday, by Mr. V. G. Day, S.M., into the circumstances of the death of Thomas M’Donald, a labourer, forty years of age, who had died suddenly in the Hospital shortly before eight o’clock that morning. After the evidence of tho constable who had arrested the man for drunkenness on Saturday evening had been taken for the purpose pf identification, the inquest was adjourned until ten o’clock this morning, so that a post-mortem examination could be made. “MRS GENERAL MITE.” An inquest concerning the death ,of Emily Edwards, generally known as ‘•'Mrs General Mite,” who expired suddenly in High Street on Tuesday afternoon. was held at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by Mr G. V. Day, Coroner. Evidence was given by Romeo Edwards, father of deceased, who said that ho had last seen her alive about .a quarter past three in High Street with a Mrs Thompson, when all at once she collapsed. His daughter had had lio sickness whatever. She was forty years of age on September 30. Deceased was a widow. Mrs Clara Thompson, residing at 45 Laurence Street, Linwood, said she knew deceased, who had complained on, the previous afternoon of feeling dizzy. She stated that she had felt like that before, but not quite so bad. They were at Netting’s, and after leaving thero they went along High Street. When near Hill’s shop deceased was taken ill. Witness asked her if it wns through the ice cream she had had, and she .said “ No.” • Deceased's father then came along and took her into a shop, but death occurred before tho arrival of a doctor. Dr Anderson was called in, but he had nob previously attended her. Roland Thomas Hessell, police constable, deposed that lie knew deceased by sight. On Tuesday afternoon, at fivo minutes past four o’clock, he was summoned to a fruit shop where deceased was. He then met Dr Anderson, who said that on his arrival life was extinct. The inquest was then adjourned until ten o’clock this morning to enable the evidence of the doctor conducting the post-mortem examination to be given. I