ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Mataura Ensign, 18 January 1910, Page 4

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

♦ i A DREDGE HAND KILLED. PEB EXITED PRESS ASSOCIATION ; DUNEDIN, Jan.l 7. ' Patrick Gallagher, employed as fire- > man on the Enterprise dredge, was the ' victim of a fatal accident about 2.30 ■ this morning. At the time of the accit dent deceased was cleaning a lamp, and ' it is surmised he slipped and fell into • the driving belt of the main engine One arm was severed from his body. Deceased was about 33 years of age, and was a widower withone child. ; DEATH IN DENTAL SURGERY. : WANGANUI, Jan. 17. ' An inquest was held to-day concern- ' ing the death of Mrs Matthews, who ! died while under chloroform in a dental surgery. A verdict of heart failure, 1 no blame being attachable to anyone, 1 was returned. KILLED IN A GRAVEL PIT. MARTON, Jan. 17. ' A man named William Thompson. < aged about 23 years, met with a fatal > accident in a gravel pit near Marton to- • day. He was engaged in loading a cart ; with metal when a fall of gravel came . down burying him to the armpits and ' causing a bad fracture of the tmeh and : internal injuries. Thompson gradually ' sank from shock and died five hours ; later. His parents reside at Taihape. i SAD DROWNING CASE. NAPIER, Jan. 17. Victor Baden-Powell Martin, aged nine years, was drowned at West Shore this morning. He had gone out in a ' boat by himself and was subsequently found lying dead beside the boat in 18 inches of water. The boy could swim, ' and it is thought that he may have been struck on the head by some tackle.

THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S DISPUTE. ♦ ■ THE GISBORNE AGREEMENT. P«E UNITKI> PBWS AWMfATIOir GISBORNE, Jan. 17. Tbe agreement arrived at in connection with the slaughtermen's dispute is for a term of five years. The employers concede the rate of pay demanded in tbe case of sheep and lambs, but the rates for beef are not varied, while in regard to conditions of killing, which vary materially in different factories, these are brought into line. The two most vexed questions dealt with were the provision for learners and preference to unionists. Satisfactory provision was made for learners being taught, and for a rate of pay for instructors, | there to be one learner for ten slaughtermen. The standard of competency was also fixed. As regards preference to unionists, whilst this was conceded the rules of the federation are to give an open door to all workers of good conduct not indebted to any kindred union.