MANGAHAO ACCIDENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1189, 11 December 1924, Page 4

MANGAHAO ACCIDENT.

FATAL ENDING. William Russell Matthews, the young man who was seriously injured at Mangahao yesterday morning through coming into contact with a live wire, and falling to a concrete floor, and who was admitted to the Palmerston North hospital in a critical condition, passed away at 4.45 p.m. yesterday without regaining consciousness. As reported in the second edition of the “Standard” yesterday, Matthews, who was an electrician, through some cause or other came into contact with a current of 11.000 volts, tlie shock causing him to fall six or eight feet. The contact with the live win? caused burns to the body, while in tlie fall he sustained a fracture of tlie base of tlie skull. lie was removed to the hospital in an unconscious condition, and it was at once seen that there was little hope for his recovery. Deceased, who was born at Reefton 23 years ago, came to Palmerston North a little over six years back. He had been employed at Mangahao for the past two years, was a single man, and was lhe eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. S. Matthews, of Cuba street, Palmerston North. An inquest is to lie held.