UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 1 February 1936, Page 6

UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT

DEATH OF A JOURNALIST FALL ON RAILWAY LINE (Bv Telegraph—Press Association' WELLINGTON, This Day. Further particulars received indicate that the death of Charles William Balmer, a journalist, on Wednesday evening at Belmont, was duo to a most unfortunate accident. Mr Balmer, who lived at Mpiling, had been seeing some friends in Wellington, and caught the 11.15 p.m. train from Lambton Station, j Apparently he missed his stop at Melling, and got off at Belmont. While returning along the line he must have tripped and fallen heavily, and made unconscious by the fall, was prccipitalI ed into the open drain running alongj side the railway line. Though there was only a few inches of water in the drain, he was drowned. The fact that lie had 1 a match in Ins hand indicated that he had been following the path along-side the line, the probability is that in the sudden darkness after the match went out. lie tripped and fell. The late Mr Balmer was a son of Mr and Mrs . D. Balmer, very well-known farming people in the Raumai district. For some years lie was in the employ of the stud stock department of the N.Z. i Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., , and for the past three years he had been ; on the staff of the N.Z. “Dairy Export- , er.” His work had taken him widely j over New Zealand, and he leaves many friends in every district in the Dominion. He was particularly interested m dairy stud stock and knew personally the great majority of breeders. Though only 32 years of age he had a knowledge of dairy cattle surpassed by only a very few people in New Zealand, and bis articles were keenly appreciated by breeders and students throughout the Dominion.

He leaves a widow and a family of two, and four sisters and two brothers.