INQUESTS AND ACCIDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5491, 23 June 1879, Page 2

INQUESTS AND ACCIDENTS.

Alfred Walker, son of Constable Walker, stationed at Mercer, met with a very painful accident on Saturday, June 7. It appears that Constable Walker had a loaded revolver, which he kept hung on the wall in his house. On the above afternoon, an elder ■on of Constable Walker took the revolver down to play with it. He pulled the trigger, and the bullet pierced him, just below the navel. The mother at once ran to the assistance of Her son. but too late to prevent the raiechief. The little sufferer was at once cenveyed to the Auckland Hospital, where he was admitted. After great suffering he died on the following Thursday. An inquest was held, when a verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned.

Mr. H. E. Marler, who was formerly employed in the Southern Cross office in Auckland, waa drowned on the 6th June at Grahamstown, to which place he had only proceeded, for the purpose of collecting accounts for Mr. Dennes, sewing machine importer. It is stated that he went down Curtis's wharf between 7 and 8 o'clock on

lhe above night, to go on board the steamer Enterprise, in order to proceed to Auckland It is presumed that during one of the strong squalls which prevailed that night he was blown over. His dead body was found next morning. At the coroner's inquest an open verdict of " Found drowned" was returned. Deceased arrived in the colony about six years ago, and for some past has resided with his wife and two children in Freeman's Bay.

The infant child of Mrs. J. C. Hart, of ICarangahape Road, was found dead in bed on the morning of June 9 by the mother, under circumstances which it was thought required judicial investigation. An inquest was held, when after some consideration, the jury returned a verdict of " Death by suffocation in bed, being inadvertently overlaid by her mother."

Michael O'Halloran, a plate-layer employed on the railway at Huntley, fell down dead on the 30th of May. Deceased never spoke after falling. An inquest was held at the hospital on 28th May, on S. Kidson, who was wounded a few weeks ago at Whangaroa, by the accidental discharge of his gun. The particulars of the accident have already been fully published. Deceased was thought to be recovering, bat relapsed. A verdict was returned in accordance with the facte.

A man named Johnston King met with a severe accident at Tairna a fortnight ago by being crushed by a falling log. Dr. Andrews reports that King's left thigh is crushed very much, and the leg below the knee has sustained a compound fracture. Dr. Andrews gives very little hope of hie recovery. On the 14th June, a young man, 21 years of age, named Hugh Clark, son of Mr. Hugh Clark, of Onehnnga, met with a very serious accident in a bush at Awitu. The young man who was injured, was a partner with some others, and was engaged in the erection of a new saw-mill, and obtaining a supply of timber for it. At the time of the accident he was ongaged cross-cutting a kauri log, about three o'clock in the afternoon. Above where he was working, and on the edge of a hill, which sloped towards him, was another tree which had been sawn into three lengths. The centre length, a heavy log, gave way, and came down almost without warning. He was severely injured, and was carried a distance of four miles, to Mr. Garland's place at Awitu, on a stretcher. The steamer Oregon, which was then ready for an immediate etart, brought him to Onehunga, and he was taken to the Hail way Hotel. Here Dr. Torrence attended, him, and, by his advice, the injured man was removed to the residence of his father, Mr. Peter Ciark. His knee is a good deal crushed, and his left leg is somewhat injured, but he appears to have escaped without broken bones.

Early on the morning of the 14th Juue, a narrow escape from drowning occurred to Mr. Collins, the fore-cabin steward of the s.s. Rotorua. Shortly after midnight, he was proceeding to the steamer, and walked over the edge of the wharf, but fortunately he managed to hold on to one of the piles. He remained a considerable time in the water, calling for assistance, but as it was raiuing heavily at the time, his cries were unheard. Fortunately, the crew of a small dingy from one of the cutters proceeding to the steps heard his cries, and rescued him. On the 15th June, between two and three o'clock iu the afternoon, a boy, eight years of age, son of Mr. Sfcyak, East Tamaki, met with somewhat severe injuries by falling off a pony which he was riding in the neighbourhod of hie father's house. Mr. Styak and Mr. O'Donnel, who waa on a visit there, were on the verandah, observing the boy riding about the lawn. When about 150 yards from the house the pony started, and the boy was unseated, but oqo of his feet was fast in the stirrup iron. The poey ran past the front of the house, dragging the poor lad after him over the lawn and some gravel paths into another paddook. Both gentlemen rushed to stop the animal, but he eluded Mr. Styak. Mr. O'Donnel, however, grasped the animal around the neck, and thus stopped his career, and the poor lad, who must have suffered very severely, was extricated. Dr. Fitzgerald, of Howick, was called in as soon as possible, and subsequently Dr. Purchas proceeded to Mr. Styak'a house to assist with his advice and skill.

A few minutes past 8 p.m. on June 20, Constable Dugan and Waterman Holbrook were in conversation at the watermen's steps, and heard rather peculiar sounds proceeding from under the wharf. They walked towards the noise, which they soon ascertained proceeded from some person nnder the wharf. Rushing back to the watermen's steps for the night-boat, whioh was in readiness, they immediately pushed off to render help, and found a Maori hanging to one of the stringers beneath the wharf. As Holbrook got hold of him, the Maori's opinion of the European's love of money was strikingly illustrated, for he at once exclaimed, "How much?" This was more than Harry could endure, and in language more forcible than polite he dragged him him into the boat. The Maori was then taken to the police quarters, and explained that he was proceeding to the s.s. Hinemoa, which he understood was alongside the wharf, and a gust of wind carried his hat over"the western side into the water. Unfortunately, on looking into the water for his lost hat, he stumbled over the parapet, and the tide swept him well to the eastern eide of the wharf, where he was fonnd by his leeouere.

A very sudden death occurred on the 19th June, on board the s.s. Eowena, while on the passage j from Coromandel to this port. The steamer left-Coromandel about s mid-day, and ambn'ij*tSa passengers was Joseph Daris, a well-known miner of that place. He came on board, apparently in good health; but when" the steamer was crossing the Gulf there was a somewhat rough sea on, and Davis commenced to vomit violently. Nothing unusual occurred to draw the attention of hie fellow-passengers, all thinking that it was mere seasickness. When opposite Brown's Island, however, it was noticed that he was very ill, and restoratives were then given to him, but without success, for the poor fellow died very suddenly thereafter. Wβ believe that Davis leaves a wife and several children.