KILLED BY A FALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17338, 9 December 1919, Page 8

KILLED BY A FALL.

DISTANCE OF SIXTY FEET. v BODY STRIKES PAVED FLOOR. DEATH OF RETIRED FARMER. A retired farmer, William John Mackay Woodruff, aged about 50, sustained fatal injuries through falling from the third floor landing of Endean's Buildings, Queen Street, yesterday, about 9 a.m. The deceased fell a distance of about 60 feet on to the paved floor of the building, close to the entrance to the elevator. The landing on each floor of the building forms an interior balcony, from which access is obtained to the lift or th stairs, and the balcony is railed off from the open space in the centre of the building. The deceased •was seen in the act of falling by Mr. T. L. Smith, of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company, as the latter emerged from the company's luncheon room, which is on the same floor as that from which the deceased fell. Mr. Smith gave the alarm, and hurried down to the bottom floor, where he found the man at the point of death. Medical assistance and the police were summoned, bat the man was dead when Sergeant Lander, of the Water Police, arrived. Examination of the body revealed that one arm had been broken, and there were several bruises, but the internal injuries must have been very severe. The body was removed to the mortuary at the hospital, and an inquest will be held this morning. Inquiries made by the police show that Mr. Woodruff until recently was farming at Whakatane, but he had sold out and had not subsequently followed any occupation. He is married, and has a son in Auckland, and has been staying at the Waveriey Hotel for some time. It is stated that he re-booked his bed at the hotel yesterday morning prior to going out about 9 o'clock.