A TRAGIC DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20174, 7 February 1929, Page 10

A TRAGIC DEATH.

FALL AT A FIRE STATION.

FORMER NEW ZEALANDER'S END

Dotails in connection with tlic death of Mr. Norman St. Clair Hales, formerly of Wellington, are published in American newspapers. On the morning of New Year's Day ha was found dead of internal injuries in a street in New York. Subsequently it was learnod that death had been caused by the injuries received whilst falling down the polo bole in u fire brigade station in the sartie street. Mr. Hales was a friend of Lieutenant J. Conuelly, of the fire brigade.

Mr. Ilales visited his friend in the station and accidentally fell down the hole surrounding the polo." At an inquiry it was shown that Mr. Hales with a few other guests attended a small party to celobrate Liout. Connelly's pending promotion at the station and accidentally fell down the pole hole. One of the others attempted to save him, but was dragged down and fell on top of Mr. Hales. The injured man was carried into an office in the station to await the arrival of an ambulance, but before it reached the station the brigade was called to a fire.. So that the ambulance attendants would find Mr. Hales quickly he was carried out to the street, but apparently ho died before the help came. Up to the time of his death Mr. Hales, who had been a member of the theatrical profession in America for several years, had been playing the dual roles of the sheriff and the Duke of Exeter in the Coburn production of "Falstaff." He had been connected with that management for several years and not long ago was in their production of "The Yellow Jacket."