ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 34

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

About 10 o'clock on Saturday night a fire broke out in " The Cottage/' a small wooden building about 100 yards from McNab's, Lower Hutt, which is used by tho members of Mr McNab's family when the main building is full. When the fire was discovered it had already got a good hold of the cottage, and, there being no supply of water available, the building was practically burnt to the ground. The building was insured for .£IOO in the Commercial , Union office. Dunedin, June 9. The death of a man. named Robert Brockies, an engineer by occupation, was enquired into by the Coroner and a jury yesterday afternoon. Brockies went into a right-of-way off George street on the evening of the 7th May, and when he left he was the bearer of woimds about his head which brought on brain fever, causing his death. On Saturday morning, when his condition became serious, a statement which he made was taken down by the Clerk of the Court before Justices of the Peace, but as on this and a subsequent occasion the man was hopeful of recovery, the statements are not admissible. The inquest was adjourned till Monday. The accounts as to the manner in which Brockies received the injuries are conflicting. One is to the effect that he came to blows with a man regarding the merits of a dog, and that in the struggle he was wouuded by a broken bottle. Another account is that the man twice fell heavily and receive tho wounds. The police refuse to say what is contained in the statements. Dunedin, June 11. The inquest on the man Robert Brockie was resumed this afternoon. Edward King, the man who had the row with Brockie, appeared at the inquest and surrended himself to the police, his counsel stating that as soon as the man had learnt of the death of Brockie he returned to town. He had intended giving evidence, but as a warrant was out for his arrest, counsel advised him not to do so at the present stage. The evidence showed that Brockie had gone to a house occupied by two women named Scott and Newey to see King. It appears from the evidence of one witness that an argument ensued, and Brockie became quarrelsome, and eventually was taken outside, but fell on the asphalt, and afterwards fell a second time. A broken glass bottle with blood on it was found where he fell. The jury returned a verdict that Brockie came to his death by injuries received on Mrs Scott's premises, but that there was not sufficient evidence to show by whom the injuries were caused. King is still in custody on the charge of unlawfully wounding.