A BOY TERRIBLY INJURED.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 34

A BOY TERRIBLY INJURED.

Our Hastings correspondent writes as follows under date May 15: — When the occurrence by which Constable Gordon was maimed for life through a person driving in the dark without lights was fresh in the minds of tho people, there was tremendous talk about enforcing certain by-laws, but, as usual in these matters, it was talk—and nothing more. Now, another accident has occurred from tho same cause, and this time a boy named Peter Jarvis has been frightfully mutilated, and it is impossible to say for 48 hours whether he can recover. Peter Jarvis is aged 10, and has for some time been employed at Frimloy, where part of his duty was to fetch the mails after the last train came in at night. He was so engaged last night when he was run into by a cart to which no lights wore attached, and which was being driven by a youth named Fred Gibbs. Tho accident occurred near Jones'foundry, and tho force of the collision was so great that the shaft of the cart tore away tho clothing and the llesli of tho side just abovo the hip, making a FEARFUL WOUND, from which tho entrails protruded. Jarvis was, of course, thrown to the ground, and to make matters worse the wheel of the cart passed over him, inflicting other injuries. The poor fellow called out to tho driver of the cart to stop and assist him, but the latter drove on. Jarvis, mangled and bleeding as ho was, got up, and, holding the wound with one hand, caught his pony and got to bis home, which, fortunately, happened to bo only a few yards distant, and, strangely enough, ho says that ho felt no pain whatever. The patient’s depositions having been taken,Jail that medical, skill could do was done. The lad stood tho shock very bravely, and on enquiring this morning J was informod that should inflammation not intervene there is every possibility of his recovery. Tho police afterwards found the driver of tho cart, and when his attention was directed to blood marks on tho wheel of his cart he admitted having run into something, but did not know what it was. THE POLICE AGAIN. There is no doubt tho police are primarily responsible for such accidents as this. Day aftor day, and night after night, every day and ovory night, a dozon cases of furious driving and not carrying lights could bo found by the polioe if they wanted to find them. Nearly every day there are narrow oscapos from serious accidents from these causes, and yet not the slightest notice is taken of them. It is all very well to say we want more police. No doubt wo do, but that is only one phase of tho question. I will undertake to find on any night (Saturday night especially) half-a-dozen cases of persons driving without lights, and tho polico could just as easily find them as lif they wanted to. It is a perfect scandal that half tho boys, and men too for that mattor, driving vehicles, are allowed to do so at all.

Mr Roach, the owner of tho cart, and Mrs J. N. Williams, of Frimley, where the lad was employed, have been unremitting in their attentions to tho pationt since tho accident.

Last week Mr Alexander Munro, an early settlor, dropped dead in the street at Invercargill on his way homo. Ho appeared in robust health. Tho cause of death was apoplexy. James McLeod, aged fifty, dropped dead on Friday in a Hold in which ho was working, near Milton. Tho enquiry into the death of tho man Frank O’Neil, found in an Auckland mine, rosulted in a verdict of accidental death. The verdict was contrary to tho summingup of the Coroner, and against his ruling. Tho Coroner considered tho evidence was of a very suspicious nature, and precluded all possibility of an accidental death, Miss Norah Sylvia Watkin, aged 21, youngest daughter of tho Rev W. J. Watkin, Wesleyan minister of Onehunga, disappeared mysteriously on Friday night and cannot bo traced. She was of a cheerful disposition, and there was nothing unusual in her manner when she was last seen.

A three-year-old girl named Green was run over by a grocer’s cart in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon. Sho was removed to the hospital, whore sho died shortly afterwards.

By the oxplosiou of a chargo in tho Sheridan Company’s mine at tho Thames, a man namod Arthur Meyers was badly injured, receiving its full force in his face and about tho body. His rnato Nicholls was only slightly injured. Meyers has received severe injuries about tho body, and his left arm is a good deal mutilated, while it is feared ho will lose tho sight of his left eyo. Tho young man Robert Leo, who was injured by a fall of earth in a gravel pit at Fordoll, died on Wednesday from his injuries. Ho was only 24 years of age. Tho danger of allowing children of tender yoars to go near tho harbour without protection was again exemplified on Sunday morning. Two little boys playing near tho Patent Slip with a dog suddenly foil into tho water, and but that help was near at band would havo probably been drowned As it was thoy luckily escaped with a ducking, and the of a severe cold, and perhaps a thrashing.

At an inquest on Thursday, at Mrs McDonald’s, Manners street, on the body of Stephen J. lvilsby, aged seven years, who died on the previous day whilst under tho effects of chloroform. Dr Tearo said he administered tho chloroform in order that Dr Chappie might perform an operation for cleft mlato. A very small amount of chloroform md been given before symptoms of poisoning were noticed. Rnstorativo measures wore at mco adopted, and kept up for some tiruo. Tho deceased breathed once or twice, and showed some signs of reviving, but aftervards relapsed. Witnosa thought death was ho result of paralysis of the heart, causod by

chloroform poisoning. The chloroform used had only been purchased about a month ago. Free chlorine in chloroform would be easily detected by the smell, and would cause intonse coughing and irritation. Ho had carefully examined the heart and lungs, and they appeared perfectly sound. Other evidence having been given, a verdict was returned that death resulted from paralysis of the heart from chloroform poisoning, and that it was accidental aud by misadventure.

An eldorly man named Samuel Brooks, living at ICarori, who was carting road metal on the Karori road on Friday afternoon, was going up an incline when he put a block under tho wheel, but as he was doing so, the horse, which was young and restive, backed a wheel over tho block and crushed one of Brooks’ fingers nearly up to the first joint. Ho came into town and had the injury attended to by Mr W. G. Fitz Gerald, chemist.