INJURED AT RUGBY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5678, 28 August 1905, Page 5

INJURED AT RUGBY.

SERIOUS OCCURRENCE AT DUNEDIN. PHESB ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, August 26. For some yeans past Rugby in Otago has been immune from serious accideiTt, but, unfortunately, the match between Otago and Southland to-day was marred by a serious mishap to W. Bailey, one of Otago’s forwards. The game throughout was fast, and the tackling very effective, but there was an entire absence of even a semblance of rough play. The game was played in the best spirit imaginable. Everything went well until a few minutes before half-time, when the home team was called upon to stave off a pressing attack by Southland, the visitors ti-ying hard to score. Open play, consisting .of more or less scramble, took place close to the Otago line, when suddenly Bailey was prostrated. So unexpected was the accident that the game continued some seconds before the mishap was noticed by the referee.

• Dr Maophenson was quickly on the scene, and ordered the removal of Bailey, who was suffering from a compression of the spine. After further medical examination in the dressingroom an ambulance was procured, and the sufferer removed to the hospital. None of the players apparently know exactly how the accident happened, but from Bailey’s statement it appears that he turned a somersault and fell, with two men on top of Mm. Bailey, a carter by occupation, is paralysed from the waist downwards, and can just move his arms. The case is very serious, little hope of recovery being entertained. Bailey’s depositions have been taken, and in his statement he blames nobody, describing the affair as purely accidental. It is a remarkable coincidence that an accident of a somewhat similar nature, which' terminated fatally, happened to Annit exactly six years ago today. Ausnst 27. Bailey has undergone an operation. What the ultimate result will be it is impossible to say. He has at present got oyer the effects of the chloroform. A man named Corbett was also received into the hospital yesterday, haring had a oollar-bono broken in a football match.