CASUALTIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11506, 19 August 1899, Page 5

CASUALTIES.

(Per United Pk'ess Association.)

AUCKLAND, August 18.

Owing to the continuance of heavy weather at Coromandel the police have been unsuccessful in several attr .pts to reach Parker's Island, in Coromandel Harbour, to search for the bodies of the four men drowned in the recent boating disas-

WELLINGTON, August 18. A young man named Alfred Macey, a flaxmm hand, has been drowned near Levin. / At the inquest on the body of Midgeley, who' died in tho Terrace Gaol, the coroner (Mr Ashoroft) again pointed out the necessity for-a separate place of treatment for these chronic cases. He thought that the Government should take into consideration the establishment1 of such an institution, They existed at Home, and if an institution of the kind were set up here it would keep many unfortunate people out of gaol who were now placed there merely because they were helpless.

A somewhat painful inquest was held at Oamaru yesterday touching the death of Dr J. D. Niven. From the evidence given in the Oamaru Mail it appears that the maid entered Dr Niven's consulting room about 9.30 p.m. on the sth inst, and found him out of his chair in a sitting position, with his back to the fire. His shoulders were resting against the grate, in which there was a fire burning. She pulled him away and burned her hands in doing so. His clothes were much burned, and she judged he had been in tho position she found him for some minutes. His eyes were open but ho did not appear to understand, and he never spoke. He had his tea about 6 o'clock, and she saw him sitting in the room about 7 o'clock. She called out and Mrs and Miss Niven came and wrapped Dr Niven in a rug to put out the fire. * Nina Stewart Niven. daughter of deceased, said she saw her father in his.room between 3.30 and 9 o'clock. She asked him if he would like anything, and lie replied in the negative, so" she left him. .She saw him next when the maid. Jessie Todd, was throwing- a rug over him. She had been called by tho girl. Her father was on fire. She rushed out of the room for a rug, and, on returning, wrapped him in it. Her father was dressed in his ordinary clothes. They raised him up and put him in his chair. Tho groom bandaged the deceased directly after the accident, and Dr MAdam was called in next day. David Orcmmf.ns. the groom, gavo evidence, but it was discredited by tho maid and Miss Niven, who alleged that he had a strong dislike to the women of the family. The jury returned the following verdict: —

" That the said John Duncan Niven, on the sth August, in a certain room in his house, at Oamaru, being under the influence of intoxicating liquor, was found resting against the grain in the said room, in which grate a fire was burning; and thereby received severe injury by burns upon the back and left arm of him the said ,T. D. Niyen, and that he lingered suffering from th"c" paid burns, when congestion of the lungs supervened, and on the 16th August, of the said congestion of. the lungs he died, and the iiiry upon their oaths do nay that the said ,T. D. Niven, of the said congestion of Hie lungs, supervenine: on the injuries received on the sth inst., died : siml, further. Hint there is no evidence to show how or in what manner, the said injuries were inflicted."