ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14685, 19 November 1909, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

— «a (Per Uxitf.d Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 18. Mrs Johanna M. "Wright, an elderly woman residing in Newmarket, after having bad a cup of tea with her daughter this morning, went out to (he washhouse, and suddenly collapsed, She called out to her daughter, but when tho latter arrived the .woman was dead. It is supposed that heart failure was the causo of death. UHRISTCIIUCiI, November 17. A man named Percy Waddell bad a miraculous escape from death at the tunnel works early this morning. Waddell was trucking from the tunnel mouth to the tiphead, and had taken a valto of men trucks down. He was in the act of tipping them from the trctle which 'nap been constructed to facilitate this work when by eome means tho whole rake commenced to move forward, apparently through being insufficiently br;'«. d. Ail the trucks arc fitted with powerful screw brakes, and thero should be co difficulty in holding them, but a« Waddell was a new hand at the work it is surmised that when he found the trucks moving towards destruction he lost bis head and unscrewed the brake instead of screwing it on. The result was that the whole rake went over (he (pestle and was smashed to pieces. Waddell attempted to alight on the end of tho sleepers, but missed his looting, and fell a distance of 'loft to the river bed below, where he was picked up in an unconscious condition soma time after. He has now regained consciousness, but ii ■siiffcring.-from internal injuries, besides a broken leg and several cuts and bad bruises. INVKRCARGILL, November 17. James Dnthie, aged 19, was getting off a ballast train at Afhol Station to-day, when he stumbled and the plough on the van dragged him under the trucks. The result was that lie sustained severe injuries-, from which he died on the way to tho hospital.

On .Sunday afternoon, while driving on the Pomnhaka Downs road, about 15 miles from Clinton, a party of young men came to grief through a wheal coming off their conveyance. The driver, O'Comrcll, came oil' worst, receiving a dislocation of the knee and various bruises and cuts. Dr Rosa Collier, of Clinton, was sent lor, and attended the suffering man, who is progressing favourably.