ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15825, 25 July 1913, Page 3

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

(Peb United Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, July 24. To-day an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Champion was held before Mr F. V. Frazer (coroner) and a jury of six. Champion, who waa a railway fireman, fell off the AuciklandHamilton train on the afternoon of July 21. Archibald Monds, _ the driver of the train on which the accident occurred, said that the last he saw of deceased beforo the accident viae, jast after leaving Remuora. Just before the bridge was reached witness noticed deceased pick up a chisel from his own side of the cab. Witness saw no more of deceased, ajid missed him about 200 yards past the bridge. The only suggestion lie could offer as fo the cause of tho accident was that deceased must havo overbalanced and faHen off the engine when going to his own side of the cab from the tool box. A verdict wm returned that death waa due to fracture of the 6kull and shock sustained by deceased accidentally falling off a train and striking his head against the peg of a semaphore wire, and that no blame was attachable to anyone. WELLINGTON. July 24. Two cases of supposed suicide were reported to-day. The first was that of a man named J. G. Bay, a Victorian, and the second that of Mabel Ada Hanhau, who was recently married. She had been suffering from melancholia.

CHRISTCHURCH, July 24. At Lyttelton to-day, when a six-ton flywheel was being placed in position at tho pumping station, in Exeter street, the tackle holding it broke. The wheel fell on' James Evans, breaking both his thighs and injuring him internally. He is not expected to recover.