ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20232, 18 October 1927, Page 8

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

FOUND DROWNED IN RIVER. (Per United Press Association.) WAIHI, October 17. The body of Ralph Johnston, aged 52 years, a farmer and an employee of the Waihi Company at Waikino battery, was found in the Ohinemuri River. Johnston was last seen alive at Waikino on Friday evening, riding a bicycle. A search party discovered the bicycle on the bank. MOTOR CYCLISTS INJURED. (Pee United Press association.) WAIHI, October 17. ■ Alexander Churton, while motoring/ met with an accident in Karangahake Gorge; The vehicle skidded when nassing a motor cycle, and went over the river bank. Churton received a fractured rib and injuries to the head. B. Warner,"aged 27, of Katikati, was thrown heavily from a motor cycle on the bridge at the entrance to Waihi town, and was removed to hospital suffering from concussion of the brain. ELDERLY MAN FOUND DEAD. (Peb United Pbe33 Association.) PALMERSTON N., October 17. A man of about 65 years of age, believed to be Isaac Fairbrother, a retired farmer, was found dead on a seat in the Square, this morning. He left the place where he was boarding at about 7.45, apparently in his usual health, and later waf found by a passer-by. VICTIM OF BLASTING ACCIDENT. (Pee United Peehs Association.) PAHIATUA, October 17. Cecil Seymour, single, aged 30, foreman of the Mauriceyille County Council, was admitted to the Pahiatua Hospital on Saturday night with injuries to his eyes, face, and neck,. caused through a blasting accident. CAR ANDvMOTOR CYCLE COLLIDE. (Per United Ppess Association.) NELSON, October 17. As a result of a collision between a motor car and a motor cycle, Brian Jones, who was riding the cycle, is in the hospital with serious injuries. BERTIE EARLEY'S DEATH. THE INQUEST CONCLUDED. While trying out his motor cycle at Waikouaiti Beach on October 9 in preparation for beach races, Bertie Waiter Earley, aged 21, residing at 35 Cutten street, South Dunedin, was thrown from his machine, and died from a fractured skull three hours later. The inquest was continued before Mr E. W. Bundle, S.M., yesterday morning. Sergeant Turner represented the police. George William Ernest Hutchings, a motor mechanic, residing in Prendergast street, South Dunedin, said that at about 8.50 a.m. on October 9 Earley and himself were trying out their motor cycles on the Waikouaiti Beach in preparation for the races to be held there next month. Earley was riding about 30 yards in front of witness, and both were travelling at about 40 miles an hour. Deceased’s handle bars gave one shake and the machine turned a complete somersault. The cycia was not turning and was only in second gear. As witness reached Earley he was falling to the ground about three yards from his machine. Witness, who could see that he was seriously injured, went to his assistance at once. Deceased was bleeding from the nose and mouth.. While friends attended to Earley witness rang up Dr Thomas, of Palmerston, and when he returned deceased was put on a. coat and carried to the sandhills, where his face was bathed and all that was possible done for him. Afterwards a springcart was obtained, and Earley was taken tc Mr Stecdman’s house. When he examined the cycle witness found that the front tyre was torn off, being retained only by the valve, and the front mudguard was twisted up inside the forks. The inner tube was intact • The only reason ho could give for the tyre coming off was that the tube might have been caught under the head of the tvre, and that the extra pressure which deceased nut in at Norraanbv gradually worked the tyre off. It was usual to race with the tyres highly inflated. The tyre on deceased’s cycle was not a new one, but it was in good' condition. The sand on the beach wai firm. Robert Simpson M‘Naught, an apprentice electrician, residing at York place, said that he and another boy named Stmley Bishop were sitting on the sandhills watching deceased and Hutchings, when tbev saw Earley's cycle overturn about ?00 yards from where thev were sitting. The front mudguard of the machine was bent in as if the tyre had caught if. Stanley Bishop gave corroborative evidence. The Coroner said that deceased was 21 years of age and had been riding a motor cycle for 12 months. He intended to compote in the beach races. It was difficult to find what caused the tyre to come off, but Hutchings’s explanation seemed to be quite reasonable. In racing at high snecd there was always*an element of danger, and much depended on the machine being in first-class order. He could pnly find that deceased died at Waikouaiti on October 9 of a fractured skull, caused by being accidentally thrown from a motor cycle at Waikouaiti Beach on the same day. “ It was a most distressing case,’’ said the Coroner, in expressing sympathy with deceased's relatives. MARRIED WOMAN’S DEATH. Mrs Jessie Louisa Holmes, wife r.f Mr Charles Holmes, of 301 Cargill road. South Dunedin, collapsed on the footnath last evening in front of Dr Riley's house, where she had just paid a visiC and died shortly after. The cause of her death is npt vet known, as she had beep in gqod health and spirits when she le-ft