ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20582, 4 December 1928, Page 10

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A FATAL FALL. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 3, A pkmber named Thomas Joseph M’Enteer fell through a trapdoor at the premises of his employer this morning, and died to-night from his injuries, FALL OVER CLIFF. (Special to Daily Times.) December 3. ■_ That death followed, consequent on injuries received by falling over the cliff near Nayland street, Sumner, was the verdict returned by the coroner, Mr E. D. Mosley, to-day, at the resumed inquest on the death of William Janies Mowbray, aged 21, who, together with companions, set out for Taylor’s Mistake on Saturday evening, November 17, being found next day dead oh the roof of a motor, shed near the base of tho cliff. The coroner added that, other accidents had and were liable to occur in this vicinity, and he therefore suggested to the local authorities that short fences and notice boards should ba erected at such spots; Dr L. B, Stringer, who conducted a post-mortem examination, said that the cause of death had been an extensive fracture of the skull and injury to the brain. ■These wounds were consistent with the man having fallen over the cliff. Bruce Lionel Heatley,'aged 17, a companion of deceased, said the party of four met at the Heathcote bridge at .4.43 p.m. on the Saturday, and after having about five drinks each at the hotel, cycled to. Sumner. Leaving their cycles they set out over the hill for Taylor’s Mistake. - Near the foot of the hill]'witness back to .look for the keys of the bach, and returning after having found them,;,was told by the other two that Mowbray had gone on over. The three then went on over to Taylor’s Mistake,' but did not sec anything of Mowbray. The deceased’s brother Ronald, joined the garty-at this stage. On arrival at the bach they were surprised to find that the deceased was not there. Smith was left at the “ bach,” and the others returned to Sumner to see if they could find him. They saw nothing of him, and they then returned to he “hacli,” and ?®! re “ there until 8.45 p.m. on Sunday. When they returned to Sumner they went for their bicycles, and found that of Mowbray still in the stand. The bicycle tyre, and they still thought that Mowbray, might have gone home by the. tram on Saturday night. The whole party rode to the deceased’s home at Somerfield to see if he had’ returned. The police were communicated with and it was learned that his body had been, found at the,foot of the hill near Nayland street. To the. coroner, witness said that as far as he knew Mowbray was quite sober. Evidence was given by the police BB to the dangerous state of the path at the spot where the deceased apparently fell. Any person missing his footway and going down on the lower side of the track would nave no chance of recovering himself. The track had not been fornied but merely worn. It was private property, but was always used by persons walking'over the CHILD’S SUDDEN DEATH. T T- he i l nV eßfc , on the ■ body of David Julius Ahlbrandt, a child who was found dead in bed at his home on November n’ Y. as fp ncl, ided yesterday, Mr H. W (Bundle, S.M., sitting as coroner. 'gearit M Carthy represented the police. Dr Murray Drennan, professor of pathology at the Otago University, who conducted a post-mortem examination on the body, gave evidence that in his opin- , pp use of death was heart failure due to streptococcal septicsema—a blood poisoning arising from infected tonsils—in *• A verdict in accordance with ..the medical evidence was returned.