ACCIDENTS, AND FATALITIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21145, 1 October 1930, Page 6

ACCIDENTS, AND FATALITIES.

ENTANGLED IN SHAFT. BOY FATALLY INJURED. i (Peb United Pbess Association.) - DARGAVILLE, September 30. A- boy, Robert Stewart Annesley Fowlie, aged three, years and toil months, a son of S. R. Fowlie, farm labourer, employed ,by A:’ E. Harding, of Aoroa, while in the milking shed on the latter’a property got his clothing entangled iu the shaft of the engine wheel,.with thfe result that he was whirled round and suffered an extensive .fracture of, the, skull andother head injuries, from which he died in the Northern Wairoa Hospital at 9 o’clock last night. The accident occurred at 5.30, and was not actually, witnessed by anyone. An elder brother started,the engine and heard a bump. He discovered his brother lying on the floor with his clothing torn am his coat entangled in shaft. At the inquest a verdict of accidental death,, in accordance with the, medical testimony, was returned. BODY FOUND ON BEACH. (Peb United Pbess Association.) INVERCARGILL, September 80. The body of Thomas Adamsbn, a single man, aged 31; who had been, missing for over a fortnight, was, discovered this morning washed up on the beach of the estuary near Janet street. The police were communicated with and-the body was removed to the morgue. > INFANT ACCIDENTALLY * ASPHYXIATED. Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., sitting coroner, held an inquest in the . Magistrate's Court yesterday morning into, the circumstances surrounding the dealt of a newly-born child. The mother of the -chjld, Mabel Davidson, was represented' by Mr . \V,' G. : Hay, Chief, Detective Cameron appearing for the police.. Mary,Ellen O’Donnell, employed at the Robert Burns Hotel, said she knbw Mrs Davidson, who had previously been employed at the Robert Bums Hotel. Witness shared a room with hat, and oh September 11, after witness had gohetO bed, Mrs Davidson complained of flatulence and got,up and went out of the room. Subsequently, witness, in company with Mrs Auld and Mrs .Hope, went along to the '’lavatory, where the dopr was 'opened by Mrs Davidson. DFFqrteous was sent . for, and when- witness asked Mrs (Davidsoh why she .did .not stop in bed she said she d’l not expect the baby so soon. Witness had not seen any baby clothes in. the room. . Similar evidence was given by, Anna Margaret , Auld (daughter of the licensee) hud Anna. Margaret Hope, licensee of the Robert Bums Hotel;; Dr W. J. Pbrteous said he had boon called to the Robert Bilims Hotel shortly after 11 p.m. on September 11, and ho was told by the proprietress that there was a woman in trouble in the lavatory on the first fioor.V Witness opened the “ c aDd observed a good .deal of blood. When the, woman got up witness “ted a baby. It had been lying head downwards, and its face was partly covered with a garment Witness took the baby to the bathroom and bathed it, but life was extinct His opinion was that it was a full-time child. He gave instructions that the mother, whom he now knew to be Mrs Davidson, should be removed to the Hospital. If the child breathed when it was born, from its position it would have breathed chiefly in blood. Hay: The shock-and suddenness of the happening might have prevented the mother from attending to the child. Dr D Ath, professor of ‘ pathology at Otago University, reported on the postmortem examination he had made with Dr Evans. Prom his examination he *' as . of ll opi ? ion that the body was that of a fully-developed male infant. Breathing had taken place, and breathing had ceased through the inhalation of blood and watery mucus. It was impossible to sa; how long the infant had lived after, birth, but if must . have taken a few breaths at least l '■ ‘ Corroborative evidence was given by Dr Evans. , • _ „ Mabel Davidson said she was a married woman living apart from her hueband. Witness, who was formerly employed at the Robert-Burns Hotel, wont to bed about 7.45 p.m. on September 11, and later felt some ailment in her throat. Witness had given birth to the baby in the lavatory, but had not handled it nor had she heard any sound from it whatever. Witness wiped the floor with tme of her garments, which she then ■ placed in the lavatory. She had expected the, birth about the end of September. Evidence was also gften by Sergeant Vaughan and Detective Russell,'and after reviewing the evidence the coroner said that it was hardly to be wondered at that in the circumstances the mother was unable to sumnipn assistance. He found that the child was born on September 11, and that it was accidentally asphyxiated by the inhalation of blood and watery mucus at or shortly after birth.