CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1904, 18 May 1888, Page 22

CASUALTIES.

A lad, the son of Dr Duflot, the Canadian doctor, was drowned in the Halswell, Canterbury, on Friday. He was duck shooting near Green Park with a party, which he left and went along the river in a, punt. As he did not return search was made, and his body was found in the river. James Young, painter, residing in Sydenham, died suddenly on Friday. He came home from work about 11 gomplainiug of pain in the head. While his bed was being prepared he fell, and expired in a few minutes. A man named George Hately was found dead on Friday at the camp of the Government survey party at Wangaehu,- Wellington. Early on tbe morning of the Bth inst a fire broke out in Mr John Hollick's timber yard and workshops at Milton. The fire was first seen by Mr Hugh Coombe, of the Commercial Hotel, Milton. He gave the alarm, and those about set to work with buckets to quench the fire. They succeeded in saving the main building, but two sheds, a quantity of sawn timber, and a number of engineer's tools were destroyed, as was also a large lathe, valued at £100, owned by Mr N. M'Lean, and which was uninsured. The cause of the fire is unknown. Mr Hollick's insurances are £250 on the buildings in the Victoria office, and £450 on the stock, plant, and tools in the New Zealand. Two wheat stacks, the property of Mr Eli Mitchell, were destroyed by fire on his farm at 1 Wattohi, South Canterbury, on the morning of the 7th They were insured in the National office. The fire is believed to have been the work of an incendiary. A boy named George Cullmore, aged five years and eight months, son of a labourer on the Wai-iti road, near Timaru, was drowned in a dam. It is believed that the child in trying to reach his wheelbarrow, which had gofc into the water, overbalanced himself. The depth of the water was 4^ft. On Monday a man re?pecUbl;y dressed, about 40 years old and of fair complexion, was found dead under a veraudab. at the Harbour Board's sheds, at Dampier Bay, Lyttelton. His handkerchief was marked "J. Morten." The body has been identified as that of a man who had lived at the Cambridge Hotel Mnce Thursday last. It is stated that he was a Swede, and wss of sober, reserved habits. He was last seen alivo on Sunday evening, when he did not appear uuusaally depressed. His occupation has not been

ascertained. There were no marks of violence on the body, which had apparently been dead three or four hours when found at 7 a.m. ■ The inquest was adjourned for a post mortevi examiation to be made. While fishing near the tip-head, a resident of Greymouth observed the body of a man floating to sea ; the feet with boots on, but the body naked. The police are having the north beach searched. A man named Robert Douglas, while working on board the steamer Doric, on Monday forenoon, fell overboard between the ship and the George street pier. He was, rescued by the boatswain of the vessel and conveyed to his residence not much the worse for the mishap. An elderly man named Colin M'Gregor, while crossing the line at Timaru, near Allen's mill, as the south train was coming up, had a very narrow e3cape. Failing to get across in time, he was struck by the buffer, but fortunately he was thrown clear of the train, and sustained merely a few cuts and bruises and a severe shock. He was probably deaf and short-sighted, for the driver did everything possible to attract his attention and bring the engine to a standstill. An unfortunate accident occurred on Tuesday at the railway goods shed. .William Halligan, a shunter,' was employed with others in shunting trucks loaded with grain. The trucks were in motion, and Halligan put his foot on the brake, but slipped, and the wheel of a truck passed over his right foot, which was badly crushed. At the hospital he was attended to by Drs Gordon Macdonald and Fleming, who hope that amputation will not be necessary. A man named Wm. Sutcliffe was killed at Remuera, Auckland, by falling down a well on Mr J. Russell's property. The man was employed deepening the well, and at mid-day he was being hauled to the surface to eat his lunch. When Sutcliffe was almost at the top of the well the rope suddenly snapped, and he fell backwards to the bottom, a distance of some 59ft. His injuries were of a fearful oharacter : one leg was smashed and several ribs broken; a thigh was smashed, and there was another wound caused by Sutcliffe falling on his pick or spade at the bottom of the well. The man died in a few minutes. L. Marten, who was found dead at Lyttelton, was lately employed as cook at the Timaru Hospital, but was discharged for misconduct w^ith the wife of a fellow servant. In a letter dated the 13th April, to a friend here he hinted at suicide, sayingtbat he weuld "forthwith settle all his accounts for life." A four-roomed dwelling house at Tapanui was burned down on Friday last. It belonged to Mr Samuel Winslade, and had ,been unoccupied for a couple of years, except for a week or two at' a' time by men working in tbe vicinity. The origin of the fire is unknown, but neighbours say that the house has of late been made a sleepingplaco of by swaggers. It was insured in the Victoria office for £50. Tho police have received a telegram from Stirling to thb effect that Crossan's Hotel at that place was burned down at 2.30 yesterday morning. No particulars are as yet to hand.