CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1918, 24 August 1888, Page 18

CASUALTIES.

Mr P. Conning, travelling agent for the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, was seized with a fit on board the Davenport ferry steamer at Auckland on the 16th and died a few minutes afterwards when removed to a house. The cause of death was heart disease. [Mr Conning was well known in Otago, where he had been agent for the society for a number of years.]

Peter Hansen, a Dane, aged 27 years, employed in building a bridge over a creek at Waitakerei, Auckland, dead in the bed of was found the creek. He was subject to fits, and it is supposed that he fell from the bridge during the absence of the workmen.

Considerable damage was done at the shop of T. and S. Morrin, Auckland, ou Friday, through an explosion of gas, the lower office being completely wrecked. A man named Watson was thrown* down by the shock and had his face singed by the flame.

At Shelly Beach, Kaipara Harbour, Auckland, a man named Henry Prout was found clinging to a capsized boat. He was brought ashore, but died soon after reaching land. It is feared that another man named Peter Crown, who was in Prout's company, has also been drowned.

Ou Sunday evening the body of a man unknown was found on the Chmtchurcb Port Hills near Governor's Bay road. It was that of a man about 35 years old, sft 9in high, robust, with fair hair and beard. Nothing was found on him to identify him. The body, which was dressed in a dark grey tweed, was naked from the waist to the knees. From the appearance of the grcund the man had evidently camped under a flax bush close by. A later message says that the body, has been identified as that of H. M'Donald, who lodged at Blign's restaurant, which he left on July 26. He was considered "queer" while there. His neck appears to be broken, but there are no other marks of violence. An inquest was held this evening, when a verdict of "Death from exposure" was returned. No evidence was adduced to. show how he came to be on the hills. He had lodged for three months afe BHgh's boarding house, where he was believed to be a shepherd from Otago. It is stated he was formerly in the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum.

Frank Perrott, a Jfarmer at Waikari (Canferbury), left his house on Sunday morning to walk round his farm. He was apparently well at the time. He was found by two swaggers at 12 o'clock lying against a wire fence dead at a spot adjoining the North road, about two miles from his house.

A son (three years) of Thomas Casey, of Wa'rongomai (Auckland), was terribly burned on Sunday afternoon. He was lefb in the house, and played with the fire. He died on Monday. There was no doctor within 30 miles of the place.