CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2080, 4 January 1894, Page 28

CASUALTIES.

Mr S. E. Brent, of Outram, and bis family had a narrow escape from a serious accident on Christmas Day. Returning from Brighton in a buggy, the horse, after playing up, bolted along what is a most dangerous piece of road where it overhangs the beach. One of tbe children jumped out while the horse was bolting, and escaped with a severe shaking. Near the bottom of the incline the horse stumbled, and Mr Brent was thrown out on hia head and stunned, but fortunately he escaped without serioua injury. The shafts of the buggy were broken, and the horse, regaining its feet, continued its career till stopped near Green Island. Mrs Brent and the children managed to retain their seats in the buggy when the horse stumbled, and they escaped with a fright. A gumdigger named William Maxwell was drowned in the Kaipara river. His boat ran on a sandepit, and on being got off the jibboom struck Maxwell, who steered, knocking him overboard. Jackson, a gumdigger, his mate, put about the boat, but was carried - past Maxwell, who sank. Eight bottles and two flasks of spirits were found on board, one bottle being empty. Jackson says deceased was quite able to manage the boat, though he had taken some liquor. Deceased was a native of Edinburgh, and has no relatives in the colony. The body has not been recovered. An inquest has been held on the remains of a man found drowned in the river at Omarama. The man bad been missing for some time, and was found in a lagoon of the river with a piece of rope round his neck, to which was attached a large stone. Ib appears that the deceased's name was W. Welsh, and that he was a bullockdriver. He was driving down the road in company with others, and got one of his companions to take charge of his team for a little while, saying that he would overtake them. This he failed to do, and was not seen again until his body was found as stated. Deceased had frequently threatened to do away with himself, and was peculiar in his ways. He had suffered injuries to his head some time since, owing to a fall from his horse. A verdict was given in accordance with the evidence, the case being evidently one of suicide. —Oamaru Mail. The Bruce Herald reports that Mr James Liddle, a farmer at Akatore, met with a serious accident on the 27th ult. He was killing a sheep, when the knife slipped and went into the calf of his right leg, severing one of the main arteries. There was a great rush of blood, which the people about him restrained as besG they could, and at once sent for Dr Sutherland, who found Mr Liddle in a state of semi-collapse from loss of blood. Dr Sutherland stayed by his patient all night, and latest advices pronounce Mr Liddle in a fair way towards recovery.