CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 22

CASUALTIES.

A son of Mr Frank Cresswell, two or three years of age, was burnt to death in a field ' at Richmond, Nelson, on the 6th. The father was ' burning stubble, and the child wandered into the flames. His •dlothes were ignited, and he died on the spot.

A Native named Tane Tirei, working in th<* bush at Hokianga, was killed by being crushed between two logs. He leaves two children. The body of a man was found floating in Wellington Harbour on Thursday. This evening the body was identified as that ' of the Rev. Mr Gilbert, formerly of Phillipstown, near Christchurch. The deceased gentleman, who had retired from the church, arrived here last month, and was staying at one of the city Hotels. He left the hotel about 7 a.m. on Thursday, and nothing was known of his whereabouts until the bedy was found on tlie beach at Thorndon. Deceased was about 60 years of age, and it is supposed he fell into the harbour. It is understood he leaves a widow and family in Christchurch. Mrs Annie M'Laren, aged 57, who resided with her brother and sister at Owaka, died on Wednesday, after four days' illness, from a disorder of an inflammatory character.

A labourer named William Burton, aged 48 years, v.as found drowned in the Inangahua on Saturday (says the Grey River Argus)., circumstances pointing to his having committed suicide 1 . He had been in bad health for many years, and had been in the hospital for various ailments. His hat and coat were found on the bank of the river.

The Waimate Witness received a wire from Opunake, dated February 28, stating that a man named Michael Carroll was found hanging in a shed, having, it was supposed, committed suicide. He appeared to have stood on two bags of chaff, and afterwards kicked them away in order to carry out his design. At the inquest the Jury returned a verdict that deceased had committed suicide whilst temporarily insane. The Opunake Times jtates ; — The high esteem and respect in which deceased was held was evidenced by the very large number of people from all parts of the district who attended to pay the last mark of respect to his remains. Amongst the mourners were a number of Natives, who raised a lament when the funeral procession started. A Chinaman named Ah Kirn, a gold miner, living alone -on Deep Stream, was found dead in bed on Thursday. He had evidently been dead several days. He was last seen alive on the Ist inst., and was then in bed smoking opium. There are no suspicious circumstances attached to the case.

A serious accident is reported from Miller's 3?lat. At 6 o'clock on Thursday evening the ,two sons of Mr Robert Richardson, farmer, bamed Charles and Robert, aged 19 and six respectively, were driving two horses attached -fco a sleigh an which .was a ayantitx; °* 10030I 0030

sheaves. The horses were being driven abreast. On going down hill both, by some means, fell off the sleigh, and the hoives_ bolted. Charles fell forward on the spring bar, and, being kicked, was instantaneously killed. Robert fell clear, and escaped with slight injuries. James Blair, a dredge hand on the Moa dredge, Alexandra South, died suddenly on Saturday evening from hemorrhage of the lungs. An inquest has been deemed unnecessary. A lad six yer.rs of age named George Metcalf, when getting off a tramcar, presumably while it was in motion, on Monday afternoon, fell and fractured one of his arms. He was taken to the hospital, where the broken limb was set.

An accident occurred at Papakaio on Saturday (says the North Otago Times), by which a man named John Galbraith was killed. He was employed on a back-delivery reaper, on the farm of Mr Samuel Wilson at Papakaio. The men were at the time at lunch, when something startled the horses. Galbraith rushed to catch their heads, and got knocked down. Another young man present quickly threw the knife oufc of gear, but the fingers ran into him under the arm-pit, and it is presumed severed an artery, which bled internally, and the injured man died about 5 p.m. Dr jSJ'Adam was sent for, but arrived just after the man had died. The deceased was 35 years of age. His parents reside in Dunedin.

The Hokitika police received word on Tuesday, tLe 6th, that Jacob Hansen, a resident of Rimu, was found dead in a, water race at 7.30 that morning. The iac3 where the body was found was a narrow one, with but little water in it.