CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 50

CASUALTIES.

An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of an infant, who died on the 15thj was held next day before Mr Coroner Carew and a jury of six at a registered home for infants in Maitland street, kept by Annie Jane Naylor. From the evidence, it appeared that the child, which was born on the 15th of April, was taken by its mother to Mrs Naylor's on the 23rd of the same month. It throve all right until Tuesday morning. At about 6 o'clock that morning, however, it seemed as if it were unwell, and Mrs Naylor, after giving it a drink of hot milk, and otherwise attending to it, sent a neighbour for a doctor, but the child died about half-past 7, before any medical man arrived. Dr Gordon Macdonald afterwards examined the body, and found no indications to account for death other than some natural causes. Judging from the surrounding circumstanc.es he came to the conclusion that death was due to bowel irritation, caused by diarrncea. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony. A telegram has been received from Helensville stating that Charley Huia and Robert Teruia were drowned off Hargreave's Bluff on the 15th while going- to a Native wedding at Otamatea settlement at Kaipori, Auckland.

A man named Michael Doyle, employed in the railway workshops, received a blow in the chest from tli6 handle of a windlass on the 15th, which was severe enough to necessitate his removal to the hospital. The house surgeon who attended him, however, does noi consider that any serious injury has been sustained.

John Armstrong was taken to the hospital on Friday afternoon suffering from a sprained ankle, caused by his falling off a peaffolrt while watching the procession pass in George slieet.

A seaman named Edward '\ [orris, of the barque Abcrfoyle, slipped on the gangway of the vessel on Friday, and broke hi leg. He was taken to the hospital to have it set.

The Mount Benger Mail reports that a severe accident happened to a child named Morrin, four years of age, on Tuesday morning, 15th. Mrs Morrin, who had something frying on the fire, went out for a few minutes, and in her absence the child tried to put a piece of bread into the boiling fat. The fire licked out and ignited his clothes. To make matters worse, but what was only natural, the child rushed to its mother, . the cosrtact with the air causing him to be enveloped in flame, with the result that the child received very serious burns about the body and head, necessitating medical aid. A distressing Occident happened on the tramway line, near Albany street corner, on Saturday evening, about half-past 7, whereby a single man named Allan Fraser, a labourer, and 44- years of age, met with shocking injuries. It appears that a tram car, driven by John Bamber, v/as proceeding down Albany street, and drew up near the King street corner to permit of a our coming from the Valley to get around the corner. When the latter got round, Bainbei's car &e v off again, and just at that moment Fraser btepped in front of the hor&es. One of the animals reared, Fraser was knocked down, and the car passed over his right leg and right arm. He was taken to the hospital and attended to by several medical gentlemen. It was found nsce»oary to amputate both limbs, the arm near the shoulder, and the leg about 6in above the knee. On making inquiries at the hospital last night, it was learned that his chances of recovery have improved. Frassr lives in. Dundas street. He is a little deaf. The driver of the car slates that the first he knew of anyone being in danger was when he saw the sparks fly up from the man's pipe in front of the horses, and (hen 3ie heard a scream. He pulled tip with all haste, but the car passed over the imfortunate man.

A young man named M'Quarrie fell off the wharf intc the Grey on Saturday, and was drowned. He could not swim. He belonged to the Bluff. He was employed on the Poherua. A mate tried to save him, but without avail. He was a single man.

A seaman named Olsen, 4-0 years of age, was washed overboard from the schooner Ronga, at 3.15 a.m. on Sunday, off Kaikoura. There was a heavy gale on, and it was impossible to save him. The P^oiiga arrived at Lyttelton, from Mercury Bay, the same evening. Olsen shipped at Whangaroa. A" fatal accident occurred at Tnvercargill while the procession in celebration of the relief of Mafeking was passing along Kelvin street. A feature of the demonstration was two traction engines hauling lorries, on which volunteers were posed. Men yere specially told off to keep the people back from the engines, but a man named Edward Reynolds, who was in liquor, stumbled in and rolled over towards the lorry, the hind wheel of which passed over his head, and he died instantly. Reynolds, who was a native of England, 1-1 years of age, was known by the police for offences up north. He was discharged from Nelson Gaol in 1897, but since coming south about 18 months' back, is believed to have lived honestly. He rigged up a nondescript abode between the estuary and the gasworks, and collected rags and bottles. He kept steady for a time and made a bit of money, but latterly had given way to drink. He is said to have a brother in Christchurch, a hawker. The man seemed to be greatly excited by the procession, and made several at tempts to get up on the lorries before the fatality. On Friday night two young ladies met with a nasty experience on the Roslyn tram line. It seems they got out of the car at Roslyn about 11 o'clock, and in Ihe darkness walked into the pit next to the tranibhed, which had been left open. Both ladies were severely shaken by the fall, and one of them had her forehead so badly cut as to make it necessary for her to receive surgical attention.

A butcher's cart bolted up Princes street shortly after 2 o'clock oh Saturday afternoon, and when near Moray place slewed round Montague's corner and narrowly escaped knocking over several people. Caron's express horse also took fright at the sight of the other bolt, and was travelling fast when Mr T. Scurr very pluckily jumped forward, caught hold of the horse's head, and although dragged for some considerable distance, eventually stopped the animal's progress. The man ran a great risk, and was apr(lauded for flis pluck.

The police have received word of the death at Blenheim of G. Harris, 66 years of age, a clerk in the Crown solicitor's office,, from tbs

effects of poison called "death to birds," which he mistook for quinine and iron. An inquest on M'Quarie, drowned in the Grey Eiver, was held on Monday, when a verdict was returned of accidental death, owing to the wharf being insufficiently lighted, and also unprotected. Mathieson was commended for trying to save his mate's life. Twentythiee lamps are on the wharf, but ony 11 were alight when the accident occurred. The Harbourmaster considered the lighting as good as is found anywhere. Inquiry at the hospital at a late hour on Monday elicited the fact that Allan Fraser, who lost both hie-right leg and arm as the result of being run aver by a trarncav on Saturday evening at the junction of Albany and Great King streets, is miking good progress. Ha sleeps well, and has almost recovered from the effects of the shock. The Grey River Argus states that on Monday night, 14th inst., the body of an infant was found on Charleston Beach tied up in a flour bag. It is considered a case of murder.