CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 13

CASUALTIES.

Thomas Perry, -wincliman on the steamer Waketere, trading between Auckland and the Thames, was killed on the sth at the Thames wharf. He w»i discharging corgo, and lo*.-t Ills balance, falling between the wire rope and the ban el of the winch, which was running at the time. He died before the hospital was reached. Just after the ketch Tararawa, bound from Auckland to Whangarei, had passed Tiritiri on Thursday the master, John Nelson, by sm° means fell overboard. A boat was lowered, but the effort to save Nelson was unavailing. The Tarai-ftwa returned to harbour, and re ported the accident. A six-year-old child named Isabel Duncan was burned to death at Auckland. Her clothes caught fire while she was stirring some porridge. A man named Con Crowley, while trimming willows at Waipava, N.1., fell into a dam, and was drowned. J. Page, an elderly man, dropped dead at the Kaiwarawara Tannery. He had been suffering from a complication of diseases.

A miner- named Arkle sustained a very severe fracture of the leg on Wednesday through being pinned by a fall of earth in his claim at Lowburn.

Mary Ann Smith, aged 73, was found dead in her hut, Main Gully, Naseby, on Friday. The matter has been reported to the coroner, but the police deem an inquest unnecessary.

Moses Hewitt, 50 years of age, an ex-patient at tlje local hospital, was found drowned in the (fern §& Naseby on Friday, under circums-

tances winch point to suicide. He left a note stating 'that his body would bo found in Ihc dam, and search being made, ii was--dis-covered in the water about 500 yards from the hospital, tied with a rope to a portion oJ the fluming.

i-l mechanic named George Jtiealie, living, in Bradshaw street, South Dmndin, whilst 'engaged in attending to some garfillings iii premises in Stafford street, "was overcome by an escape of gas. He was conveyed, to the Provincial Hotel, and remained unconscious for nearly 10 minute*. He then recovered, and appeared to be none the worse for his misadventure.

A mailman, named Thomas Williams, aged 2a, was drowned on Saturday in a flooded creek at Nuhaka, H. 8., whilst crossing with the mails 1 . Ihp body has not yet been recovered, though his horse was picked up dead 400 yards down the stream. The mails were saved. Williams was about 21 years of age. It is surmised that his horse, beiiK' tired was sw ept off the ford by the flooded creek. Robert Whittem, an elderly man, married and well known in the butchering business was found drowned on the beach at Napier. It is supposed that he went into the surf to wash hi< feet, pnd either took cramp or was surprised by a breaker. At the inquesb on the body an open verdict of found drowned was returned. It was shown to be deceased's practice to bathe his feet in the sea, and he had h:s boots and stockings off and his trousers turned up. Ho is supposed to have had a fit. He was for years manager of Conroy and Co.'s butchery, and was well known in the South Mand.

Another shocking accident occurred afc Stratford, N.1., at 6.30 on Saturday afternoon. Myrtle Riddle, aged 2i> years, daughter of Mr Walter Riddle, was burned to death. She was left in the house with her brother, aged 4-Jr years, while her mother went to call her father to tea. A spark from the kitchen, fire set fire to the child's clothes. The child rushed outside. The father wrapped a 'blanket around her and put out the flames, bub the was so severely burned that she died three hours afterwards. This is the second ease which has occurred under similar circumstances in the locality. • The Taranaki Herald's correspondent states that a serious trap accident oceured near Pungarehu on September 1. Three young' girls, named Gibbons, were driving in a buggy, when the horse shied, two "of them being thown out. The third girl, 6 years of age, was caught between the body cf the trap and the wheel, in which position she was dragged for about a mile, and the wheel had to be taken off before she was extricated. She received terrible injuries to her head and back, and was conveyed to the New Flymotith hospital in a precarious condition. A po infill accident befell Mkj Peter Murray, Waipahi, on Thursday evening. It appears that Mrs Murray was being driven to a concert by one of her younger sons, and when near the end of their journey, the horse stumbled and fell, and Mrs Murray iumped from the gig and sustained a broken leg and partial dislocation of the ankle.