CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 56

CASUALTIES.

Thomas Pay, an old railway hand, had both his feet cut off and both - his arms mangled by a locomotive at Wellington. He was engaged cleaning the points at the Thorndon station, and to "avoid a cloud cf dust turned his back to it and shut his eyes, not noticing a locomotive coming. The engine knocked him down and ran over him. His condition is critical. Word hae been received that a Winton settler, E. Edwards, and' his son were drowned in the Oreti River. They were rabbiting, and camped on the island. A flood came down during the night and washed the tent away. The bodies have not been recovered. TSdwards leaves a- -large family. Mary Fitzmaurice, a single woman, aged 20, is reported to have died under suspicious circumstances at Riverton. The inquest has been adjourned till the 29th, to allow of apost mortem beiug held. Mr D. Kane, a dredgeman on the Junction Electric, had a narrow escape from a watery death this week. He was taking the boat acro«s for the oncoming shift when the force of the current against the oar threw him overboard. Luckily, he managed to seize a line thrown from tlie shore, and was hauled to land no woi*3e except for a ducking. A cab-driver named Fitzpatrick was admitted to the Hospital at a late hour on Thursday night as the result of a mishap caused by a collision with a tramcar. The man was driving along George street, and at the corner of St. Andrew street he endeavoured to cross in front of the car, but was unable to do so, the wheel of the vehicle coming into contact with the step of the car. Fitzpatrick was dragged from his seat on to the road, but on being removed to the Hospital nothing more serious than bruises could be found wrong with! him. He will probably leave the institution to-day. But for the promptitude of tbe driver of the car in pulling up very quickly, the accident would no dovibt have been more serious. A serious accident occurred at the Thames street railway crossing, Oainaru, on Saturday^.J. S. L. Harvey, a settler at Teaneraki, attempted to cross in front of the Palmercton morning train as it was approaching. He was suddenly apprised of its position by the shout of the by-standers and the crossing keeper. He became excited and lest his presence of mind. Before he decided whether to cross or return the train struck hini and carried Kirn over into the lagoon. After being nearly drowned there, he was rescued and given preliminary surgical aid. His injuries were found to consist of a fractured skull and a bad scalp wound and a fractured thigh. He was removed to the hospital, where his injuries were attended to. He remained unconscious all day, but Dr Garland and the hospital staff have hopes 1 of pulling him through. Another accident was narrowly averted in the afternoon to a watering cart as it crossed the road. But for the smartness of the engine-driver (M'Kee) with the Westinghouse brake there would have been a serious accident to the cart, and possibly to the train. A little boy named Andrew Wigg, who resides with his parents in Maria street, South Dunedin, met with a .nasty accident on Sunday afternoon, necessitating his removal in an unconscious condition to the Hospital. He was riding a horse in Macaiidrew road and fell off, but one of his feet caught in the stirrup, and he was dragged along the road for some distance, receiving severe injuries about the head. Henry Irvine, seven years old, whilstplaying at his home in Dundas street on Saturday afternoon, tripped over a string he had tied across the yard and broke his right thigh. He was taken to the Hospital, where he is making, satisfactory' progrees. The Lake Wakatip Mail states that an. eighteen-month-old child, named Hamilton, was drowned on the 15th in a ditch alongside the Speargrass Flat road and close to its residence. The child (a girl) had been playing on the road, and evidently fell into the ditch, from which it was unable to extricate itself. The mother, on missing her child, went to look for it, and to her anguish found the body in the hole of water. All effort* to restore life proved fruitless. At the inquest a verdict of " Accidental " death through drowning " was brought in. a rider being added to the effect that the County Council be asked to have the danger removed.