CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 29

CASUALTIES.

A wire from Whakatane, Auckland, states that three Natives — a man, a woman, and a boy — were poisoned at Tehoro by eating wild honey. The constable found the man dead, and the woman in delirium from convulsions. Efforts made to revive her were only partially successful. The boy has recovered.

A Maori girl, ICeriwai Wi Hongi, aged five years, was burned to death in a wharo at Awarua, Auckland.

A passenger train from Mangawska, on the Main Trunk line, wa3 derailed a mile beyond Rata, Wellington, by the van going oft, due, it was considered, to the axle-box breaking. The engine, butter van, and two trucks were in front of the br-eaking-away carriage. Four trucks and two double passenger carriages were also derailed, but the guard's van remained on the lino. The rails were badly bent and torn up and sleepers smashed like matchwood for several chains. The- passengeiis, about a dozen in number, were taken on to Marton in a butter waggon.

A man named Lawrence Flynn died rather suddenly at Waimumu on the l6t. He was employed on Messrs Marshall Bros." dredge and was working as usual on his shift, when, complaining of feeling unwell, he> eat down, prid before medical aid arrived buddenly expired.

J. Burtenshaw, assistant pantryman on the Rotoiti, while crossing the Cormthic at Wellington to his own boat, carrying a bag of linen, fell down one of the holds, a distance of about 40ft. He was removed to the hospital, where he died a few hours later.

At the Takaka races M. Byrne, rider of Tynan in the First Class Hack Race, collided with a post, and sustained seyerc bruises about the head. Mr James Reilly, «:ecrc'tary of the Takaka (Nelson) club, while driving home met wjth a severe accident. His horse reared and overturned the sulky, which fell on Mr Reilly, who, it is feared, is injured internally

The two-year-old son of Mr H. A. Papprill, chemist, Sydenbam, fell into a tank on the 2nd inst. and was drowned.

Mr George Waite, of Elgin road, Mornington, who met with a serious accident while out riding on December 30, died on Wednesday morning, without having recovered consciousness. Mr Waite met with his injuries through his etirrup leather breaking while he wa-s cantering round a corner, the unfortunate man being thrown on his head.

As a result of the breaking of a wire rope from the winch on the New Era dredge at Nevis on the Ist, Mr George Blair had his jaw fractured and two ribs broken.

Edward Alfred Clarke, a middle-aged man, was crossing Kaneranga River, near the Thames, on Thursday with a brother. Owing to hea-vy rains the river was flooded, and at the place where Clarke crossed the water was up to the saddle flaps. His brother, who was ahead, looked back and saw the horse and rider struggling in the rushing waters, and then swept away. The horse reached the bank, but the girth broke, and Clarke was swept to the rapids and drowned. Search was at once made for the bod}', but it has not yet been recovered. ■>

A Maori named Ngawai Rakau, aged about 30, was diowned in the sea near the mouth of the Waitara. River, N.1., on Thursday. He was swimming with other Natives, when he suddenly disappeared. It is supposed a shark attacked him.

An inquest was held at Mataura on Tuesday, 2nd, on the body of Lawrence Flynn, a dredge hand, who died suddenly while at work on Monday. One of Flynn's fellowworkers stated that he came to him and said he was choking. A drink of water was given to him, and he was laid cTown, but died a few minutes later. The medical evidence was to the effect that internal hemorrhage and failure of the heart's action were the causes of death, and the jury brought in a verdict accordingly. Two of the hands on Clydevale Station — Messrs D. Copland and L. Perry — met with an accident on Tuesday evening. They were driving two horses in an express, breaking in a young horse, when one of the animals fell and the trap went over an embankment. Copland escaped with a cut on the head, but Perry was injured internally, and now lies at Clydevale in. a somewhat critical condition.

Charles Bazles, a sailor, accidentally fell overboard from the schooner Saxon on the voyage from Whangarei to Auokland. Searoh was made, but proved unsuccessful. It was blowing a gale at the time. The deceased, who was 39 years of age, waa only married a few months ago.

A young man, William James, fell off a load of straw at Marton, Wellington, on Thursday lajjt, qn to. a nitchfjjrk. The prong

penetrated the lowo-r part of the abdomen, and went right through the body. An operation was performed, but the sufferer died on Friday morning. The body of Mrs Flynn, wife of a cooperative labourer on the railway at roa, N.1.. wa.b found in the Hautapu River on Thursday. It is supposed to be a case- of suicide. Deceased left her husband's hut at 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon. Owing to the absence of the police the body was left all night on tho river bank. James Wilson, a surfaceman on the railway at Hyde, was burned to death early on Friday morning through his house catching fire. The house was completely destroyed, and the unfortunate man's body was reduced almost to a cinder when recovered.

An accident happened on board the steamship Rakaia at the George street pier, Port Chalmers, shortly after 9 a.m. on Friday to two men employed in discharging - railway iron from the ship to the railway trucks at the wharf. A sling of railway iron from No. 4- hatch was being lowered over the side, to be placed in the railway truck, when the gear at the outer derrick carried aw.ay, and, the middle gear holding on, caused the railo to swing towards tho vessel, knocking Matthew Mathieson and John Allen, jun., out of the truck. Mathieson received a severe cut on the back of his head, and was severely bruised about hie back. First aid was promptly rendered him by Mr Riley, the chief officer, assisted by Mr Corbett, the chief engineer, who, after bandaging the man's head, advised his return to his home. The young man Allen did not escape so woll. He was not only knocked out of the truck, but fell overboard between tho pier and the ship, receiving a severe blow on his left thigh. He was also attended to and sent home.

A youth named John Harbour, aged about 16r years, and residing in Upper Woodhaugh Valley, had one of his hands caught in some of the machinery at the Woodhaugh Paper Mills, where he is employed, on Friday. Upon his being admitted to theHospital it was found that the ha^icl was somewhat severely crushed, and it will be some, time before he will regain the use of it. Joseph Skerrett, employed on the Matav/a tunnel, Wellington, was holding a handful of dynamite caps, when they exploded, blowing off his left hand and slightly injuring the right hand. Benjamin Stych, a married man, about 40 years of age, residing in M'Donald Crescent, swallowed the contents of a bottle labelled " spirits of *alt " at 6 o'clock on Saturday evenine, and died at the Wellington Hospital at 3 a.m. on Sunday Deceased, who camp to Wellington fioin Eketahuna, wherp he had be&n employed on a fiaxmill, and had been out of work for some time, and it k f uppo=ed thifi weighed on his mind. The body of Michael Gartland, formerly fireman of the steamer Toroa, was found in Lyttelton Harbour between No. 7 wharf and 1 the clock 011 Sunday. It had been two or three days in the water, and showed no marks of violence. Gartland was last seen alive on Thursday n*ght. An accident with fatal results occurred to an old settler of the Kilniog district on Sunday morning. As Mr Hugh Richardson, a farmer, was proceeding to the Omimi Dairy Factory the horse he was driving took fright at something and bolted. The trap came into collision with a post, and Mr Richardson was thrown cmt, receiving severe injuries about the head. He was conveyed to the factory, where everything possible was done for him, and it was intended to bring him to the Dunedin Hospital by the first train this morning. Shortly after 4 o'clock on Sunday, however, Mr Richardson succumbed to his injuries, never having regained consciousness. The deceased, who was an old settler, was 71 years of age, and leaves a grown-up family numbering seven. A boy named Edward Luitren, 13 years of age, who?e parents reside in King street, sustained a fractured leg on board the barque Onyx at the Rattray street wharf about 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. The lad, whose father was working on the barque, went down the hold, and when being hoisted up to the deck lost his grip and fell down the hold again, with the result mentioned above. The sufferer was conveyed to the Hospital, where his injuries were attended to.

A local preacher named Turnbull, who has been in ill-health for some considerable time, was seized by a fit at the corner of George and St. Andrew streets about 9 o'clock on Sunday evening, and was conveyed to his home in a ':ab. It is surmised that the pitch to which he had exerted himself in addressing a gathering had proved too much for his we'ikened constitution.

Mr C. C. Graham held an inquest on Monday afternoon on the body of Hugh Richardson, who met with a fatal accident at Omimi on Sunday last. The jury were: — Messrs H&nry North (foreman), Charles Clark, Wm. Crawford, A.lex. Donald, John Gilchrist, and George Wilson. After hearing the evidence" of Dr King (who attended deceased after the accident), Mr Peter Campbell, and Mr John (Brown (who witnessed the accident, and helped to carry deceased into Mr Campbell's house), the jury unanimously agreed that deceased, Hugh Richardson, was accidentally killed by being thrown from his cart, and that no blame was attached to an^rone.

Captain Bertleson. master of the Gisborne Co.'s ketch Huia, when sitting down on the edge of the Auckland wharf on Saturday, fell over the side. He struck his head on the vessel, and was taken to the hospital unconscious. He never recovered consciousness.

At the instance of the collector of Customs an inquiry was held at Auckland before Mr Brabant, S.M., and Captain Fernandez, nautical assessor, to ascertain the facts in connection with the loss of an A.B. named Charle? Bales from the Saxon. The application was as follows: — "That on February 3, while on the voyage from Whangarei to Auckland, whon about 14 miles out and li from Sail Rock, at about 1.10 p.m., one of the crew, named Charles Bales, an A.8., slipped overboard, and the master and remainder of the cvew failed or were unable to rescue him, and his life was lost." After hearing the evidence of Captain Cox and two sailors, the inquiry was adjourned till Wednesday.

The caretaker of Stratford Mountain House reports that three, youths named J. Spencer, Fred Heape, and Homblow left Mountain House at 6 o'clock on Stinday morning, and did not return. The caretaker- climbed! to the summit on Monday, but failed to find any trace of the missing youths. A (search party left Stratford at 2.30 on Monday, 'hie three missing people belong to Stratford.

What might have been a very e&rious accident occurred a| Seaoliff on Sunday

afternoon last. Mr D. O'Connell, sen., while driving home from church with .his wife and family, drove over a very precipitous bank, smashing the trap to atoms. Tho horse he was driving was a young one, and at the part of 'the road mentioned it took fright aaid plunged over the bank, tho trap and borne rolling over and over several limes to the bottom. How the occupants of the trap escaped is nothing short of marvellous. There were two very young children In tho trap, and they were left on the bank unhurt at the first cap3ize, whilst Mr O'Connell and his wife epcaped with a few scratches.