CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2780, 26 June 1907, Page 33

CASUALTIES.

Shortly before ' 2 o’clock on the 18th a labourer named John Reekie was buried by a fall of earth in the Dowling street cutting. Reekie, with a fellow workman, was working at the foot of the embankment which is being cut down from the soufn side of tho street, and some earth, estimated at about five tons, became detached from the face of th© hill, about 15ft above, and, falling down a slope, knocked Reekie down and buried him, leaving only his head and part of his shoulders visible. The slip came away from a sun-crack on the face of the hill, and it is conjectured that the recent rain, getting behind the orack, loosened the earth, causing it to fall. A very large stone came away with the fall, but this, fortunately, did not strike Reekie, who was speedily rescued from his position and taken into Speight and Co.’s stables, where Dr Blomfield, who was promptly on th© scene, examined him. The principal injuries sustained were a severe crushing and some bruises and injuries to th© body and head and face, but no bones were broken. The man who was working beside Reeki© at the time of the accident called to him that a slip was coming down, and succeeded in getting out of the way himself, but Reekie was not so fortunate. After being examined by the doctor, Reekie, who is 28 years of age, was able to walk to a tram, and proceeded to his home at Anderson's Bay.

An old-age pensioner named William Tweedie, a late inmate of the Benevolent Institution, was found dead in his hut in Stokes’s right-of-way, off Walker street, on Saturday, 22nd inst. Constable Edwards who was informed of the occurrence about 3.30 p.tn., found the body of deceased covered up with blankets in bed. An external examination of the body indicated that he had been dead for some time. A man named C. M'Laren, who lives near, states that as he had observed no smoke issuing from the chimney in the hous© he knocked at the door, and, getting no answer, looked through a back window, and saw deceased apparently dead in bed, and he immediately informed the police. Tweedie was last seen alive at 11 a.in. on. Friday, when a neighbour named F. Phillips knocked at his hut door. Deceased then stated that he did not intend to rise, as he had spent a bad night. On Thursday Tweedie complained to two persons of severe pains in his chest. Deceased had been living in the hut for about a fortnight, and was previously an inmate of the Benevolent Institution. As Tweedie was under medical care at the institution, it has not yet been decided whether an inquest will be necessary.

A Kaitangata correspondent informs th-© Clutha Leader that Mr Thomas Crowe, whose spine was injured as the result of an accident in the Kaitangata mine about two years ago, died on the 20th at the age of 38 years. He is survived by a widow and one child.

An inquest was held on the 18th regarding th© death of the prisoner Charles Hamilton Moir, who was drowned in the Abaters River on Saturday. Evidence showed that four prisoners were amusing themselves with a floating log in the stream, and deceased held the tether. Tho log lurched, pulling him into tho water. Other prisoners tried to rescue him, but failed. Moir was taken out 10 minutes later, but life was extinct. Medical evidence showed that deceased had a weak heart, and a verdict of accidental drowning, with no blame attachable to anyone, was returned. The jury commended deceased’s comrades for their . attempts to rescue. Whilst the barque River Boyne was being towed to sea from Greymouth on the 18th, and when about two miles from the bar, a seaman named Owen Griffen, a native of Wales, was lost overboard. A buoy was promptly thrown to him, but it was some time before the tug could be stopued. The tug went back over the course the barque had travelled, but though the buoy was found, the search for Griffen’s body was unsuccessful.

At the inquest at Auckland, on Harry Elder, house painter, who was killed by an electric tramcar a few days ago, the jury found a verdict of accidental death, attaching no blame, but recommending that each car should carry two jacks, and that motor-: men and conductors be instructed in their use for lifting cars. In the present case there was considerable delay in getting Elder’s body from beneath the car. A body found in Wellington Harbour on the 18th has been identified as that of

David Sutherland, a deaf and dumb man', aged 50 years, who had been missing for a month. At the inquest a verdict of found drowned was returned.

The body found in Auckland Harbour of 23rd May proves to be that of John Hodgson, who was last seen just previous to that date, when he said that he was going to visit a friend at Onehunga. Mr W. Matravers, clerk of court at Feilding, comm ited suicide on the 21st by shooting himself through the head with a revolver. No cause is at present assigned for the deed. Deceased had been in tha Government service since 1877, and beford that took part in the Maori war. He was 61 years old. William Buckley, a miner, supposed td be a Tasmanian, cut his throat at tho Globe mine, Reefton, on the 20th. He wa( of a morbid temperament. No other reason' is known. '

Hugh Trumble, late cook of th© barquentine Frank Guy, is reported as missing, and it is feared he has been drowned.

Some Hawke’s Bay . football players sustained injuries while playing in the matcH Ahuriri against Pakipaki. H. Smith, one o( the Ahuriri players, had his collarbone broken, and D. M’Arthy, another member! of the Ahuriri team, sustained internal injuries, but whether of a serious character, or not cannot at present bo ascertained.

Geo. Gavyn Phillips was bushfelling at; Mangapouiki when a tree split upward and kicked him in the small of the back, inflicting a wound 6in long and 3in deep. It took 16 men 22 hours to. carry him 12 miles, owing to the rough country. The man died in the Wairoa Hospital on th© 24th.

Hugh Welch, a well-known farmer, aged 35, once a prominent athlete, was drowned’ in the Ruamahanga on tho 23rd. He was missing at breakfast time, and upon a search being instituted his body was found in the river 200 yards away. At th© inquest the jury returned a verdict of found drowned.

A double drowning fatality was averted at Wanganui on the 24th. A nine-year-old boy. fell into the river, and Mr E. O’Neill went to? the rescue. He could not swim, and though! he grasped the were in danger o£ drowning when a man named John Braid dived into the water and ref-cued them.

William Martini, aged 34, committed * suicide at Goldsborough on the 23rd inst. by shooting himself in the head.