CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 37

CASUALTIES.

The police have received information that an Afghan named Sam Kanape died suddenly at Tairna, east of Thames. Elijah Frei (49), a surfaceman, employed on the railway between Eltham and Hawera, was found dead on April 26 at the scene of his work. He had been complaining of pains about the heart. He leaves a wife and family.

Another sightseer at the Napier breakwater lost his life on April 26 in exactly the same manner as did George Duncan the previous day. The victim of the tragedy—a young man named Harry Holland—was walking along- the breakwater with two friends when a wave swept over them and carried .Holland into the harbour. The mishap was witnessed by anumber of people in the vicinity, and efforts to rescue him were soon made. A lifebelt was thrown to him, and just as he- reached out for it a. wave washed him away from it, and he sank. Mr T>. Shanahan dived in, but he was too late to effect a rescue. Meanwhile a boat, maimed by Messrs H. Smith, Wright, and Melvy, was under way, and within a few minutes by means of grappling irons the body was recovered and raised to the wharf, where efforts to restore animation were made without success. Deceased was about 19 years of age, and was until recently employed on the trawler Pania, which is now laid up. The Christchurch Press states that on the 21st April it was reported to Constable Rowe at New Brighton that a lady's hat and a purse had been found on the river bank, between the New Brighton tramway bridge and the bridge near the Bower Hotel. The constable made inquiries, and ascertained that a married woman, about 45 years of age, named Ellen Richardson, a resident of Sydenham, had been missing since Friday. Alter dragging the riveT for some time he recovered the body, and had it conveyed to the morgue. It is stated that Mrs Richardson had not been in her usual health for some time past. Mr William Tindall, a highly respected settler at Spring-lands. Marlborough' died on April 26 in. his 71st year. Mick M'Grath, a railway fireman, aged 22, whose parents reside at Napier. wa>s fatally injured by a train at Pordell on April 28. How the accident happened is not known, but it is surmised that M'Grath slipped during shunting operations, and that a truck ran over him. He was terribly injured, and was brought into the Wanganui Hospital, where he died two hours after admission. The voyage of the steamer Tokomaru was .saddened owing to the death by drowning of Henry J. Plummer, chief steward. On the afternoon of March 24, when the vessel was crossing the Equator, the fourth officer, who was on the bridge, noticed Plummer in the water astern of the vessel. The steamer was promptly swung round, and a boat was sent to his rescue, but when he was picked up it was found that he was dead. No one knows how deceased got into the water, but it is thought that he fell overboard. Plummer, who was a married man. 44 years of age, shipped on the vessel, at London, and was making his first voyage

in the company's boat. After the re* covery of the body the usual efforts tn restore animation were made, but without success, and it was buried at sea the same night. Deceased left his wife; in London, but it is not known whether there is any family. Mr R. Leishman, the guard on the Kaitangata railway line, met with a painful accident at the mine on Thursday, morning (reports the Free Press). Dur-. ing shunting operations Mr Irishman's right foot was caught in a sleeper, and the engine coming along struck his heel and twisted the food round in a most; painful manner. The sufferer was attended to by Dr Fitzgerald, who found that no bones were broken.

The Coroner (Mr H. Y. Widdowsony S.M.) held an inquest at Henley on Friday into the circumstances touching tha death of John Snell, who was found deadj in a shed on a farm on Thursday with" a bullet wound in his head. The evidence! showed that deceased, who was about 43 years of age, lost his wife about three months ago in Southland. He was left with seven children, and the sad' circumstances had evidently lain heavily, upon his mind. He became and worried a, lot about his children.; About a fortnight ago he came from; Southland to work as a general labourer on Mr Reid's farm at Henley. On Thursday morning he was afield early, and did! his work as usual. About 9 a.m. a gun: shot was heard by his sister, who was doing housework at the time, and who; took little notice of the shot. Shortly afterwards she went outside, and found' deceased leaning against a bench, apparently dead. The matter was reported to Constable Southgats, who found thai? there was a bullet wound on the right) temple. A puncture at the back of the' left ear suggested that the bullet had* torn its way through his head. The coroner recorded a verdict that death waa caused by a bullet wound, self-inflicted, whilst deceased was in an unsound state; of mind. Two accidents happened in the Calliope Dock on the 2nd inst. A man namedi James Kane, a fireman on the Iris, slipped and fell to the floor of the dock,, sustaining severe injuries. Frank Watts was shifting a pile, when he fell and' had his leg fractured in twe places. Brennan, who sustained severe injuries by an explosion on a launch at the Thames died in the hospital. He was asleep in the cabin when the acetlene lamp exploded and ignited the benzine tanks. Ha* had sufficient presence of mind to wrap, himself in his blankets, or he would have been horribly burned. As it was, his face, head, and hands were injured. Archibald Cargill, an old man, residing in the Lower Hutt, slipped while alighting from a moving train Saturday night at the Lower Hutt station. Ha fell between the platform and the carriage, the wheel passing over one _ leg. The carriage had to be lifted with jacks before the unfortunate man could be released. He was taken to the hospital, where his leg was amputated below the; knee. On Saturday night a serious accident, befell Mrs Guthrie, of No. 14 Sydney, street, Wellington,- She was passing along Manners street, when a taxi-cab Tan over her. She was conveyed to the hospital, where it is probable she will have to undergo an operation. James Adam Grose died in the Christchurch hospital, as a result of injuries received at Scargill a week ago. The evidence at the inquest shcweYl that he; had. been driving a waggon, and as thai horses were trotting down the hill he felt forward under their feet. A verdict of " Accidental death " was returned at the inquest on the body o§i Edward Roberts Hannan, who was killedJ in a trap accident at Springfield on Saturday. Hannan had tried to turn too j sharply, and the trap had overturned, i pinning him beneath it.