CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2975, 22 March 1911, Page 34

CASUALTIES.

Horace Arthur Mannering, aged six, was injured by an explosion in Palmerston North on the 14th. The tips of three of his fingers were blown off, and he was also wounded in the thigh. It is supposed that the accident was caused by a dynamite cartridge. His sister, aged seven, was with him at the time, and she said he was hitting a nail against a piece of tin with a stone. At the inquest held on the body of a man named Thos. M'Gxath, found in the Eak River, near Napier, on the 13th, the evidence showed that the deceased was without money, and had been sent to work by the district engineer. Deceased wee 60 years of age, and was a hard-forking man. The river was not iordable on the morning in question, and it is thought that M'Grath was accidentally drowned whilst attempting to cross it. The coroner returned a verdict to that effect. Further particulars of the accident to the Tolaga Bay coach show that the passengers had a narrow escape. Mir W. Toomath, who was proceeding to Port Awanui as relieving teacher, got caught in the wheel, but was freed by a big wave. He was severely shaken, but was able to continue his journey on the 14th. A boy, aged 14, son of a native, Chas. Smith, of near Nuhaka, was killed by a fall from a horse last night. The boy and his sister, who were both on the horse, were thrown,, but the girl was not seriously injured. Two youngsters about seven or eight years of age, were bathing in the open beach near New Plymouth on the 16th instant, when one of them got into difficulties beyond his depth. Miss Richmond, who was bathing near by, gallantly responded to his cries for help, and held him up till two brothers named Charters rushed In and relieved her of her charge, when she promptly fainted in the water and had to be carried ashore. The boy was revived in about a quarter of an hour, and neither is' at all the worse for the experience.

lAageson, a fireman on the Clan Menzies, was joking with his mates on the wharf at Picton on the 15th. He dived into the water from the steps and struck his head on the bottom, dislocating his neck. He died in the hospital a few hours later. Word was received at Carterton of the violent death of Hugh Mitchell. Mr F. J. Reid, late of Martinborough, was driving a load of furniture to his property at Landsend, and Mitchell rode with him. While they were ascending a email hill near the Gladstone School the harness broke, and the jerk caused Mitchell to fall, the wheels passing over his chest aad ribs, which were crashed, and his lungs pierced. The ambulance and a doctor were summoned from Masterton, and the Carterton police were conwnunicated with, but before medical aid arrived Mitchell had passed away. He was aged between 45 and 50, had been a. great footballer and athlete, and was very popular. A miner named William Young was killed in the Wesport Coal Company's Mangatdna Mine on the 17th. He was having crib, when a lump of coal became detached from the roof • and fell on him, killing him instantaneously. At the Paeroa races on Saturday Reid, the rider of Dudeen in the. Maiden Hurdles, was seriously injured through that horse falling. Mr Michael Williams (president of the Westport Jockey Club) attended the races on Friday, and next morning was picked up on the side of the line between the racecourse and the town, with a gash on the back of his head and a scar on his forehead. He died in the hospital on Saturday. At the inquest the evidence showed that he was walking along tKha railway line on his way hoimei. He apparently fell some 10ft or 15 ft from a culvert bridge, sustaining injuries to his head. He was seen on the line at_ 5.15 p.m. en Friday, was found unconscious at 9 a.m. on Saturday, and died at noon. The verdict was that deceased was killed accidentally by a fall.George Dunn, a lad 12 years of ace was - admitted te the Hospital on Sunday suffering from a fractured skull. It appears that he was riding a bicycle near the Gardens and in trying to pass a trap ran into the kerbing and fell under the horse's feet, receiving a kick on the head. He was operated on at the Hospital, and is now making favourable progress. George Swanson, a cowboy, 18 years of age, met with an accident while rounding up some cattle at Otokia on Saturday. The ground was slippery from a shower which had just fallen, and the horse he w>as riding fell on him and fractured his left ankle. 'Swanson was, driven in to town, and brought to the Hospital at 6 o'clock on Sunday morning. Richard Ralph, mana.ger of the Northern Timber Company, was killed at Taupiri. It is presumed that he was kicked by the horse he was driving when alighting from the trap in front of his own residence. Hetty Stevens, a single woman, aged 25 years, the daughter of a resident of Eltham, committed suicide on the 20th by drinking a poisonous weed exterminator. She has been in a depressed state of mind for some weeks. Mrs R. Fitzgerald had her broken through a accident near Gisbovne on the 18th inst, and two young ladies from Wairarapa received minor injuries. Mr Fitzgerald had a nastv fall when ridinsr for assistance through his horse colliding with a calf. Michael Fitzgerald, a seaman on the schooner Eunice, was drowned in Lvttelton Harbour on the 19th. He and his mate went ,for a swim. Fitzgerald entering the water first. When the mate was ready to go in he discovered Fitzgerald floating with his head under water. A doctor who wa«. summoned exnressed the opinion that death was primarily due to heart failure. Fitzgerald '"'as a native of Cork, and was 32 years of age.

PIKES.

AUCKLAND, March 11. At 11 o'clock last night fire gutted the premises in Quay street occupied by J. Tipper (City Motor Garage), and Mr Low Walsh (engineer). The building was owned by Messrs Lichstenstein and Armoklson, and was insured in the South British for £3OOO. The stock in both places was damaged by firo juid water. The insurances on Tipper's stock amounted to £1025 in the Royal office. He estimates his loss over that amount. AUCKLAND, March 8. ' The two-storey residence of Mr Edmund Mahoney, solicitor, at Remuera, was destroyed by fire at. midnight last night, in the absence of the family and servants. The whole of the furniture was destroyed. The building was owned by Mr Hale, of Wellington. The police had been informed that the dwelling would be unoccupied for some time, and a constable was proceeding to the house to see if everything was safe when he saw the building ablaze. The origin oi the fire is a mystery. The house was insured for £SOO in the London, Liverpool, and Globe office. THAMES, March 17. Early this morning the Shorthand Hotel, an old building, owned by Campbell, Ehrenfried, and Co., was found to be on fire. When the brigade arrived the whole of the top storey was afire, but splendid work by the brigade saved the lower half, where little damage was done. Insurances: On the building, £6OO in the Phoenix; on the furniture, £300; on the stock, £100 ; and on personal effects, £SO in the Imperial. The present licensee is John Yankovitch. HAMILTON, March 8. A disastrous fire broke out shortly after 6 o'clock this evening, totally destroying Messrs King and Co.'s huge mart, with its contents, and gutting the Waikato Hospital, next door. The fire originated in a small office in a block occupied by Mr D. Luxford, manager of a blind and tea agency, and spread rapidly. Most of the firemen were away at Hokitika, and the brigade consisted of civilians, who, without a recognised head, did little. In addition, the water pressure was poor. Luckily there .was no wind, or the whole block would have gone. Messrs King and Co.'s buildings were owned by Mr Ralph Holland, of Ashburton, and it is believed that all were covered by insurances, but the amounts are unavailable. PALMERSTON N., March 15. About 4 p.m. to-day while Mr John Stevens, ex-M.P. for Rangitikei, was enjoying a cigar upon the verandah of his residence, Somerset House at Bulls, his daughters, Mies Ethel and Nurse Hilda Stevens (who recently arrived from England) were within, Mr Stevens noticed a smell of burning, and it was discovered that one of the upstairs rooms .was on fire. All that could be saved was a piano and couch from the drawing room, which opened on to the verandah, and some books and papers. It is feared that Mr Stevens's valuable collection of old documents and papers relating to Native and district history have been wholly destroyed. All his personal effects were destroyed. The„ building was a fine one, and was originally erected 40 years ago by M,r John Heaton. For years it was the finest residence in the district. Mr Stevens acquired the property some 30 years ago, and recently added to it. The insurance is £6OO on the building and &600 on the furniture. GREYMOUTH, March 9. Mr M. Hannin's (Crown Solicitor) house of 12 rooms and all its contents were completely destroyed by fire at midnight last night, the occupants only escaping in night attire. The cause of the fire is unknown. The property was insured, but th© amount is unavailable. GORE, March 8. A five-roomed house, occupied by Mr A. R. Ferguson, and owned by Mrs Woodward (of Sydney), was destroyed by fire early this morning. Mr Ferguson had a policy of £55 in the Northern office on his furniture, but is a heavy loser. Mrs Woodward's insurance is not ascertainable. HUNTLY, March 7. The Volunteer Hall and Daley's saddlery shop were totally destroyed by fire at 2 o'clock this morning, while the Post Office was damaged to the extent of £3OO. The fire originated in Daley's ehorj. The Volunteer Hall and Daley's shop were both owned by. Mr Ralph, and were uninsured. Daley's stock was insured for £SO, and the postmaster's furniture was also insured for £2OO in the New Zealand office. The .cause of the fire is unknown.

A fire brSke out in the large byre and stables belonging to Mr David Roy, of Maori Hill, on Friday shortly before 5 o'clock, the buildings being completely destroyed, while among the many articles burnt was a reaper and binder. Mr Roy states that he was in the stable about 1 o'clock, and left everything in order, and he cannot in any way account for the origin of the fire. Fortunately, none of the cattle were in the stables when the fire broke out. Four stacks of oats were standing at a distance of but 9 or 10 yards from the fire, but those were saved through the efforts of he Maori Hill Fire Brigade, and Consable Daubney was early on the scene and also lent valuable assistance in confining the flames to the building. The amount of the insurance or in which office the buildings were insured was not ascertainable last evening. - Mrs Culling's large residence at Plillgrove had a narrow escape from total destruction by fire on Wednesday afternoon. The fire was discovered by Mr Joseph Culling, and the flames had a good hold before water was available. By the strenuous efforts of Mr Culling and several members of the household the fire was eventually got under, but not before three rooms had been seriously damaged and the furniture destroyed. A child, four years of age, playing with matches in one of tho upstairs rooms, was responsible for the outbreak. The building and furniture were insured, but (says the Palmerston Times) details are not available.