CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3183, 17 March 1915, Page 64

CASUALTIES.

While thrashing was proceeding on Mr W. A. M’Kay’s property at Kaiuku, straw outside of the barn caught fire from an unknown cause. The flames were carried into the barn where the men were at work. Duncan M'Kay, aged 72 years, and another man were on the scaffold stowing hay. The dames enveloped the hay so quickly that MTvay was unable to escape, and was burned to death. The other man escaped with some burns. A lad named Harry Hills, 12 years of ago, whose parents reside in Nelson, was drowned at Motucka on the 9th inst.

Mr Robert Guthrie, jun., of Mount Nessing, met with a painful accident through a herse ho was riding rearing and falling back on him (reports the Timaru Herald). He sustained a fractured pelvis, hurt his spine, and l was otherwise bruised and knocked about. The accident happened on ,a dark night near the Albury coalpits, and the sufferer was lying on the roadside in an unconscious condition until picked up by residents, who took him into their home and very kindly attended to him in the best way possible all that night. Medical aid was obtained from Timaru as soon as possible, the injured man was put under the X-rays, and is now getting on well. Afte*throwing its rider the horse returned home, and the empty saddle caused search to be made for the missing young man. Joseph Kelcher, aged 7 years, was accidentally shot at Hakataramea o nthe 10th inst.

Mr Wra. MTntyro, about 38 years of age, the well-known and popular stock agent for the Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association at Balclutha. met with a serious injury on the Bth inst. whilst engaged untrucking cattle at the' Balclutha railway yards. He was by some means caught between a moving truck and the loading bank, and was badly squeezed about the hips. Ho was by himself at the time, but neighbours heard his cries for help. Dr Stenhouse attended the sufferer, who was badly hurt. Mr MTntyro was brought to the" Dunedin Hospital yesterday morning. On examination at the Hospital it was found that he was suffering from internal injuries, and an operation was performed last evening. At a lato hour we were advised that the patient was doing as well as could be expected. A shooting accident occurred in Hamilton on the sth, by wh’ch Harold Varney, the 17-year-old eon of Mr Joseph Varney, outfitter, was severely wounded (says the correspondent of the Auckland Star). With two companions, young Varney was out shooting, and they crossed the river in an open boat. His two companions alighted first. As Varney stepped on the bank he stooped to lift a shot gun, which was loaded, from the boat. To do this he took hold of the 'weapon at the muzzle, and as he was dragging it forward the trigger caught, and the gun wont off, the full charge entering his side beneath the right arm, inflicting a terrible wound, and slightly perforating the lungs. The tendons and muscles were badly torn, and it is probable that the unfortunate boy will lose the use of his right arm, while there also is great danger of pneumonia setting- in A child named Joseph Fletcher was playing with a gun at Hakataramca on the 10th when it exploded, instantly killing him. He was seven years old.

On Wednesday. 10th inst., a boy named Noal William Mercer, the three-and-a-half year old son of Mrs Katherine Mercer, of Dur-ndm. was taken suddenly ill, and Dr Fitzgerald was called in to attend him. Upon discovering his condition, the doctor ordered his immediate removal to the Hospital. Upon his arrival at the Hospital Dr Allen diagnosed the trouble as appendicitis, and advised that the child be operated upon immediately. An _ antesthetic was administered, but the patient was seized with a vomiting fit and suddenly ceased breathing. Every effort was made to restore animation, but the child died in less than half an hour. An inquest was held on the 11th by Mr O. C. Graham, S.M. ' (district coroner). Dr Roberts, who held a post mortem examination, said that he found two conditions present, either of which could have caused death. The first was status lymphaticus, which could not have been diagnosed during life, and the second was a collapse of the left lung. He was of the opinion that the latter condition was the cause of death, and it could not have "been foreseen or prevented. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to pulmonary collapse, the result of vomiting when under the influence of an anaesthetic, rendered necessary for an urgent and immediate operation. George Hart, a prisoner serving two years’ reformative treatment, cut his throat with a I-nife in the cell at Auckland on the 11th inst.

The in which a railway labourer named Patrick Mattimore, aged 60 years, met his death near the Parnell railway tunnel on the sth inst. were further inquired into on the 12th, when the adjourned inquest was resumed before Mr E. C. Cutton, S M., acting as coroner. The coroner found that the c - 'n=e of death w~s shock from injuries received when struck by a railway engine. The deceased had thoughtlessly walked on to the line when a train was approaching, and no blame was attachable to anyone.

News comes from Parua Bay, 12 miles from Whangarei, of a fatality on the 12th instant. Alfred B. Gann. 28 years, of age of wu-n.rirri. —1 settler, of Kamo, went to Parua Bay on Thursday. Yesterday Thomas Ryan, a .-'HW, ov.-'-o-Ad t-' ''’em '

in an ,auxiliary oil launch. The three started'from the shore in a dinghy against wind and" tide. When four bout lengths

from the launch the dinghy swamped. Chaffey, who is an elderly man, succeeded in swimming to the launch, and with difficulty got aboard. lie threw ropes to Caun and Ryan, but they were weak and unable to secure them, and both men were drowned. A fisherman, hearing cries, took Chatfey off the launch. The todies were recovered. Cain was a traveller who had been in the dom nion for two years. His wife and lour children are in England. Mr F. J. Moore, of Moore avenue, Parmil, mot hins death while bathing at Waiheke on the 13th. A companion went ashore lor some purpose and, looking round, saw Mr Moore's body floating on the water. Apparently the cause of death was heart failure. A drowning fatality occurred on the Kaiti beach, near Gisborne, on' the 13th inst., resulting in the death of James Hann:gan, a married man about 45 years ol age. Hannigan, who was employed by Messrs Langlands and Stannard, contractors for the breakwater extension contract, was in town on Saturday afternoon, in company with Artuar Preston, another employee of the firm. r Pho pair set out for their home on the Kaiti beach in a gig shortly before 7 p.m. on Saturday night. Preston wis dropped at his camp near Pa Hill, and Hannigan drove on alone to his camp. About a mile and a-half farther on on Sunday »ig body was discovered dead cn the beach by two gentlemen out for' a walk, while the horse was discovered ’ • : ;’<? dead across the shafts, on the overturned gig, some three chains farther on. It is presumed that deceased got into <..i.i,c>.n., s at nigh tide, and that both man and horse wore drowned. Deceased leaves a widow,, who resides at Brougham street. Nelson. Advices received at Hawera from Manaia state that Mr Jas. Nicholson, a well-known farmer on the Main South road, was kicked by a horse during xiloughing operations. His ribs were smashed in, and internal injuries received were of such an extent that latest reports indicate that his condition is critical. Information from Hawera states that John James Kavanagh, a married man, 40 years of age, committed suicide at Manaia on the 13th inst. by hanging himself. Edward Hughes, aged 21 years, a farm labourer, who has been missing from Manurewa for some days, was found dying in the scrub. He died two hours after being admitted to the Auckland Hospital. An old man named Munchin Keenan was burned to death in a hut at Cobden, near Greymouth, on the 16th inst. Joseph Watenburg, aged 53, a farmer, of Yaldhurst, was found dead at Riccarton racecourse on the 14th inst. Heart failure is presumed to have been the cause of death.