CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3265, 11 October 1916, Page 42

CASUALTIES.

Emily Jane Mason, aged 38 years, wife of a wharf labourer, fell when leaving a tram and seriously injured her head. , She died in the Auckland Hospital. A married man named Phillip Arthur Jane, aged 38 years, was found hanging by a rope from his bedstead at Hawcra. Life was extinct. During the passage of the- Waihomo from San Francisco to Wellington, R. 11. Owen, a seaman, 30 years of age, was lost overboard on the Ist, when about 160 miles north of New Zealand:* Deceased had been accustomed to sun bathing in the tropics, and it is assumed he had a touch of sunstroke and fell overboard.

Mr J. M. Wise, a commission agent, who had resided at Goto for several years, was found dead in bod on Friday, 22nd, with a bullet wound in his forehead. A rifle wag found in the bed. An inquest was held on tho 30th before tho district coroner, Mr H. A. Young, (says the Mataura Ensign). Dr Rogers stated that the deceased had not been in good health for years, and a little over three years ago had undergone an operation. Recently deceased had remarked that lie feared a recurrence of a former trouble. Mrs M'lCendry (housekeeper to deceased) gave evidence to the effect that deceased had suffered lately from influenza, and for nearly the whole of tho two days prior to his death had been confined to his bed. Deceased went to his hut at Crctydon Bush on the Monday previous and brought the rifle home. T. J. Holland and W, Henderson gave evidence as to deceased being in ill-health and complaining about it during tho past few weeks. Tho former stated that Wise had remarked to him that the way he was suffering made life not worth living. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased shot himself while in a depressed state of mind through illhealth.

An inquest touching the death of John Robertson Scott was. held at Timaru on the Ist, before tho district coroner (Mr V. G. Day). A verdict was returned to the effect that death was due to cerebral haemorrhage.

An inquest touching the death of James Tobin was held at Winton on the 30th ult., before Acting Coroner Mr P. do la Perelle and a jury of four. Edward Tobin said his brother left on horseback about 9 a.m. on tho 29th ult. to look at some cufctlo on tho Athenseum Reserve. _ As he did not return, witness made inquiries and searched about for him till 2 a.m. on the 30th ult. When deceased left home he was in his usual good health and spirits. Tlis ago was about 50 years. Constable Kerse said Mr Davis informed him about 9.30 on the 30th ult. that he had _ seen tho body of a man in the Oreti. _ Witness discovered the. body of deceased in a ripple of about 12in of water. Above tins ripple there was drop water. Deceased's dog was sitting on the bank opposite the body, and his horse, with saddle and bridle on. was grazing close by. The reins were tied to the stirrup iron, and tied to the saddle was a handkerchief containing a pocket-book. Witness examined! the contents of the pocketbook, and found on a slip of paper the' word.?, " In the river." A verdict was eriven that deceased bad committed suicide while mentally deranged. A somewhat serious accident is reported from tho Mackenzie Country (says the Timaru Herald). Some extensive tree planting was to be don" at Gray's Hill Station, and trees were sent up from Timaru for tho purpose. The trees, and the men who were going up to plant them, were met at the Fairlio Railway Station by a car which

was to convoy them to tliQ scene of tho planting. All went well until near Haldon, Station, when the car, in going down a steep hill, got out of control. The report to hand is not clear as to what happened next, but it Is said that everyone in tho car, anticipating a capsize, jumped out, wi£h the result that all sustained injuries varying from a broken bono in the foot to serious abrasions about tho head and body, and sprained joints.

J. Maggin, married, was killed at Hastings on tho 4th during ahuntinjj operations, Ha fell from tho cowcatcher of the engine, and tho wheels passed over him. An inmato of tho Costley Infirmary named Thomas labourer, aged 36 years, was found dead in his room with his throat cut on tho sth inst. The deceased, who wae a consumptive patient, had no relatives in the dominion.

A distressing fatality occurred at. Wairuna on tho 3rd Inst., aa a result of which a girl named Mary Glover iSewson, aged 12 years, lost her lite. The girl, who was a daughter of Mr J. B. Newson, loft shortly before 6 o'clock to in the cows. She was riding a ht>rse which had tho saddlo fixed over the cover, tfomo time later tho horso came home riderless and without the saddlo. A search was inudo, and the girl's body was found. A doctor from Balclutha found that her neck had been broken. An inquest was held on tho 4th inst., before Mr H. A. Young (coroner), and a verdict in accordance with tho medical testimony was leturned.

A shocking accident occurred in Richmond shortly after 4 pan. on the 4th inst. (says the Christchurch Press), by which Albert Milne M'Kenzie, aged about 20 years, son of Mrs M. M'Kenzie, of 165 Armagh street, met a terrible death. M'Kenzie was employed by Mr A. B. L. Smith, coal merchant, and at 4.15 p.m. was sent to take a horse to a paddock in Richmond. lie left on a bicycle, leading the horse. A few minutes later, Mr James Wilson saw the horse galloping along North Avon road, dragging the youth. It dragged him along Staplcton rond, _ and his head struck a culvert, when turning' the corner. The body was dragged into Hills road, where the horse was stopped by Mr Henry Voyce, of Woolston. Mr Yoyco then saw that the youth had the rope tied round his wrist. M'Kenzio was terribly bruised, and the top of his head had been severely injured by contact with the culvert. He was dead when picked up. Tho family is wellknown in Oamaru. At the inquest verdict of accidental death was returned. The evidence disclosed that he was minus the fingers of_ his right hand, and had tied the rope to his arm. He had been warned by his employer not to tie himself to the horse. William Armstrong, 26 years of ago, employed by Messrs Gordon and Gotch, was found in the Avon at Christchurch en the sth with his throat cut.

Mr R. F. Inder's youngest son, Nevil (about 12 years of age) met with a serious accident on the 3rd (says the Mount Ida Chronicle). Ho was driving homo to Naseby from the farm at Wedderburn in a dogcart, and when turning a corner the cart capsized and threw him out. Pie received a severe blow on the temple which caused concussion of the brain, and on the sth inst. ho was still unconcsious. The boy was only about 100 yards from home when the accident, which fortunately was observed by a neighbour, happened. Mrs Mary Dorah Marshall, aged 50 years, died at Masterton on the 7th inst. after taking poison. A distressing fatality occurred on the 9th inst. four miles from Marton, on the Fukepapa road, the body of Fred M. Hammond, a Rangitikei resident, recently of Wanganui, aged about 30 years, being found dead, with a double-barrelled gun alongside and a motor car drawn up on the side of the road. The top of deceased's head was blown off. He leaves a widow and child. Alexander M'Bcy, a commercial traveller, aged about 40 years, fell suddenly in the Arcade shortly after 9 o'clock on the 9th inst. A .constable saw Mr M'Bcy fall, and Dr Evans was sent for. Dr,, Evans ordered the removal of the stricken man to the Hospital, but he died just before being admitted. Deceased, who was a single man, left the Douglas boarding-house, where ho resided, and had just commenced his round when the illness overtook him. He had not been attended by a doctor, and was apparently in good health. In the afternoon the coroner (Mr Bartholomew-, S.M.) opened an inquiry into the cause of death, and adjourned it to enable a post mortem of the body to be made. A telegram was received by Mr R. T. Bland, of the Exchange Hotel, Nelson, on the 4th inst., stating that Mr Charles Williams, licensee of the Tasman Hotel, Port Nelson, had been found dead in bed at his claim at the Howard golclfield. Mr Williams left Nelson on the 3rd inst. for the Howard, and was then apparently in good health. Ho had been licensee of the Tasman Hotel for some years. William Joseph Grant, until recently traveller for Messrs Barraud and Abraham, Palmerston North, and latterly salesman at their Dannevirke branch, was drowned in the Manawatu River on the Bth when trout fishing. He got into difficulties in a hole, and was helped out unconscious by his companions, and attempts at resuscitation failed. Deceased leaves a wifo. While returning from drill on the 6th inst., Robert Gawn, a son of Mr T. J. Gawn, of North Taleri, met with an accident. The horse ho was riding fell, and as a result tho young man's leg was broken in two places. Ho is now progressing as favourably as can be expected.