CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 47

CASUALTIES.

A drowning accident occurred at Now Plymouth on tho 26th ult. Mr Thomas Salter, who was bathing with a companion, was carried out to sea by a strong underflow. The body was recovered this morning. The deceased, who was married, was 46 years of age, and was a respected resident of New Plymouth. The four-year-old son of the Rev. Laurence Thompson, of Solway College, was drowned in the swimming bath at the college grounds on the 26th. The' child was missed by his mother, who made a search, and found the body in the bath.

Harry Ryder, three years of ago, living with his parents at Otokia, was admitted to the hospital at 3 a.m. on Thursday, 28th ult. suffering from a severe fracture of the skull. It appears that the child by some means fell oil' a shed 10ft high on to his head. He was operated on yesterday, and is getting on as well as can bo expected considering the serious nature of his injuries. When fishing in a boat at tho mouth of the Mohaka River on Saturday, 23rd ult., a Native named Hori Tom fell overboard and was washed out to sea. Tho body has not been recovered.

Tho 12-months-old son of Mr and Mrs Borcham, Kaitaratahi, died at the hospital on the 23rd ult. under painful circumstances. Tho infant accidentally poured some cresqlin over himself, and was taken to the hospital in a severely burned condition. Death was due to the effects of the injuries and shock. Sergeant J. 11. Preston, who met with an accident at tho Canterbury Hotel, Methven. on the night of the 22nd. died in the Ashburton Hospital on Thursday morning. Deceased, who was a sergeant-butcher at Tentham, went to Methven to see his son. When all had retired for the night at the hotel, tho licensee was aroused by the sound of a fall, and found Preston lying unconscious at tho bottom of tho hall stairs. He had evidently walked in his sleep or got up to get something in the dark, and had fallen downstairs. Mr Robert Hill Ingle, caretaker of the Whakarewarcwa geysers on the Government reserve, died suddenly from heart trouble on Sunday, 31st ult: aged 61 years. Samuel Douglas, a w'ell known resilient of Ponsonby, committed suicide by shooting himself through the head, lie had suffered from an apoplotio, seizure. The body of a woman named Nora Nixon, aged 22 years, a draper's assistant, was found floating in the breakers at Sumner on the 30th ult. She had apparently been in the water only a few hours. She had been in bad health recently, and had undergone an operation, which had been successfully performed in tho Christchurch Hospital. On being discharged she spent some time in a convalescent home, where lately she had carried out the duties of parlourmaid. She left there on Thursday evening. A letter written while sho was in a despondent mood was found among her effects. At the inquest a verdict of found drowned was returned. The 10-vear-old son of Joseph Host, baker, of New Plymouth, who was visiting an uncle at Oakura, was drowned while bathing on the Ist inst. in the Oakura River. The body has been recovered. While playing m a doll's house on Sunday at Palmcrston North, tho five-year-old daughter of Mr Goring Johnston set fire to her clothes, and was badly burned. She succumbed to the shock. At the inquest a verdict of accidental death was returned. Leslie M'Lcllan, eight months of age, residing with his parents at Kuri Bush, was admitted to the hospital on Monday suffering from a fracture of the left leg. The boy was being taken out for a drive in a gig by his mother, who was accompanied by a man and another woman, and in turning a corner he in some unaccountable manner fell from his mother's arms on to the road.