CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3398, 30 April 1919, Page 18

CASUALTIES.

While cycling in Oxford street, Levin, at 8 p.m. on the 2lst a well-known local master tailor, Mr R. Frechtling, was run down by an unknown motor car. The driver did not stop after the accident, but went down the main road at full speed, dragging the bicycle entangled in the car. Mr Frechtling sustained a bad fracture, and was reraoved to Otaki Hospital, where he died. Ab the inquest the. coroner found that deceased met his death by being run down by a car, the driver of which appeared to be Rohepa Wiremu. The latter was subsequently arrested on a charge of manslaughter, and remanded. Mr Thomas Keighley, aged 45 years, a resident of Christchuroh, who was run over on the 21st by a motor car driven by Mr M. Edwards, licensee of the New Brighton Hotel, died in the hospital on the 22nd. Mr Edwards was driving slowly at the time, and it Is presumed that Mr Keighley suddenly attempted to cross the road in front of the motor.

The body of John Veate, aged 56 years, was found floating in Auckland Harbour on the 24th. Deceased was a widower, residing in Auckland. An inquest was opened and adjourned. A waterside worker named Ward was killed at Wellington on the 24th through being run over by a motor lorry, from which he had jumped the wrong way. Mr Hope Johnston, of Rongotea, was charged by a boar on 23rd when attending to some weaners. He was knocked down and a severe wound was inflicted on his leg. A Maori driving his car at a great speed on one of the hills on the Wanganui road on the 23rd was unable to control it at a corner,, and it went over the side, turning two somersaults and landing on the wheels. The car had evidently skidded, for two or three of the tyres were torn off. It also met with considerable other damage. The Maori escaped injury. A milk vendor named Kearns had a, very narrow escape at Wanganui. When taking a crossing' on the Castlecliff line he failed to hear the whistle of an approaching train, with the result that the engine struck his cart, whioh was badlv knocked about. The horse was killed, but Mr Kearns escaped, being able to jump clear before the collision occurred.

A retired farmer, Nathaniel Dunn, aged 68, residing in Martin road, South Invercargill, died suddenly of heart failure at his residence early on the 22nd inst. Miss Joyce aged 25, died rather suddenly early last week while travelling from Great Barrier to Auckland on the launch Ngariti (reports the New Zealand Herald). Mis 3 Lankshear, a recent arrival from Wellington, had been staying at Great Barrier with some friends, and as her health was somewhat indifferent.it was decided that she should return to Auckland for medical attention. The retur.n voyage was in progress only a few hours when she expired. John Riddell, -while sitting on the rail of the balcony at the Carlton Hotel in Willis street on Saturday overbalanced. He fell to the street, and died shortly afterwards. "The deceased was a married man.

A serious motoring accident occurred at 2 a.m. on the 26th on the Hikutaia road, in the vicinity of the borough of Opotiki. A oar • containing five well-known residents, driven by. C. -Gordon, took the wrong turning, and capsized over the bank. Mr Gordon was rendered unconscious, Mr Tabb had one ear almost torn v off, Mr E. W. Wise had his left arm broken near the Uiculder, Mr P. Bridger had several ribs broken, and Mr C D. Copk sustained minor injuries. The men were taken to the hospital and attended to by Dr Forbes. According to latest advices, Mr Gordon is etill unconscious.

Walter Edes, who was recently injured in a lift accident, died in tho Auckland Hospital on the 28th. A trap containing a man and his wife and child was being driven along a Christchurch street, when the horse slipped and fell, and all the were thrown out. The child was seriously injured through being rolled on, and died shortly after being taken to tho hospital. The mother was cut about the head. The father was uninjured. No names are yet available. While undergoing an operation for the removal of an abscess on the lung, a woman named Annie Tonner, died at the City Hospital at 4.10 p.m. on Saturday. Tho deceased, who was 27 years of age, and lived with her father at Green Island, had been, suffering for some time, and it is beli&ed that her whole system had been poisoned by the discharge from the abscess. The inquest has been adjourned to permit of a post mortem examination. Cecil Edward Gillette, 17 years of age, met his death in the Wairua River on Sunday morning. He was skylarking with three others in a Maori canoe, which car> sized. Gillette, who was unable to swim, was drowned. His companions reached the shore safely. His body has been recovered. Michael MacDonald, an elderly sailor who had just signed off the Koutunui, was drowned in the Iron Pot, at Port Ahuriri, on the 26th. He misjudged tho distance between fi railway truck and the vessel, and feH into the water. He was recovered almost instantly by a stevedore named Fitzffibbon, but was dead when brought on to the wharf.

Eric Shapcotf,. the little son of Mr George Shapcott, of the Harbour Board staff, died in in 3 Wellington Hospital from injuries sustained through being knocked down by a motor car driven by Surgeon-colonel Leahy. An inquest was held on the body of James Turner, who dropped dead at Awatuna. West Coast, on Friday morning. A verdict of death, from natural causes was retuned.

On the 28th a returned soldier named Flynn fell from a moving tramcar in Ohristchurch, and suffered such injuries to his right arm that it had to be amputated. Mary Mitchell, aged eight years, a pupil at the Cashmere Hills School, suffered a severe injury to her head on the 28th owing to the school bell breaking away from its fastenings and falling on her. The exact nature of her injury is unknown, but her condition is serious.

Georgo Dale, aged 64 years, a cacpentor, married, living at Sydenham, hanged himself on Saturday by attaching a piece of thin rope to tho back of a door of his house. Ho had suffered from great depression. Ho loft a letter indicating that ho intended to commit suicide. At the inquest tho coroner found that Dale committed suicide whilo In a state of melancholia consequent on a nervous breakdown. FATAL CRANE ACCIDENT. WELLINGTON, April 27. Whilo three men were hoisting coal at

the Gas Company's works at Miramar on Saturday a crane overturned, and fell on two men, Ferrell and Mann, who were on the crane at the timo. Mann jumped clear, but Ferrell fell with tho crane, and was'*

instantly killed. The crane jib fell on • third man, Churchill, killing him instantly* Mann in jumping from the orane, a drop of 10ft, suffered painful injuries, but they a» not considered dangerous, and the report

from the hospital to-day stated that his Condition showed a slight improvement. April 28.

Mann is a married man with a young family. Ferrell was an elderly man, with 4 grown-up family, and Churchill was a single man. His mother lives in England. At the inquest on the bodies of John Terrell and Joseph Churchill, who were killed at the Miramar gasworks on Saturday, the coroner (Mr F. V. Frazer) found that the evidence 'showed that the portion Of the crano which carried away'had been examined prior to its erection a month ago. and that tha Gas Company's engineer had satisfied himself as to its soundness. His Worship added that that was his formal finding. In view of the possibility of civil proceedings, hejeft his finding just slightly irdefinite. Marin, who was injured in th? accident> is a married man with a young family. Ferrell was an elderly man, with a_ grown-up family, and Churchill was a single man. Kis mother lives in England.