CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 21

CASUALTIES.

Carl Mix, a waterside worker, 38 years, fell under the wheels of a traincar which was passing up Queen street, Auckland, and was killed instantly, the body being terribly mutilated. It is thought deceased was either trying to cross the street in front of a car or to board it while it was in motion. Deoeased was apparently between 30 and 40 years of age. An inquest was continued on the Ist, concerning the human remains found at Camp Bay, which wjtre supposed might be one of the victims of the Omaka schooner, recently lost at Wellington Heads. All efforts at identification failed, including the evidence of Mrs Eliza Thompson (New Plymouth), who, it was thought, may be the mother of the victim. The coroner’s verdict was, “Found drowned,” there being no evidence of the identity of the deceased. A distressing fatality occurred at Wellington, the victim being Mr James Wilson, a cartage contractor, 66 years of age, of Beriiampore. Deceased was driving a loaded dray, when the was thrown to the ground, one wheel J of the dray passing over him, inflicting very severe injuries. He was removed to the hospital, but died about two hours later. Deceased was a well-known and successful contractor. He was a brother of Mr Joseph Wilson, killed in practically the same manner at the_ Corporation’s quarry at Lyall Bay a few weeks ago. A young man named George William Bulford, employed at Tarakohe, was run over by a train during shunting operations at Port Nelson on the Ist inst. He was conveyed to the hospital in a serious condition. George William Bulford, who was run over by a train at Port Nelson, died in the hospital. It appears that the deceased and two companions were reading a paper on the wharf, when a train backed into them. One was thrown clear. Another (G. E. Scott), who had the presence of mind to lie still between the rails while part of the train passed over him. was uninjured. The deceased was thrown across the rails. He was single, and had no relatives in New Zealand. A startling shooting accident occurred at 2 p.m on the 2nd inst. at Nelson, whereby a young man—C. Thomas, an expressman—received a revolver bullet through the chest. It is learnt that Mrs M‘Nabb visited the second-hand dealer’s premises of J. A. Ahlstrom and offered a revolver for sale, which was purchased by Ahlstrom. Ten minutes later Thomas went to Ahlstrom’s to remove some furniture. Ahlstrom, picking up the revolver, asked him if. he wanted to buy it. Almost simultaneously the revolver went off. the bullet lodging in Thomas's chest. Investigation showed that the revolver was fully loaded with four live cartridges still in the chambers. Ahlstrom states that when he purchased the revolver there was no mention that it was loaded; also that his fingers were not on the trigger when it went off. Thomas’s condition is not considered very serious. A fatal accident occurred at the Linton colliery at Wairaki, near Nightcaps, on Monday morning, the victim being Mr Fred. Reid, employed in the mine (reports the Western Star). No one saw the accident, but it appears that deceased was struck on the temple with some force. He and another miner, B. Dahren, had brought out their full • boxes from the mine, and were returning with empties: Above the mouth of the mine blasting operations were in progress at an open face, and it is thought that as deceased was re-entering with his empty boxes he was struck by a piece of hard substance -from above. Dahren had gone into his place before he missed Reid, and did not know how the accident happened. When he came out he found him lying unconscious with a bruise on his temple. The injured man was afterwards taken t-o his home, where he was attended by Dr Stewart, and it was then decided to take him to the hospital, but he died before many mile 3 were covered without regaining consciousness. Deceased leaves a widow and one child. He was very popular among his fellow miners, and was a returned soldier. The late Mr Reid was a son of Mr William Reid, of Maori Hill. Monday, 28th ult., the victim being Mr About 7.30 p.m. on the Ist a woman passing the Otago Daily Times and Witness Company’s office was observed to stagger and fall. She was picked up, and Dr Harrison promptly summoned, but he declared life extinct. The body was identified next day as that of Agnes Caroline Smith, of Wellington. Deceased, who was a single woman, was spending a short holiday with her brother at Maori Hill, and had been in poor health for some time. She had only some four days previously come up from Otautau, where she had been staying with a married sister. An inquest will not be necessary, as a doctor at Otautau has certified as to the cause of death. The Awakino correspondent of the Taranaki Ile'rald telegraphed recently that whilst her father was busy giving Coopers sheep tablets to lambs the five-year-old daughter of Mr C. R. .Jones, Awakino. ate several tablets and died of arsenical poisoning 12 hours later. A single woman named Dorothea Robeck, aged 31 years, was found dead in bed in Wellington. It appears that deceased had been suffering from nervous depression for some time past. A cup containing poison was found on a dressing table near the bed, At the inquest a verdict was returned that death was due to poison self-administered while in a state of mental depression. Mr George M'Donald, engineer to the Gonville Town Board, was found beside hie wrecked car on Wangaehu Hill on the 3rd. He was taken to the Wanganui Hospital, where he died the following day. The inquest on the boy Grayndler, aged 12 years, who died as the result of injuries received through being knocked down by a motor car in Wellington on February 22, was concluded on the 4th. The coroner’s verdict was that death was due to a fractured skull, caused through deceased being knocked down by a motor car driven by Charles William Taylor. The case was described as an unfortunate accident. At Rotorua on the 4th a motor car driven by a Maori named Kira, and carrying nine passengers, left the road near the thirteenmile peg on the R.otoihi road, as a result of the steering gear failing. The car went down the bank and turned over three times. Three occupants were removed to the hospital—the driver with a severe wound on the head, Mrs Norris (Sonlli Africa) with a broken leg, and Miss Norris with supposed internal injuries. The others were severely bruised and shaken.

A collision between a motor cycle and a similar vehicle with a side-car occurred in Hastings street, Napier. Sidney Moore, the rider of the solo oycle, had both bones of his left leg broken and his face and head cut and bruised. Roily Lucas, the rider of the other machine, sustained concussion of the brain. Both are in the Hospital. Mrs Blair and child, in the side-car, were thrown clear, receiving minor injuries.