CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3500, 12 April 1921, Page 21

CASUALTIES.

A drowning fatality occurred in the Kapuni River, Hawera, on April 4. A boy named Edward Lovell, aged 15 years, was trying to. catch a goat when he fell into the river. Another boy who was with him ran for help. A man named Evans was quickly on the spot, and dived and recovered the body First aid was attempted after the body had been 15 minutes in the water, but the boy failed to rally The father, who was in Auckland, lost another son in the same river 18 months ago Richard Bruning (59), an agricultural labourer, committed suicide at Spring Creek, near Blenheim, by hanging himself. He leaves a wife and seven children. Deceased had been drinking. While a young man named Baden Stammers was cutting the limbs off some trees on April 5 he met with an injury through a large limb falling upon him. He was conveyed to the Dunedin Hospital in an unconscious condition, and an examination showed that he had been injured internally. He had been living at Anderson’s Bay, but is believed to belong to Christchurch. At the inquest on Frank M'Atavey, of Otrira; a miner, the verdict was that deceased met his death as the result of iniuries through his wilfully precipitating Limself through a window in the Zetland Hotel. On the 6th Alfred Pelvin, formerly a blacksmith, married (58), with a grown-up family, fell from the top of a ladder and became impaled on a crowbar stuck in the ground. The point entered the abdomen, and he died at the Waimate Hospital next morning. At an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Henry Campbell, miner. who committed suicide with the aid of gelignite at Glenorchy, on April 1, the evidence showed that deceased suffered from delusions prior to his death. A verdict of suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind was returned. An inquest was held at Waikaia on March 31, before Mr Colin Robertson, J.P., acting coroner, concerning the death of Lee Birig. a Chinaman, aged 74 years, who was found dead. The evidence showed that the effects of a paralytic stroke 12 months ago were the cause of death. A verdict was returned accordingly. MOTOR CAR ACCIDENT. CHRISTCHURCH, April 4. The occupants of the motor car which plunged 105 ft down a steep hank on the Akaroa road were; Forbes Blackmore, aged 26, residing at Shrewsbury street, a traveller fer Adams, Ltd., motor car proprietors, who was driving the car; Bertram Edwards, of the New Brighton Hotel, a son of the late Mr M. Edwards, the well-known trotting trainer; Norman Bing, on holiday from Wellington, where he is employed at Banks Commercial College ; Duncan Brown, a Christchurch architect; George Storey ia comedian of the Walter George Sunshine Players, the company now appearing at the Opera House) and Mrs Storey, his wife, who is known on the stage as Dulcie Milner. The car left the road at a fairly safe point, where there was no bend or obstruction, and it is presumed it ran back as the driver was pulling up to look to his lights. The car crashed through the wire fence close to the road and rolled over sideways until it reached the bottom. It was so badly smashed that probably it will have to be dismantled before it can. be hauled back to the road. Viewing the wreckage, it is now seen that the party escaped more serious injuries by a miracle. All the occupants were stunned, and remained unconscious for some time. Storey had a leg fractured, and suffered other severe injuries. Edwards had a collarbone broken, and Blackmore was badly cut on on the thigh. The three others were considerably bruised and shaken. Herbert Douglas Larsen, sawmill hand and returned soldier, the holder of the Military Medal, was killed at Piripiri, near Pohangina, yesterday. A bridge collapsed while a horse and trolly containing a log was being driven by Larsen to the sawmill. Deceased was hurled with the trolly and log 100 ft below to the creek, where his body was found among the debris. The death occurred suddenly at Mount Royal, Palmerston, on Sunday of Gordon Alexander Stevenson, the younger son of Mr and Mrs Isaac Stevenson. It appears that some little time ago, while riding a motor cycle, he fell off and received a cut in the thigh through the breaking of a bottle of motor spirit which was in his pocket. No great alarm was felt at the time of the accident, but the young man, who is 22 years of age. lost a good deal of blood, and this apparently caused his death. MISSING FISHERMEN. INVERCARGILL, April 6 No trace has been found of James Cook and George Heriot, fishermen, of Colac Bay. who have been missing with their launch since last Thursday. A tragedy is feared, as portions of a boat, an engine box, and a benzine case and tin have been washed ashore. Both men had long war service, and were strong swimmers. RIVERTON DROWNING FATALITY. INVERCARGILL, April 8. At an inquest held on the body of Mr James M'Failane, 76 years of age, who was found drowned in the Riverton Estuary, evidence was given that on Monday last ho visited Invercargill, and there deposited about £7CCO_ worth of securities with the Public Trustee and also left a will, besides giving the Trustee power of attorney to collect moneys due to him. lie appeared quite rational, discussed financial arrangements, and made certain bequests. He was last seen the same night proceeding towards his home in South Riverton. There wore no suspicious circumstances. A verdict of “ Found drowned” was returned. Deceased was unmarried AN INFANT’S DEATH. CHRISTCHURCH, April 8. The dead body of a fully-developed male child was found this morning under the bed of a domestic servant named Vera Manson, aged 20, at a house where she was employed- The girl admitted that the child was born on Thursday night, but she did not look to see if it was alive or dead. At the inquest the medical evidence showed that death was due to asphyxia. The inquiry was adjourned to enable the jnother to give evidence.

ACCIDENT AT GORE. An inquest was held before the coroner, Mr A. Martin, at Gore on Wednesday into the circumstances surrounding the death of Robert Maxwell Hewlett, aged 21 years, who died at the Gore Hospital on April 2. The evidence disclosed that on January 31 the deceased was employed with his brother at a gravel pit near the Gore racecourse, and was buried beneath a fall of gravel. He was quickly extricated and was admitted to the Gore Hospital, suffering from a broken leg. At the end of about six weeks he was discharged from the hospital and returned to his home. While there he oomplained of severe pains in the abdomen, and on April 2 took seriously ill, and was again admitted to the hospital, but died a few hours later. Dr Rogers stated that he had made a post mortem examination of the body and discovered that there was a rent in the stomach. He was of the opinion that this had caused death. A verdict was returned that the deceased died from shock following rupture .of the stomach resulting from the accident at the pit, no blame berne attachable to anyone.