CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3756, 9 March 1926, Page 37

CASUALTIES.

AUCKLAND, March 2. At the inquest on Raymond Lev/ins, a surveyor, aged 25 years, of Takapuna, who was reported missing on January 29, and whose body was found on a vacant section at Takapuna on Monday last, the coroner (Mr M’Kean, S.M.), said he had no doubt tkat deceased lost his memory. He was satisfied that he was suffering from some and, losing his memory, wandered away. He found that death was due to exposure and starvation. March 4.

Marie Blackburn, aged 18 years, sustained scalp wouuds and bruises at Frankton. While she was crossing the station yard with a companion she walked in front of an engine running into the engine shed. Her companion was uninjured. HAMILTON. March 1. A car driven by W. Ellington, a contractor, was struck by a special race train at the military camp level crossing at Hopuhopu this morning. The car was smashed beyond repair and was thrown over a fence. Fortunately the only injuries Ellington received were cuts about the head, abrasions, and shock. THAMES, March 2. A bushman from Hikutaia named John Rl'Kenzie had a somewhat lucky escape from serious injury yesterday. Whilst standing on the platform of the '’hames-Auckland express he neglected to keep the iron carriage gates closed, and was jolted oft the train as it passed over a creek bridge near Thames. When rescued by the zuard and some passengers he was found to have injured his back and broken several ibs. GISBORNE, March 6. The injuries sustained by Moko Nepe, a Maori, who was crushed by a motor car at Ruatoria on Sunday last, have resulted fatally. Nepe was cranking up while the gears of the car were engaged, and it ran forward, pushing him over a bank and landing on top of him. NAPIER, March 6. An unknown man, aged about 40, was run over and killed at Whalcatu by the 7 o’clock train from Hastings to Napier last evening. CHRISTCHURCH, March 6. Archibald Nimmo Watson, aged 49, married, and formerly in business at Sumner, died in the Lewisham Hospital yesterday morning. He had been in hospital as a patient, and the night nurse found him with his throat cut and incisions in his arms and legs. By his side was a safety razor blade and a note stating, ‘Gone off mind. Gone mad. Forgive.’’ An inquest was opened and adjourned after evidence of identification had been taken. TIMARU. March L. A young r-nan, Malcolm Bill, of Winchester, died early this morning as the result of injuries received in a collision m me motor car driven by a man named iteilly, of Orari. on the main WinchVter road, at about 10.30 last night. The accident iz rendered the more •:i stress!ng. bv reason of the fact that deceased was t*vj son-in-law of the driver of the ear. A CHILD DROWNED. The Roxburgh police an vise that Herbert. James Clark, aged 17 months, was drownc-l in the Molyneux River. A SUDDEN CALL. Mr Donald William Jack, of the Whangarei firm, D. W. Jack and Co., drapers, and a member of the .Vhaneirei Rotary Club, dropped dead at the Exhibition on Tuesday evening. Mr Jack was visiting Dunedin for the purpose of attending the Rotary Club’s Conference, which will »e opened here this evening. A TRAGIC DEATH. At about noon on Sunday the police received word that a married man named James Ferguson, a sawyer, residing at No. 6 Normanby street. Musselburgh, had been found by his daughters in his room with a bullet wound in his head and a discharged pea-rifle lying at his feet. The man was attended by Dr Allan, who immediately ordered his removal to the hospital, where it was found that he was too seriously injured to survive. Death occurred at about 7 o’clock in the evening. The deceased had been very depressed for some time, and had been receiving medical treatment. FALL FROM MOTOR. A boy named Lindsay Olsen, aged 13 veers, residing at 35 Harrington street. Port Chalmers, was admitted to hospital on Saturday, suffering from a compound fracture of the left leg, received through falling from the back of a motor truck on which he was riding from Port Chalmers to Sawyer's Bay. He jumped off before the truck stopped.

FOUND DROWNED. An inquest into the circumstances of the death of William Edward Titchener was held in the morgue on Saturday evening. Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., was coroner. Sergeant Murray appearing for the police.

. The body of deceased was found floating in the harbour by Constable Moiklejohn on Saturday. Evidence was given by deceased’s son, Francis Titchener, a clerk living at 8 Railway street, Caversham. who identified the body as that of his father. 41 years of BnM and a commercial traveller by occuSn. He last saw deceased alive at p.m. on February 26 at his home.

He came into the bedroom and said goodbye. On previous occasions he had gonp out late, and he was not alarmed this time, and even next morning was not alarmed. On the Tuesday he reported the matter to the police. He was always in good health as far as his son knew. He did not know of any domestic troubles or financial worries. Since he v as missed he had had heart attacks.

Constable Meiklejohn, Anderson’s Bay, said that on February 27 he removed a hat and coat from tne Anderson’s Bay bridge, which was afterwards identified as the property of deceased. On Saturday at 1.30 p.m. he heard that a body was floating in the harbour. He recovered the body and removed it to the morgue. Deceased was fully dressed and apparently was in the water some days. There were no letters or papers on the body.. The verdict returned was that deceased was found drowned on March 6 in Dunedin Harbour, being di owned on February 27. There was no evidence as to how he got into the water.