CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3757, 16 March 1926, Page 37

CASUALTIES.

AUCKLAND, March 13 A half-ton motor truck crashed into a train at the Totara avenue crossing near the New Lynn station at about 10.45 a.m. on Saturday. A passenger in the truck named Noel Cutler, of Golf Road, New Lynn, received a severe cut on the head and injuries to his left leg. J. N. Graves, the owner and driver of the truck, escaped with nothing worse than a few scratches. The truck itself was carried a couple of chains by the train, and was deposited in a shattered condition almost in the station. Mrs Elsie Lerov. who resided at Remitera, was struck by a taxi cab last night while stepping off the footpath, and suffered a fracture of the left leg, fracture of the jaw, and scalp wounds, died in hospital this morning. James Cole Davidson, a member of the visiting team of Taranaki bowlers, died suddenly last night. He collapsed after returning from the theatre, death being due to heart failure. OPOTIKI, March 12. The six-}ear-oid daughter of Mr Anderson, postmrster at Oponae, 23 miles inland from Opotiki, •vas drowned in the Waoeka River yesterday. DANNEVIRKE, March 9. At the inquest concerning the death of George Henry Lawry, a labourer, who was killed on February 6, as the result of a motor car belonging to Archibald Ernest Joseph Johnson, taxi proprietor, colliding with an electric light pole, the car being driven at the time of the fatality by George Paris, newspaper runner—the coroner returned an open verdict, adding that there was some degree of recklessness and negligence in the manner in which the car was driven, and this directly contributed to the collision ; but to what extent such recklessness or negligence was responsible in causing the death of Lawry was a question for another tribunal. March 13. Percy Allen Howe, aged one year and eight months, died last evening from scalds through a kettle of boiling water having been accidentally emptied over him as his mother was removing the vessel from the stove. NAPIER. March 13. The body of Francis Kidley Charles, a carrier at Napier, and a widower with a family, was found floating in the Tutanekuri River this afternoon, nis throat was badly gashed. Deceased's wife died just recently. The prompt action of a Chinaman in putting off in a boat resulted last evening in a man, who dived off Westshore bridge to recover his hat, being saved from drowning. HAWERA, March 10. Harry Hamilton, aged 42 years, was found dead on his farm at Manutahi yesterday. He went out early in the morning to bring In the b Qrrvu A search sub-

sequently disclosed his body lying on a rille close to the house. The rifle had been discharged, the shot entering deceased’s heart. The Hamilton brothers had lately been troubled with sheep worrying, and the deceased was in the habit of carrying a rifle hoping to shoot the inarau ling dogs. Apparently he slipped and fell on the weapon, which exploded. HAWERA, March 11. At an inquest touching the death of Harold Hamilton, who was found shot on his farm at Manutahi on Tuesday last, a verdict of accidental death was returned. STRATFORD. March 13. Some time last evening a railway ganger named John O’Callaghan was killed at the crossing between Stratford and Midhirst. The body was found this morning in a pool of blood alongside the line. Deceased apparently wa3 riding on a jigger, and was struck by the north bound mail train, which was running late. Heavy rain was falling, and the driver knew nothing of the accident. O’Callaghan was & widower. He has brothers in Southland, and a son, who was last heard of at Riverton. WELLINGTON, •March 10. The inquest concerning the death of Alfred Haynes Sargent, aged 70 years, who died on Saturday as the result of falling from a tramcar, was concluded, the verdict being that death was due to injuries received through falling from a tram. The evidence showed some difference of opinion as to how deceased fell from the right side of the train despite the presence of a bar which was in position. The point was not referred to in the verdict. GREYMOUTH, March 12. A* the inquest on the body of Edward Scott, who was found hanging in a hut at Rewanui, a verdict of suicide by hanging was returned. The evidence showed that Scott, commenting on the suicide of another miner, said “It was the easiest way out.” CHRISTCHURCH, March 10. Believed to have been seized by a heart attack while engaged in burning gorse yesterday morning. John Vine Chatterton, aged 79 years, residing at Sandy Knolls road, Templeton, was found (lead near his home. His body had been badly burned by the fire. March 13. Jessie Wilson, a single woman, about 24 years of age, met her death last evening under unusual circumstances. She was visiting a friend named Ernest Abraham Hall Archer, a married man, at his workshop, when she suddenly became ill. Archer administered restoratives, but she died. An inquest has been ordered. F. a jockey, while riding the hurdler Naughty Peter this morning, received internal injuries through the horse falling on him. He died in hospital. DROWNING ACCIDENT AT KAITANGATA. A young lad named John Griffen Clark, aged 13 years and 11 months, a son of William F, Clark, was drowned on Saturday morning while bathing with a lad named Ross in the dam behind the Kaitangata mines. He had gone beyond his depth, and the lad Ross ran unnecessarily far for assistance to the surfacemen on the railway where his brother was working. The surfacemen made all haste to the scene, and Mr Bisset made several attempts to get Clark by diving, and was successful in locating him in a hole in 7ft of water. Artifical respiration was carried on until Dr Spencer-Daniell arrived, and he continued it for some time, but without avail.