CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 23

CASUALTIES.

' AUCKLAND, January 25. The man named Lyttelton, who was burned about the feet at Sweetwater last week through falling into a vat of boiling gum, died in the Mangonui Hospital. Noticing the smell of gas shortly before 10 o’clock last night,. Mrs Robert Williams, of Kensington avenue, Mount Eden, entered a room let to Robert Bennett and f6und him lying dead on the floor. He had cut a section out of the lead .pipe at the meter and had twisted the end of the pipe near to his head. The blankets had been taken off the bed and hung over the door to minimise the escape of gas. The deceased was a plumber by trade. At the inquest a verdict of suicide was returned. January 26. A peculiar accident occurred on the Main road between Panmure and Otahuhu. A lady was driving with her two children in a niotor car, when a big omnibus was met. The fear- of a collision caused the "fcidy to swerve her car off the concrete, with the result that it came into collision with a telegraph pole. This was snapped off, and all the lines were brought down, but. although the car was damaged, the occupants escaped without injury. January 27. Mrs Watson, wife of Mr B. Watson (Mount Eden), was admitted to hospital late last night suffering from severe laceration of the right eye as the result of a collision between her husband’s one-ton motor truck and the wooden hand railing spanning portion of the Mount Eden road. The accident, which took place at 10.30 o’clock near the railway bridge, resulted in extensive damage to the motor truck, and a piece of glass from the windscreen struck Mrs Watson, who was sitting beside her husband. Mr Watson received a number of bruises and was badly shaken. The head lamps, a portion of the engine, and the radiator were broken by the impact. The young man who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital in an unconscious condition on Tuesday night has been identified as Sydney Riddell. The hospital authorities reported this afternoon that he was in a semi-conscious condition, and had never fully regained consciousness. He received severe injuries to his head when he fell from the steps of a tramcar in Manukau road. January 28. While riding bicycles this morning two lads, residents of Point Chevalier, collided with motors, one lad being kUJed outright and the other lies in a serious condition in the Auckland Hospital. Sydney James Cole, aged 11 years, a son of Arthur Cole, Point Chevalier, was killed through being knocked down by a motor truck. At the time of the accident the unfortunate lad was riding a bicycle alongside one of Winstone's three ton trucks, which was loaded with metal. Both were proceeding along the main road towards Point Chevalier, and when nearing the shop of Mr Whitten, baker, the driver of the truck, William Bowley, noticed the lad on the bicycle and is said to have called out, “you are keeping too near me.” The driver felt a bump and then saw the lad lying on the road. The father of the lad was nearby at the time and witnessed the accident. It was apparent that the boy had been killed outright. Russell Johnson, aged 16, residing in Huia street. Point Chevalier, was riding his bicycle in Epsom, and when near the corner of Manukau and Onslow roads came into collision with a motor car driven by A. Brittain. The boy was removed to hospital, where it was found he was suffering from a fractured skull. He succumbed to his injuries a few hours after admission An inquest was held this morning before K. Hunt, S.M., in connection with the death of Ivy Joan Smith, aged 10 .years, who died at Auckland Hospital from injuries received through falling over a cliff near Shelly Beach' baths on the morning of January 25. The deaceased’s father said the girl went with a neighbour and the latter’s children to spend the day at Point Erin. In returning a verdict of accidental death, Mr Hunt said that it would be well to draw the attention of the authorities to the desirability of fencing the locality so that such an unfortunate accident would not happen again. The coroner extended his sympathy to the deceased’s father. January 29. M. C. Farrington, a well-known' Auckland motor dealer, died suddenly in the Metropolitan Hotel shortly after midnLrnt last night. Farrington, who had not been well for some days’ past, went to the bathroom before retiring. He filled the path and then the sound of a fall was heard. Farrington was found on the floor suffering from a. seizure. He was taken to his room, but died before the arrival of a doctor. Farrington had boarded at the Metropolitan Hotel for about three years. He leaves a wife and family. Before Mr W. R. M’Lean, S.M. (coroner) this morning it was stated that a doctor bad certified that death was due to heart disease, therefore, no inquest will be necessary. Four motorists had a very narrow escape from death on the Razorback yesta-day. Mr Clement Beaumont, of Hamilton East, was driving a party consisting of his mother and two brothers, Mortimer and Isidore Beaumont, to Manurewa. About half way down the northern slope of the hill the brakes refused to act and the car rushed to the foot and capsized, fortunately throwing the occupants clear. Mrs Beaumont received serious injuries to the shoulder and is now in Burwood hospital. Mr Mortimer Beaumont, aged 21, received a fractured left arm. The driver was badly cut about the right leg, but the fourth occupant escaped with minor bruises. CHRISTCHURCH, January 26. As the result of a collision between two motor cars at Springston to-day. one of the passengers received injuries which necessitated her removal to hospital. Mr S. Whales, of Lyttelton was the driver of one of the cars, and he had with him Mrs Whales, Mr and Mrs W. Toy, of Lyttelton, and two children, and the other car was driven by Mr de la -Cour of Christ church. Mrs Toy had her collarbone fractured; and her back and legs injured, and was admitted to the Christchurch Hospital. Norman Toy, aged four, received injuries to his head. Joseph Robinson, the cyclist who was badly injured in a collision on Mondav evening, has now recovered consciousness.

and is making satisfactory progress. He has undergone a successful operation. CHRISTCHURCH, January 27. Early this morning Robert Fraser, whose home was at 83 Kilmore street, lost his life by drowning at the mouth of the Waimakariri River. Fraser was one of a party of six men who journeyed to the river mouth at 4.30 a.m. to-day for trawling purposes. They crossed the river from the Christchurch side, and after some time proceeded to return, but in the meantime the tide had risen. Fraser, who could not swim, got into difficulties, and called for help. Another member of the party, Harold Jcfcoate, went to his assistance, and put up a desperate fight to rescue the drowning man. After 10 minutes of struggling against the under-tow Jefcoate had to abandon Fraser, who disappeared shortly afterwards. The rest of the party struggled back to the shore. The men apparently walked across the bar, which was covered by the incoming tide. Two of the men held on to Fraser at one stage, but were forced to let him go. Fraser was a married man with two children. His body was recovered near the scene of the tragedy late this afternoon by two boys who were swimming there. A child named Harold Fraser, aged four, died suddenly at the home of his parents in Spreydon to-day. It is believed that haemorrhage caused death. January 28. An inquest into the circumstances of the death of R. H. Fraser was held before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., sitting as coroner. The coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death by drowning and commended the attempts at rescue by his companions, John J. Pickard and Oliver Jefcoate. The inquest concerning the death of Thomas Welsh, aged 40 years, a Halswell farmer, was concluded before the coroner, Mr H. A. Young, S.M., today. Welsh was found dead on the morning of January 14 lying under his car, which had overturned into a deep ditch on lower Lincoln road, Halswell. Dr Cooke, of Lincoln, stated that when he arrived at the scene of the accident it was impossible to get the body out, but he was satisfied that rhe man had been dead some hours From the appearance or the body witness thought that the man's neck must have been broken. There was every indication of the man having been killed the night before? Mounted Constable Griffin stated that on examining the motor car he found that it was in gear. The lights were switched off, but were in a working condition; and the hood, which appeared to be down, was hardy battered. Witness examined the body and found a bad bruise on. the back of deceased’s head, and several bruises about the temples, and nose. The head seemed to fall away from the body when moved. From measurements taken of the marks made by Welsh's car it appeared that he had taken a turn round the corner, and then, when about a chain along the road, he took a sweep to his right again, missing a telegraph pole by about a foot. He had swerved off the metalling on to the grass. He took another turn to the centre of the road and another sweep to his left on to the grass and into the ditch. The car was facing the direction from which deceased had come, and was upside down. Deceased must have been travelling at a good speed. The verdict was that Welsh died at Halswell on January 13 as a result of injuries received through his car overturning. BLENHEIM, January 25. " . A young woman, Leila Galey, aged 21, whose parents reside in Washington Valley, Nelson, arrived on Saturday and com- ‘ menced work as a maid at Wairau Hospital. She disappeared on Sunday night, leaving a note which can be interpreted as an intention to commit suicide. The police search has been ineffective. January 29. A serious accident happened at Carr’s Mill, in the Tinline Valiev, j’esterday. A mill hand named James Horwood was replacing a belt in a large pulley, and was turning the pulley by hand when the engine unaccountably started. The unfortunate man was whirled round the shafting near the roof, and fell to the floor unconscious. Both legs were broken. Horwood is 28 years of age, single, and a native of Australia. • HAMILTON, January 27. A coronial inquiry was held before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at Hamilton this afternoon into the circumstances surrounding the death of Thomas Pulford, a patient of the Tokanui Mental Hospital, who expired on the way to the Waikato Hospital yesterday following an assault with a slasher by another inmate, John Holden. Dr James McPherson, medical superintendent of the Tokanni Hospital, said that Holden when asked why he attacked Pulford, replied “I was worried.” and added, “They were worrying me all the time.” From this Dr M‘Pherson assumed that the man was suffering from hallucinations, and “they” were the imaginary voices of people. _ Holden w suffering from delusivial insanity, accompanied by partial dementia, one of his delusions being that he was being chased by Ratana. The evidence of an attendant showed that Holden had never previously given any indication of aggressiveness. The Coroner stated that nothing in Holden’s previous conduct at Avondale or Tokanui warranted the asylum authorities regarding him as dangerous. He found that Pulford had died from hemorrhage and shock, the result of injuries inflicted by John Holden, the latter at the time being insane. Patrick Cassin, aged 11 years, son of E. P. Cassin, a telegraph linesman, was drowned in the Hamilton Lake last evening. The boy, who could not swim, got out of his depth. At the inquest, the coroner (Mr Wyvern Wilson) returned a verdict of accidental . drowning. He warned parents that unless they taught their children to swim they took a great risk. January 28. At Eureka to-day, June Felicity Seavill, nine and a half years of age, daughter of Ronald Seavill, farmer, of Waingaro, was thrown from a milk wagon and killed. The accident occurred on a farm where the girl was spending a holiday. She was riding in the wagon when the vehicle struck a hump and the girl fell over the front, taking the reins with her. The

horses took fright and'bolted, death being instantaneous. HASTINGS, January 25. When an entrance was forced to the residence of Sophie Emily Clarice, aged 88 years, a married woman, living alone, and of eccentric disposition, she was found dead yesterday in a decomposed condition. She was last seen by her baker on January 15. TE KUITI, January 27. A tragedy was narrowly averted on the Awakino Valley road on Tuesday afternoon when a motor car left the road and fell 35ft into the deep water of the Awakino River. The car was occupied by a motorist from Palmerston North, whose name is unknown, and his wife and two children. The steering gear broke, and the car was deflected towards the edge of the cliff, but the occupants managed to jump out before the vehicle fell. All were unhurt. _ TAURANGA, January 26. lhe body of Edmund Thomas Vaughan aged 63, was found in the river at Katikati by boys who were bathing. At the inquest this morning a verdict was returned that death was due to drowning, but there was no evidence to show how deceased got into the liver. PAHIATUA. January 26. Advice was received this morning that a body was seen in the Mangahao River at Nilson, about 12 miles from Pahiatua. It is believed to be that of William T. Boyd, a stock dealer, whose car was found in the river a fortnight ago at Marima. The police are proceeding to the locality. January 27. Early this morning Constable Swan and several persons, who were proceeding to Nikau, recovered the body of William Thomas Boyd, aged 53, a stock agent, who had been missing for a fortnight. The b -dy which was considerably decomposed, was found seven or eight miles below the scene of the car smash at Marima. The deceased, who was a steward of the Pahiatua -Racing Club and also a member of the Pahiatua A. and P. Association, leaves a v.iuow and eight children. FOXTON, January 29. lhe six-year-old son of Mr and Mrs George Mounsey, of Watson street, Foxton was playing on the wharf when he fell over and struck his head on a launch and was drowned. The body was recovered half an hour later. MASTERTON, January 29. Several search parties which were out oyer the week-end scouring the Kaituna district and the Tararua ranges in that vicinity failed to find any trace of Harold James Crewe, young man, who has been missing from t’.e Kaituna district since Thursday afternoon. TIMARU, January 26. John Taylor, aged about 55, for some years ship’s cook, and who latterly had been working ashore as cook, was found dead on the roadside near Burkes Pass, 17 miles from Fairlie. The deceased had been cooking on a station in the Mackenzie Country and was walking to Fairlie when it is supposed that he was taken ill and expired on the roadside. He was a native of London, and so far as is known had no relatives in the Dominion. GISBORNE, January 29. At an inquest on a waterside "worker named Meke Matutaera. who died in hospital on January 15, the coroner found that death was due to blood infection, secondary to injuries to the right femur and the abdominal wall, received on January. 4 while deceased was working on the s.s. Arawa when a derrick fell on him. WHANGAREI, January 30. A. S. Bevin. a well-known resident <?f Wharigarei, when trying out a new oil launch on. Saturday, failed to observe the under section of the driving shaft was unprotected. His bootlace was caught, and his fight foot was drawn into the belting and badly, crushed and lacerated. Three toes and a part of the foot were amputated in the hospital. WELLINGTON, January 25. While riding a bicycle down Devon street, one of the steepest grades in Wellington, this afternoon, Ernest Biggood, aged 12, lost control of the machine and crashed into a telegraph post at the foot of the hill. He received severe injuries to his head, and was admitted to the hospital in a serious condition. The dead body of Francis Barclay, aged 61, was discovered hanging in a room at his residence in Wilton street, Wadestown, early this morning. It is not at present known how long he had been dead. January 28. A painful accident occurred in Allen street, opposite the markets at about 10.30 a m. to-d ly when George Baker, aged about 60 years, had his left foot crushed by the wheel nf one of Marris and Campbell's motor lorries. Baker, who is an express driver, was walking across the street and, according to the driver, stepped in front of the lorry. The wheels of the lorry caught bis left foot, turned it sideways' ripped the upper off the sole of the boot, and crushed the front part of the foot. The mishap was quite accidental. Although the injured man must have been suffering agony he sucked away at his pipe, produced money to pay for produce he was commissioned to carry, and fixed all his affairs up quite calmly prior to being removed to the hospital by the motor ambulance. WESTPORT, January 26. Ella Cecelia Sinclair, 12 years .of age; daughter of Mr James Sinclair, a sawmiller at the Inangahua landing, got into difficulties at 2 p.m while bathing with three other children, and was drowned. The body was recovered at 4 p.m. INVERCARGILL. January 28. The inquest on Francis Horatio Hall, dispenser at the Public Hospital, who was found dead in an outhouse on Saturday, was opened to-day before Mr Cruickshank, S.M.. and adjourned to permit an examination of the stomach contents by the public analyst. LABOUR DAY FATALITY. The adjourned inquest into the circumstances of the fatal. motor accident which occurred on the main north road to Waitati as far back at last Labour Day (October 25) was conducted before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., as coroner at the court on January 24. Mr A. Duncan appeared for Messrs Davidson and Gillies, garage proprietors, th© owners of the motor truck; Mr C. J. L. White, instructed by Mr Irwin, appeared for James Hubbard, the driver of the car, and Sergeant Boulton represented the police. The inquest had been delayed to enable the driver to recover from his injuries sufficiently to appear and give evidence, it was his sister, Margaret Marie Jessie Hub-

bard, who lost her life through the accident. It appeared from the evidence that the tragedy all came about for want of a split pin in a nut in the back axle. Mr Bartholomew, in returning his verdict, said that the subsequent examination of the car showed clearly enough how the accident happened. The nut which held the bevel pinion to the driving shaft had come off, _ the consequence being that the bevel pinion key sheared, and the effect of that was to deprive the car of all engine and foot-brake control. An examination was _ made by Mr Davidson, and in his opinion the split pin had been left out of the nut. If that was so it would seem to show some considerable carelessness when the car was overhauled. The car was overhauled in July and had only had a few weeks’ work since, and the owner should have i been able confidently to rely on the car being in proper condition for "the journey on which it set out. When this mishap occurred to the car the driver could steer it and that was all. . The car developed such a speed that the only thing was to endeavour to hold to the road. Unfortunately there was a very bad turn, and at the speed at which he was travelling he was unable to negotiate it, with the result that the car capsized with the consequences that had been described. There was a further brake—-a hand brake-—but according to the evidence that hand brake on this model of car was not intended nor used as a-break under driving conditions. It-.was only used to hold the car under cther circumstances and was quite useless as a brake in the circumstances. The verdict would be that death was due to injuries caused bv the accidental overturning of a motor truck at Waitati. LABOUR SECRETARY’S DEATH.. The deatli occurred bj- drowning on Sunday of Randal] George M'Donriell, who was well known locally in the Labour movement. The deceased had motored out to the Taieri during the afternoon with friends, and when bathing in the river below the West Taieri bridge, he suddenly sank and was drowned. _ The body was recovered during the evening. The deceased was a single man, aged 51, and he resided with Iks mother at 54 Alexandra street, Caversham. ' During the past 12 years Mr M'Donnell had taken an active part in the Labour movement in different parts of New Zealand. Some years ago ne was president of the Napier branch of the New Zealand Labour Party, and recently he had acted as secretary of the Otago Labour Representation Committee. He had also represented Otago on the national executive of the New Zealand Labour Party. He took an active interest in the Otago Shop Assistants’ Union, of which he was treasurer from 1915 to 1913, and he once filled the pr ition of president of the Amalgamated Society of Shop Assistants. At the last local body elections he contested seats on the City Council and the Otago Hospital Beard.