CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 37

CASUALTIES.

OHAKUNE, February 3. A porter, M. G. F. Bedell, was injured yesterday at Ohakune Junction, and was taken to Taihape Hospital and operated on by Dr Carrick Robertson, of Auckland. The injuries comprised a triple fracture of the skull and a. broken arm. It is surmised that-the accident happened through Bedell standing too close to the edge of the platform. When the northbound express entered the station his lamp struck the engine, the concussion throwing him against the train. The south express, with a party of doctors going to the conference, which crossed at Ohakune, enabled the injured mau to be hurried to hospital. - AUCKLAND, February 2. Evidence given at the inquest into the death of Raoul Alpar, who was found in a dying condition near the Domain cricket ground, indicated that he bad been worried financially and was very depressed The inquest was adjourned. The deceased was found bleeding profusely with a penknife oq the ground beside him. _ He had a number of wounds on the wrists, and died in hna-nitnl

February 3. At the resumed inquest on Raoul Alper, Dr Crow stated that when deceased was in hospital he admitted that he had attempted suicide. Pointing to his wrist, he said: “This is what I did.” The Coroner found a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane. QUEENSTOWN, February 2 Two accidents cccurre I to-day when the Earnsiaw was berthing with her complement of one-day excursionists from Go’s. As the vessel was drawing up to the wharf the weight of the crowd leaning over the side naturally caused her to have a good list to starboard. A man named Adam Speden, a well-known Gore building contractor, was holding on to one of the iron stanchions on the aft part of the ship with his left hand, and as the steamer listed against one of the piles of the wharf, Speden’s four fingers _ were caught. The first, second, and third were - completely severed between the first and second joints, and the fourth was left hanging. The unfortunate man was taken to the Lake County Hospital, where an operation was performed by Dr Griffiths. The second victim was a lad named Martin Burk, aged 14 years, the son of Mr Martin Burk, farmer, of Gore. _ Burk, who was in the fore part of the ship, had the first and second fingers of his right hand crushed between a fender and a pile of the wharf. His injury was not very serious. , _

VV<JA, I’vuruaiy m. Thomas Hogan, aged 26, died in hospital to-day as the result of being knocked down by a car driven by G. Havell. The car was going at a slow pace when the deceased, who was mentally.. and physically infirm, stepped in front of it. WELLINGTON, February 2. On Friday last, during the voyage of the | Rimutaka from London to Wellington, Mrs Taylor, aged 61, a third-class passenger booked for Auckland, died from paralysis and pneumonia and was buried at sea. Minnie Williamson, a married woman residing at 553 Adelaide . road, was admitted to . the hospital tins afternoon with injuries to her head, the result of being knocked down by a motor lorry at the corner of Cuba and Manners streets. Her condition is serious. A Hindu named Khusal Han aged 45, married, was admitted to hospital with .in-, juries to his head, the result of being knocked down by a motor car m lory street ' February 4. Leslie Ball, of 36. Palmer street,, aged one year and eight months, died m the public hospital to-night as the result of a scalded chest caused through boiling milk spilling on him on Thursday night. February 3. Between half-past seven and eight o'clock this morning a man committed suicide by cutting his throat on the Hutt road ramp at Petone. Dr Hutchison was summoned and ordered his immediate removal to the hospital. The man was removed by Constable’ Carter of the Petone police force, but was dead on arrival at the hospital. Papers found on the body identified him as James Quin, a ship’s fireman. He is understood to have lived at Normandale.

THAMES, February 4. Henry Walter Furness, aged .18, whose people reside at Piopio, Te Kuiti, and who has been working on his uncle’s farm at Patetonga, Hauraki Plains, since December last, was found dead yesterday afternoon shot through, the right eye. He left the house on Tuesday to continue a fencing job, at the same time borrowing a shotgun for pig shooting. GREYMOUTH, February 4. Jesse Baddeley, aged 50, a co-operative miner, whilst repairing a bridge damaged by the recent rain, near Dunollie, this afternoon, fell from the bridge into the creek, breaking his neck. He was a native of Lancashire, and had resided at Runanga for the last 20 years. He leaves a widow and two sons.

DANNEVTRKE, February 5. An inquest was held at Whetukura this afternoon by the coroner, Mr Dobson, on the body of Walter Edmond Berkhan, aged 24, a single man who was found on Saturday morning, dead on the soldiers’ monument with his head badly injured. There were indications that he had been handling a detonator, which had exploded, causing fatal injuries. No one was present when the explosion occured. The coroner returned a verdict that death was due to haemorrhage caused by laceration of the brain apparently the result of the explosion of a detonator . held in deceased’s hands. His mother resides at Whetuakura. TAPANUI, February 5. The jockey N. C. Dwyer, who was injured when Ace of Hearts fell with him at the Tapanui Racing Club’s meeting 'on Wednesday afternoon, is still unconscious .in the Tapanui Hospital. He has been placed on the dangerously ill list.

CHILD’S FATAL FALL. Lena Sophia Prictor, aged four years and nine months, who resided with her parents at 176 Melvern street, Woodhaugh, was playing in the backyard of these premises at 3.40 p.m. on Friday when she ran screaming to her mother complaining of pains in her stomach. Her mother stripped, off the child’s clothing and placed her in a hot bath, and Dr Roland Fulton was immediately, sent for. The. doctor arrived at 4.50 p.m., but the child had

then been dead for three-quarters of an hour. Artificial respiration was resorted to, but. without success. An inquest was held at the parents’ residence on Saturday forenoon, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner. Sergeant Boulton represented the police. The. evidence given showed that the child had been playing by itself in the yard, and the only suggestion the parents could offer was that she had fallen over an old chair which was there. The evidence given by Dr Fulton was’to the effect that the child . had had a fall. A verdict was returned that the child died from internal injuries caused by an accidental fall. SAWMILLER KILLED. At the inquest on Michael Fitzgerald, who was killed at Tahakopa on Sunday week as a result of--a.tree falling on him, a verdict of accidental death was returned. The deceased, who was employed at Campbell’s sawmill, leaves a widow and eight children.

DEATH OF NEIL GAULD. The adjourned inquest on Neil Gauld, who was. knocked down by a motor-car driven by Ashley George Faigan on December 30 last was concluded on Tuesday before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. After hearing. the evidence the coroner directed the police to take appropriate proceedings against Faigan, and a charge of manslaughter followed. Sub-inspector Fahey represented the police, Mr J. C. Stephens appeared for the wife and family of deceased and Mr A. G. Neill represented Faigan. The Coroner said that the evidence in this case made it quite clear that the unfortunate man met his death through being run over by a car driven by Ashley George Faigan at Forbury corner. In view of the serious nature of the case he did not propose to review the evidence. He regretted that after hearing the evidence he could not but conclude that the accident was one which could, and should, have been avoided had proper care been exercised. He could only find that deceased died from fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain -through being knocked down by a. motor car driven by Ashley George Faigan. He added that he had directed the police to take appropriate proceedings against the driver of the car. in respect to the evidence given. The Sub-inspector said he wished to charge Faigan with unlawfully causing the death of Neil Gauld, thereby committing the crime of manslaughter. The coroner then adjourned the court for a time to enable the sub-inspector to discuss the matter with Mr Neill.

On Mr Bundle’s return a sitting of the Police Court was held, Faigan being formally charged with manslaughter. The witnesses present swore that copies of the evidence given by them at the inquest were correct, the sub-inspector then asking for a remand. He said that the evidence of two doctors, Miss Vincent, of Invercargill, and Norman Chambers, of Christchurch, had yet to be checked.. Mr Neill asked for bail, stating that accused’s father would provide one surety. The Magistrate allowed bail in accused’s own recognisance of £2OO, and one surety of a similar amount on condition that accused reported daily to the police. The father’s surety would be accepted. The case was adjourned until Thursday next.