ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13427, 8 July 1914, Page 3

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

,Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, last night, A somewhat ylengthy-* inquest was held to-day concerning »-he death of Thomas Butland, a workman, who fell over 30 feet x>n Monday while ePg^Sed on a building m Queen -street, al?#fc|i et l almost immediately. Deceased was si-*., ft. heavy girder, which was being 'lifted into -potion by steam power. A link m the heavy chain suddenly broke, and a falling block from the tackle struck deceased on tlie head, and he fell on to some logs below, receiving fatal injuries. Expert evidence was to the effect that the metal m the steel chain was rendered brittle -by- 'frost: on the previous night, and this probably caused it -to break; Tlie coroner, after a full inquiry, ' found that death was accidental, no blame being attachable to anyone.

FOXTON, last night. A sudden death occurred here shortly befdre 5 o'clock this evening. Mrs Henderson, relict of the late Mr Wm. Henderson, a .well-known Marton settler, was on a. visit to her daughter, Mrs A. Hawk, and " had returned from paying an afternoon call, when she complained of feeling unwell, and died m a few minutes, death being due to heart failure. Deceased leaves a grown-up family of two sons and four daughters. GREYMOUTH, last night. The adjourned inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Peter Ewart, who was killed by a tramway accident at Paroa sawmill on Tuesday last, was resumed this afternoon before Mr Hewitt, , district coroner. A verdict waa returned thai deceased met hia death through being thrown, from a runaway truck, on which he '-''.was acting brakesman.

The inquiest touching the death of Wm, Cochrane, who was drowned m the Motu river m May last, was Con. iinued at Motu yesterday before Mr T. Donovan, J.P., acting-coroner, and a jju.Ty comprising Messrs; Snowden (foreman), M. J. Hansen, P. M. Hansen, ■ Lovell, Maiden, and Bright. Evidence wa* given by Messrs J. Mouat, W. Quinn, A, Purden, J. R. Harris, and Wm Leaton, and Constable Sleath. "The -^vifdenice Showed that deceased was walking from Motw to Matawai at night, when lie fell into jtfa^ river. It was stated he was under t<he influence of'liqifor when 'he left' Motu. Tlhe verdict -returned was that deceased met his death by drowning m the Motu iriver on May 21, and that the resx-uing party did their best, under the circumstances. A rider was added that the jury considered that tSie> road m the vicinity was dangerous to the public on account of its narrowness and close proximity to the river, together with t the steepness of the bank frpm the road' to the water's edge. They were of the opinion that some protective fence (fliould be erected. As far as can he ascertained, the deceased has twoj brothers living near Timaru.