ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 90, 11 December 1912, Page 5

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

SCHOOLMASTER,’ HIS SON, AND ANOTHER LOST.

(Per Press. Association.) Wanganui, December 10

Regarding the Pipiriki fatality, it appears that Mr. Thomas, seeing bath boys in danger, went to their assistance, but as he had to swim from the middle of the river he was exhausted, and teas dragged under by the hoys The whole affair occurred within a few minutes, and the spectators could do nothing. The search party found the body of Clemence on Monday night, and the bodies of Thomas and his son this morning. A verdict of accidental death was returned at the inquest, the bodies being brought to Wanganui by the river steamer. Thomas was a highly respected schoolmaster. He was originally a teacher, hut resigned to take up farming in_ the Colyton district a year ago. He sold out and went to Pipiriki.

MOTUEKA DROWNING CASE. Nelson, December 10. A young man named Louis Artnur Suckling, 22 years of age, a farm cadet, was drowned in the Motueka River at Whakerewa last evening while bathing. MOTOR CYCLIST INJURED. Timaru, December 10. Another serious accident was added to the list against the railway crossing on the main street connecting East and West Temuka, to-night, A. Guild, son of James Guild, a wellknown fanner of Trevenna, was riding home on a motor cycle, and was crossing the line when the 6.20 mixed train came up. Though the whistle was blown, Guild apparently did. not hear it. The cow-catcher caught the machine, and it flew through the air over the cattle stops to the grass inside the fence, with the itbult that Guild sustained a fractured shoulder blade, a broken hand, and severe bruises. He was picked up and taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition. Both man and train were going at a good pace. The marvel is that Guild was not killed outright.

HANGED IN A WOOLSHED. Gisborne, December 11. George Walworth, who recently took over the Poiituru Station at Tokomaru Bay, was found dead to-day, hanged, in a woolshed.

A drowning accident occurred in Sydney Harbour on Saturday afternoon, November 30th, under • unusual circumstances. The victim was Jas. Norrie, aged 27 years, a university student, in his fourth year of medicine, son of Dr. Norrie, of Killara. A party of nine, three girls and six men, were sailing in a 22ft. half-decked boat about 3.30 p.m. midway between Woolwich and Longnose Point, where the Parramatta river is about'three quarters of a mile wide, when the craft listed, filled, and sank. Every one of the party could swim, but Norrie, whose heart is not very strong, soon got into difficulties. Norrie and Miss Gwen Slatter sank together, but •cse. The former was then obviously in a had way, and the girl’s blouse was torn. Clifford Gale and the others held him up. Fifteen minutes must have elapsed before their calls for help attracted attention, and by that time Norrie had collapsed. Ho was conveyed ashore in a motor boat, but never regained consciousness. The other members of the party were rescued and landed at Woolwich.