ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 50, 4 July 1913, Page 5

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

A BLASTING ACCIDENT. [Per Press Association.] Wellington, July 3. While a charge was being preparedfor a blast at Kaiwarra quarry today, a piece of rock fell into the drill hole and an iron bar was used to move it. Presently this struck a spark from the stone and the charge exploded. Two men named David Le> Compte and John Winter were blown some feet away, and as a result suffered severe injuries about the head and body, which necessitated their removal to the hospital. A third man named Bur-borough was also knocked some distance away but escaped with minor injuries. A DROWNING MYSTERY. Dunedin, July 3. An inquest on the body of a man found floating in the surf at St. Kilda was held to-day. The doctor said deceased’s age would be 65 to 70 years. He bad reddish, fair hair and heard, there wore several wounds near the ears and under the jaw, which might have been caused by fish bites. On the right forearm an anchor was tattooed, and on the left arm two flags were entwined. The body was not well-nourished. He concluded that deceased met his death by drowning. A telegraph messenger recognised deceased as a person who had called several times for letters at Moray Place Post Office. He gave the name of George Sampson. Constable Marshall, who searched the body, ' said that he found two left-luggage tickets bearing the name of J. Shanks, also a Tattersall’s ticket with the name of G. Sampson. Witness called at the luggage office and got the two parcels, in one of which was a natch with the initials G.S. on the outside of the case. The Coroner said that lie must assume that deceased’s | name was George Sampson, and that j the cause of death was drowning, j There was no evidence to show how the body got into the water.