ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 35, 2 June 1914, Page 5

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

[Pee Press association J Hastings, June 1

At the inquest on the body of Andrew Somb, aged 51, single, who was found dead on the Havolock bridge on 'Sunday morning, the evidence showed that deceased had been drinking at the house of a friend at Havelock and left to walk to Hastings. He apparently sat on the rail of the bridge, where ho went to sleep and fell forward. A verdict was returned that death was due to asphyxiation, whilst in a state of intoxication. Deceased, who was an old resident, of Hastings, and in comfortable circumstances, had no relatives in the Dominion as far as is known.

Dunedin, June 1

The inquest was resumed to-day on the. body ,of William Bills, found near the end of Victoria Wharf on March 30. The coroner said that the medical evidence had shown that death' was due to severe injuries to the head, hut whether these were caused accidentally or otherwise there was nothing to show. He could only return what was practically an open verdict. An inquest was held this afternoon into the circumstances connected with the death of John Semple, a laborer, who died on Saturday evening, as the result of injuries to the spine, through falling from a load of hay at Milburn. Evidence showed that a band of straw broke, with the result that deceased fell heavily to the ground. The spine was not broken, but the medical evidence showed that the spinal ligament had been ruptured and the injury probably caused but a momentary dislocation. A verdict was returned in accordance with the evidence, no blame being attachable to anvone.

At the inquest on the body of Dr. Grahame, of Waikouaiti, evidence was given that deceased had taken doses of bromide at 8 p.m. on Saturday and 4 a.m. on Sunday. Ho showed signs of liquor previous to taking the first dose. The jury found "that deceased died from an overdose of bromide, self administered, all the evidence pointing to the fact that the action was accidental. The weak stato of the organs shown by the post mortem probably assisted to cause death."