ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5283, 13 June 1895, Page 1

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

[PXB PSXBB ABBOCIAIOK.I AUCKLAND, JttN* 12.

. It came out in the evidence at the inquest on Joseph Short, a railway employe" drowned on Lake Ngaroto, by the capsizing of a canoe, that thinking he was in deep water he continued hiß attempt to swim ashore, and actually was drowned in five feet' of .water, where he could have waded out bad he known the true depth. BEEFTON, Jdnb 12.

Joseph Martin, a miner, and an old residentof Antonio's Flat, left his mate for the purpose of turning off the water at the dam. Owing to his long absence search vu made, and hiß body was found in the race.

Yesterday morning a man named Sydney Claude St Clair, about thirty- Qve years of age, was found dead in bed atthohouße of a Chinaman in Queen Street, off Licbfield Street, where be had been stopping. An inquest was held at the Royal George Hotel yesterday afternoon before Mr H. W. Bishop, coroner. The evidence given showed that deceased had for the last six months complained of a pain in the obeßt, and latterly he had suffered very severely. On Tuesday he had gone to the hospital, but on coming back bad told his friends that there was a number of women waiting to be attended to, and lie did not care to wait. The deceased bad had no. means, and that was the reason he had been ! staying at the honae of the Chinaman. He. had been very bad on Tuesday night, and was found dead yesterday morning. Dr Lomax-Smith, who had made a post* mortem examination, deposed that he had found that deceased had been suffering from <> nte pneumonia, complicated by chroniu inflammation of the right Bide of the heart. He was of opinion that the immediate cause of death was pneumonia. In reply to the Coroner, Dr Lomax-Smith said that out-patients were supposed to bring a note from a medical practitioner or a member of the Board. An improvement could be made on this system. In his opinion, provision phould be made so aa to enable any person requiring treatment, who applied within certain hours, to receive immediate attention should hie case bs urgent. The Coroner said he would draw the attention of the Hospital Board to the matter. The jury returned a verdict of " Daath from natural causes."