ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 709, 7 January 1910, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

DEATH BY DROWNING. An inquest concerning the death ot, Neil Miller, uhose body was found mj 'the harbour near tho Queen's Wharf oat Wednesday, eras held at the morguo yes~ tefday morning by Htf. jW. G. - Eiddell,, SM. Station-Sei«oant Darby represented the police. Dr. Kingston Fyffo detailed the results ot a post-mortem examination.- Death, in his opinion, was due to'drowning, but in all piobabihty deceased was unconscious vhen ho went into tho water. Thero i\as no trace of alcohol in tho stomach, but such might have disap< pearcd during the time the body had been in tho water. There wore small bruises about the head, which were' pro-' bably caused before deceased entered tho water. ' James IVaser, foreman for Johnston, and Co., Ltd., and brother-in-law of deceased, identified tho body. Deceased had been coachman for Dr. Cahill for fifteen yeais. . Ho nas a single man, 43 years ot age, and was temperate in his habits. Witness labt saw him alive during the week before Christmas, Deceased had a brother in Christohureh, and three sisters in New Zealand. Joseph Bruton, chauffeur, Hataitai, \ said he last saw deceased on New Year's

■Evo : at•the.corncr.of Featherston;Streotfc(:,:«r . and: Lambton-Quay. !-.They : spoke, to! (each! -V ]r;i other/at;that place' ahp.nt.41.2f1."p.m. ,; De>r ,S;i 'ceased did', not: say; he:; was agoing vto(/aiij;!:f;/;j/; ■particular ;:place,:■■;; Onrleaving',.him/(;de- (fesS : ceased - went.: in 'the . direction: of:- Hunter ;£:'£» :Street.; •'•' He'f appeared to (;be' 'sober.•((DeS:;/-.V£ ceased was.with.!iritness; and; others i|or.., : >;;;S about.a ! qu!arter;,of;an/hour or-20 They;;■' did-; hot.(-take ■•. any '(liquor; 'whileM"? itoßOthwVi.v\ l [,'•'.''';!■:'.'!;■■■.■-"•'.■:;. '■':'■.'' s ''^^ff.-W. ■ - John• Lane,'/cab-proprietor,.;Grant: Eoad: ;S(M( said •ho had- : known;, the/-'deceased' 23 ! years/piHe spoke.'; to ; deceased ;ats2o;/vs.yj minutes'to'' 12;'on:New;;/YearV:Eve,:iin::''y.B i'ront'(pf;*the' (cabstand; by-!;l£irkcaldi?'s.W ; :;;(;: Deceased appeared be (quite (sober -'and.- 1 'fiis cheerful;; (jJ.o';;saw hovUquor;in : the;pps-(;y(y'/ 6ossioh. ; of and;did- not have drin^(^ith( : him.V: : : They:!exchauged! i ear'greetings. (::V : ; ''.'.-V-v''.'-;:;.;/:-/;!': '!':■(. v- : j;-#: ■' :Sta'tiph-Se'rge'arit; Darby :,Did a- constable '.#'■&/ go ;tp:you : 'to; gist 'a statement! as(to : seeing', ~'fi ; -U . deceased?— '-':■'■-,'-^'t; V'fiij.^'^,

:.: !Uid, a:botUe,-(;and : that;:you((and;some,; the:';cabmen had a drink I, -'(,:(,,;;.((: ;:.:-:-X:i^.^:-;%: : : ' -You did -not, make r that; statementP-rferffcC ..' f No.".: : -;:-.i( : (;; ';•:: '■•} Witness,.continuing, said:that;deceased'/;'k' : ;j; on' leaving! them/went,' by,way(;of :Brandbu.'iV|fe<! : Stroet,, towjji'ds :':tho . wharf.' lived at the; address,of his employer,(Dr,'t'!»(i: Cahill, on* Wellington •.■•''. Terrace.:' ;jD£/KK ceased (went • away!:: by: himself, ';; andj did?/jf?;: not say-, where he'.wasgoing.; I ..; '~::'jh's •■•' Samuel- .Hawkins,..-, cabKlriver,.'(said':(he i':'#!;! sawdeceased passing the cab-stand at the ;!£'s£ Bank; of; New Zealand between.ll andi.l3ll>:(;i(i atXnighV-oh 'December -30 or;'31„( ; going;i;:;X(| '■towards;, the- wharf;("'Ho bad;:his "head io& .hiiugiiig.doWn,' so' that w - iteoss'hardly ; re-';!'.;»-'v' ■cognised hiniiat! first. : Deceased "did- not -speak /until ■ witobss/spoko. (to;!.him. ;(■ n6ss 'had -never .seen deceased:! under ''.their,-:;';?. inilupuce -of /liquor;;::';.:('.■: '■;■■■,!■? : -. ; Station-Ser'geant/Darby: Did;!y6u'';uiake:';jS.;S a: statement; to' !a( constable, yesterday'; Ksay;, that. /deceased- was •' slightly;, under V'v;(.;?; the; influence of .liquor: (on that, occasion ?■—. •■ '•:. '@/\ I-,said, ; he(ap'peared, to be slightly: the influence, of-/liquor,; but I' could ;not'/'V/;* 1 swear, that;he/-:Was./; •'"■./;/.; :•:?':, ■■'^^■■y'*'■&}

Constable T. Kelly gave evidence as to the recoveiy of the body from the water at No. 1 Tee, Queen's Wharf. A watch . worn by deceased' had stopped at 25 minutes to 3 Effects found on deceased included £1 is. lid. in monoy. ' Tho coronoi's \erdict was that death, was duo to drowning, but that thore was not sufhcient evidence to show how de- l ceased got into the water. FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT. , (By Tolccranh,—Press Association.) I Christcliurch, January 6, An elderly woman, whoso name has not yet been ascertained, stepped off an electuc tram which left tho Square at 10.16 ' p m. for Papanui when it wa3 passing Innes Road at a fairly high rate of speed. When pickod up tho woman was just conscious. Sho was removed'to the nearest doctor, whoie it was ascertained; that her skull was tractured at the base,' and sho expired almost immediately. v

BOY DROWNED. Foxton, January 6. ' > A drowning fatality occurred at tha , "•• beach last c\cuing, when the se\on-year- ' old sou of Mr. and Mis. M. H. Walker ' l was drowned. It appears ho was, left, at G.SO o'clock, playing with other children, in a boat mooied m blmllow water near tho shore. At 7 o'clock a search was made for him, and (he body was recov- ' ored at 0 30, at the spot whero he was last seen. An inquest will bo held this after, , noon.