ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 948, 15 October 1910, Page 10

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

, —■ —■>— —— WAITER FOUND DEAD IN A BATH. ACCIDENTALLY'DROWNED; An inquest waß held at tho morgue yesterday aftornobn by the: coroner. .(Mr. W. It. Haselden) concerning the death of Ernest Hardicke, a waiter, who was found dead in a bath at tho Commercial Hotel yestorday morning. Station Sergeant Darby represented the police at tho inquest. Evidence was given by Edward Taylor, porter at tho Commercial Hotel, \i'ho stated that decoased was-a; man of sober habits. Witness last' saw Hardicke alivo at 8 p.m. on Thursday, arid at 5.50 a.m. yestorday ho discovered him lying in the hath on his right side with one leg partly over tho side of the bath.; Decoased had evidently undressed to get into the bath, which yas half full of water.' His face was partly under water. Witness . immediately summoned'.the proprietor,; Mr. Clench, anil, .it was then ascertained that lifo was .extinct.'-

■A. T. Williams,' waiter, at.'.tho Commercial Hotel,-stated that,'lie knew deceased, who iVas, about 34. years of age, and as _ faras witness knew a. single man, with a mother .residing v in ;■ Kent, England, but nc relatives in New Zealand. Deceased had been, a . waiter at the Commercial' Hotel for\ about sis weeks, and occupied>tlie same room as witness.' According to witness, Hardicke was a mai?: of sober habits, and was perfectly sober when witness' last saw him at 10.30 p.m. on Thursday. At that, hour Hardicke said that ho intended to have a. bath; but, as the hour was late, lie .was going to retire, to bed instead. ' Witness, w'ent''to . sleep, and did not see Hardicke -after nor did lie hear him leave the room'to go to the bathroom.

. Dr. W.. Kington : Pyffe/;wlio 'made a post-mortem;, examination or the body, stated that lie had; foiind the kidneys aiid very, much V congested. Tlio symptoms pointed to drowning, probably caused, bye his being': overtaken with faintness in the bath. A .verdict of accidental'drowning was returned. - ; ■ A. SHOCKING DEATH.; ' (By Telegraph.—Ptoss Association.) \ '' v V/aihl, October 14.; Matthew ..Berryinan,' miner,. Engaged! in the \Y,aihi;: mine; was : literally smashed to pieces this afternoon by. falling out of the. cage at No. 2 shaft. The, unfortunate man had previously cut 1 liis _ hand <badly'' in'■ the ; workings, and it is assumed, that, when', the rage had nearly reached the surface, ho fainted, fell'off the cage, and wSs'preoipitated to the bottom of Hie shaft, a: distanco of .'over 900 feet. : Deceased was'2s years:.of age,land -.unmarried. .