ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1255, 11 October 1911, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

GIRL FOUND ASPHYXIATED. GAS IN BEDKOOM TURNED ON. (By TolcErapli—Press Association.) Christchurch, Octobcr 10. Daisy Florence Turner, between sixteen ami sevenieen years of ago, whose parents live at ltolleston, and who was in the service of Mrs. Henry I'orwood, of Hurray Place, St. Albans, was found dead in' bed this morning. Tho gas in the bedroom was turned 011, and death had apparently been caused by asphyxiation. At an inquest held before Jlr. It. \V. Bishop, Susan Jano I'onvood, wife of Henry I'onvood, gave evidence to the effect that deceased had been in her service for nearly three weeks, as housemaid. The girl did her work well, and appeared to fce contented and happy. She never spoko at all of any trouble, but appeared contented and happy. She slept by herself in a bedroom which was about lift, by 10ft. There was a gas-burner, about seven feet high, on the wall of tho room % Tho burner was an ordinary (not an incandescent) one. This was the only light which the girl used. Deceased went to bed last night as usual at about 8 o'clock, and there was nothing whatever about her maimer to call for any remark. She generally roso some time alter six o clock. Witness" had got up at about seven o'clock and saw that deceased was not up, and when she. (witness) went to the door of deceased's room she found it locked. She then sraelt gas, and went round to the window, and found that it was closed, but not fastened. 'Witness opened it, and saw that tho girl was lying in bed. Tho cook then got the steps, entered the room, found that the gas was turned on, and turned it off. She (witness) then sent for Dr. Jennings. Her opinion was that tho occurrence was purely accidental. Tho burner had a ring attached, and the tap turned very easily. Witness thought that, perhaps the girl, after turning oIF the gas, had unwittingly turned it on again by catching her finger in it. Dr. Jennings said that ho had found deceased lying on tho bed dead, with her back against the wall. The pillows were disarranged, and tho girl's hands wore clenched. Rigidity had set in, showing that death had occurred at least four hours previously. Witness had made a post mortem, and was of opinion that the cause of death was poisoning by illuminant gas. Annie Denniston," employed as cook by llrs. Norwood, corroborated the statement made by Mrs. Forwood as to getting into fhe rooiu. Deceased was one of the most light-hearted and cheerful girls witness had ever met. She was never out, and, to witness's knowledge, no man had ever paid her any attention. The Coroner said that, in view of certain private medical information given to him by Dr. Jennings, lie would reserve his verdict to enable certain other information to be obtained.

BULLER BLASTING ACCIDENT. VICTIM'S BODY FOUND. Westport, October 10. The body of William Lowe, one of tho victims of tho blasting accident on September 21 on tho railway construction works in the Duller Gorge, was recovered this morning. Timothy Corby, the contractor, was also killed at the time. Lowe's body was found in the Buller River, half a milo below tho sceue of the accident. The body was almost intact. Lowe was a single man, a native of Allendale, Victoria.

OLD ASHHURST SETTLER'S DEATH. Palmerston, October 10. About six weeks ago an old settler named John Began, who resided on Napier Road, about a mile from Ashliurst township, had been to town (luring the evening. He left at 10 p.m. l'or home, but never reached there. The police subsequently took the matter in hand. Tho mystery has now been solved by finding Bogan'a body in the Manawatu River, in the Gorge, about a mile from tho Ashhurst Bridge. The bank at tho point where the body was found is very steep, and the river there is about 30ft. deep.. KILLED BY MOTOR-CAR. Auckland, October 10. Charles Goldsmith, a single man between forty and forty-iivo years of age, employed as a gardener, and believed to have recently come from Napier, was killed almost instantaneously last night, tho result of being knocked down by a motor-car. Goldsmith alighted from a tram, and went round tho back of the car, when he was knocked over by a taxicab driven by John .Mercer. A FATAL FALL. Dunedin, October 10. ' Charles John Ayers, aged 28 years, who met with an accident at Hudson's biscuit factory on September 21, died in the hospital to-day. While Ayers was on a lad' der making alterations to a pulley, one of the rungs broke, and he fell some 15 feet to the ground, striking the edgo of a trolley and severely lacerating his abdomen. He had sufiiciently recovered to be ablo to get out in tho hospital grounds, but two days ago he took a turn tor tho worse.. WEST COAST FATALITIES. Wcslport, October 10. Victor Sibree, aged thirteen, was drowned whilst bathing in a dam at Millerton. James Condon, a passenger by tho Arahura, from Ureyraouth, died on board as tho steamer was leaving Westport this morning.