ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2393, 24 February 1915, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Westport, February 23. At the inquest concerning the death of ; Solomon Blore, who had been missing from the Old People's Home since February 2, the verdict was to the effect . that _he had been accidentally drowned in a creek. The old man wandered off the road into the bush, apparently laid down to rest, and rolled into the creek. His hat and coat were found on the bank. A TRAIN ACCIDENT. Hastings, February 23. Mrs. Catherall, wife of Alfred Catherall, painter, of Hastings, and her four-year-old eon, were crossing the railway bridge over tho Ngjaruroro River at Whakatu this morning, when the Napier, train swung rouna the-bend. The driver promptly applied the brakes, but the distance was too short to pull up in. The cowcatcher hit the mother and child and both fell between the sleepers into the river beneath. The . child floated and was speedily Tescued, but its mother sank in deep water. Messrs. H. Spiller'and L. Eaebrook, both of Napier, were passengers on the train, and they promptly dived- in and brought the unconscious woman to the shore. On arrival at a private hospital it was found that she had sustained severe cute and bruises and internal injuries, and the child is suffering from a< badlycrushed foot and shock. Mrs. Catherall is still unconscious. ' The driver's promptitude in applying the brakes undoubtedly saved both from instant death. > 'A NARROW SSCAPE. Masterton, February 23. Two little' girls named' Innis were washed off a reef at Castlepoint, and one narrowly escaped being drowned. Both were knocked about, end one sustained such severe lacerations that the services of a doctor had to be pro-' cured. THE KAHU FATALITY. The inquest into the deaths of Frank Lyell Leers, Donald Mathieson, and Patrick O'Brien, the Kaliu seamen, who were drowned through the upsetting of a launch at Te Awaite on November 28 last, was concluded before Mr. _D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr. T. S. Weston represented the Wellington Shipowners' Association, Mr. H, D. Buddie Mrs. Leers, and Mr. E. P. Hav tho Public Trustee. Evidence was called as to the reliability of the engines of the launch which upset. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the engines stated a witness (Captain Gray), and just prior to the fatality they had been given a preliminary Tun before tho launch wat put into the water. After the launch loft the Kaliu the sea came up with roHiarkable rapidity. Witness had not soon, the liko in all his seafaring experience After other evidence was heard, the Coroner rottirned a 'verdict that the three seamen came by their doath by being accidentally drowned through the upsetting of a launch. The Coroner added that the evidence showed that-the launch was in perfect working order, and that the accident was not due to any negligence whatsoever.