ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 51, 24 November 1919, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

MOTOR-CAR OVERTURNED AND SMASHED. <iy Telegraph—Press AnocUtion Wanganui, November 22. Through the wheel of a motor-car collapsing, Mr. W. J. Poison, of Fordell, was seriously injured yesterday. He was driving homo with a companion, Mr. Clarke, of Wellington, when tho accident happened, as a hill was being negotiated. The car capsized and rolled down a bank. Mr. Pokon was very severely cut and bruised, but it is believed that no bones were broken. His companion wns badly cut about the legs, but his condition is not serious. Tho car was smashed to pieces.

FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN A BATH.

By TBlet>rapfc-Vr<"i« AwicinMon; Dunedin, November 22. Dudley Brugh. aged 17, a High School boy, and eon of Mr. W. B. Brugh. solicitor, was found unconscious in a bath at his father's residence late last night. He died at 2 a.m. to-day.

ACCIDENTAL GAS-POISONING.

Dunedin, November 23. At the inquest on Brugh, a verdict that death was due to accidental gas-poisoning was returned.

FATAL MISHAP ON THE WHAKF. Mr. W. G. Biddell. S.M.. held an inquiry on Saturday mornimr into the cause of death' of John Robert Pettit, a waterside worker, 64 years of age, who died at tho Hospital on November ID. Pottit was employed on the hulk Solcran, and v'hen engaged pulling on n rope for the purpose , of malting tho hull; fust to the wharf he slipped and fell, injuring his chest. He was obliged to cense work, and was removed to the Hospital on November H and died as stated. ' James Winter, who wns employed with Pettit on the hulk, said he heard Pettit call to tho winchman to ease up a. rope in oTdor that, it cnnld bo nut through another "lead." Pettit had hold of the rope, when he fell on "hie chest on a grating which was rnised about two feet from the deck. When Pettit sot up he walked away, holding his chest. It ni nenrly 5 p.ni. when the accident occurred. Dr, Georgo E. Wntenrorth, house surgeon at tbo Hospital, said that when admitted to the institution Pottit was suffering from severe heart failure, and gradually sank and died. Tho cause of death was aneurism of the heart following a continual strain of that organ. In answer to Mr. P. J. O'Regan, who apwared on behalf of the widow, wilnepi fluid that tho Ml would not hove affected a man whose lieart was sound. A daughter of the deceased etated tlmt her father had always enjoyed good health and had never required the services of n doctor, until he met with t'-» accident. He had been a resident of Wellington tor The Coroner f<"ind that death wns due to unite heart failure, due to an aneurism of the heart broueht to i>. head through falling on a crating while working on the hulk Solcran. DEATH OF A METAL WORKER.

Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M.. also inquired into the cause of death of Thomas Wbittley, metal worker's assistant, and employed at Cable and Co.'e foundry. Thomas Edward Oliver,' boilermaker, said Hint'Whittley was employed with witness bolting plates on tho side of tho s.s. Kia Ora at the Railwav Wharf. The procedure was for the boilermaker to go outside the ship with the plate, push the bolts' through, and the assistant to go down insido the ship, put the nuts on the bolt, and screw them up. Witness had inspected the inside of the side of the ship to ascertain where the plate was to be placed, and on reaching tho deck inslrncted Whittley to descend into the hold for the purpose of putting the nuts on.' When the plate was in position witness tapped on the side of the ship to indicate to "Whittley that tho bolt was ready to be tightened up. There was no response, and after waiting for 15 minutes witness went down into thn hold to mnlce inquiries, and on reaching the 'tween decks he noticed that the candle that had been used was out. The covering to off No 2 hatch, and on defending lie found Whittley lying on the door of the ship apnnrently seriously hurt, us he wns unconscious end bleeding from the mouth pud ears. Whittley was removed to ths Hospital. Witness was of opinion that Whittley trioned on the cnmWngs of the Ihalcli and fell down the hold. To Mr. P. W. Jackson: When Hie covering was on the top hntch it would bo dangerous to go down the hold without a light as it would b« courting death. It was the first i ; »io that Whittley had gone down the hold. To Mr. O'Regan: The hnWiM on the two upper decks were on. Whittley foil n distance of about 22ft. He thought Whittlev tripped on (V combing, which was 6 to 7 i'inhes hirh. as there were scratches on tho side of the combing. Constable Fuming »a'<'. tlmt he look Whittlev to the Hospital at 10.30 o'clock on Fviday morning and he died at 11.10 o'clock. To Mr. .Tackson: Witness snid he went down i'io hold in company with Sevcreant Cruirkshank and the ch'ef officer of the vessel. An electric torch was used. Tt would have bwi dangerous to have gone down tho hold without o light. At this stnge the inouest was adjourned until this morning. . Whittley, who wns 20 years of age. was a married man, and had resided at 42 Beach Street, Petono. FOUND DEAD. At 1.30 yesterday afternoon the body of a man, 'apparently between fi. r > and 70 years of age, was found on the hill overlooking Moxiham Avenue, Kilbirnie. The body had apparently been lying where it was found for a couple of (lays. From inquiries made by the police it appears that tho body is that of a man named Davis, recently an inmate of tho Wellington Hospital, but who escaped from there a few days ago. Tho body was taken to the morgue. Lieulenant — Watson, residing , at the New Commercial Hotel, injured ihis head on Saturday night by falling down somo etairs. He wae removed to tho Hospital, and wae yesterday reported to be doing well.