SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO MR WM. CONYERS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1539, 23 January 1879, Page 3

SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO MR WM. CONYERS.

[By Telegraph.] Inveecaegill, January 22,

The following telegram has just (at 4 p.m.) been received from Gore :—" Just before reaching the railway bridge at Gore Mr Conyers, Commissioner of Railways, who was standing on the second engine of the train, overbalanced himself and fell off the train, cutting himself badly on the head. Blood is issuing from his ear, and ho has a bad gash over the eye. Ho is now insensible, The news spread like wildfire through the large concourse of people assembled, and cast a gloom orer the whole affair," The Actornoy-Goneral has received the following telegram :- " Gore, 420 p.m. Kegret to inform you that Mr Conyers, in passing from one carriage to another, near this station, came into contuct with a tank and fell, receiving a terrible blow on the forehead and fell on the ground. Ho remains unconscious, and the doctors fear hj may not recover. We lesivo him here, but the sad accident ha.j completely marred the trip. (Signed) BALLANCE." Mat aura, January 22. Mr Conyers struck tho water tank stand, causing his fall. Ho was dragged several yards. Gohe, January 22.

Several doctors who wero in tho train speedily attended to Mr Conyers, The t' rß l~ was not going at any »»«-'» -* ;* fle time 0 f tho accident

] I'KOM THE CORRESPONDENTS OFTiIE PRESS. | In\ ERCABGILIi, January 22.

The train, consisting of fourteen carriages and three break vans, drawn by two American engines, left Dunedin station at twenty minutes past ten this morning. Tokomairiro,

tho first stoppage, waa reached at 11.55, and Balclutha at two, and Clinton half an honr behind time, owing to speed requiring to bo slackened while going over the newly completed sections. Everything had gone db merrily as a marriage bell, the weather being delightful and company in high glee, till the curve on entering East Mat aura was reached, when the sharp shrill shrieks of the engines denoted that something had gone wrong. The cry of " A man off trio train " was passed along, and all on beard were horrified to learn that the victim of the accident was Commissioner Conyers. The train was stopped with all promptness, and hundreds wont along tho line to where the unfortunate gentleman lay, about fifty yards from a water tank, on a pile of sleopers. It appears that he had been riding on the front engine, and a few minutes before was conversing with the driver, who suddenly turning round missed him and gave the alarm. The explanation of the accident is supplied by a woman, the occupant of a cottage near the water tank in question. She states that she was watching the approaching train and saw the person leaning forward from the engine come in contact with the side of the sleeper which supports the tank, and fall off very shortly afterwards. He must have been either endeavoring to speak to some one on the first carriage, or was looking back at the sharp curve the train had just passed over, when he was btruck. Fortunately, there was plenty of medical assistance at hand, and the services of Professor Macgregor, Drs. Murphy, of Dunedin, and J. Gibson Smith, of the Clutha, were requisitioned. By their orders, Mr Conyers was as soon as could be placed in the nearest van, and the train moved slowly into Gore, where on arrival the wound, which is a very severe one on the right temple, and from which blood (lowed freely, was sewn by Dr. Murphy, assisted by Dr. Smith. Mr Conyers remaining unconscious, the medical gentlemen advised his removal from the train, which was done, he being conveyed to the nearest hotel, Dr. Smith volunteering to remain by him. It is needless to state that the accident cast a great gloom over the whole party. Scarcely half an hour before Mr John Ollivier had made a tour of the train, and collected a goodly sum, for the donations came freely, for the purpose of purchasing some articles of jewellery for Messrs Conyers and Grant, as souvenirs of the trip, and the articles were to be presented at the banquet. Over an hour's delay was occasioned at Gore, and other stoppages not reckoned on had to be made, so that it was 6.20 when the train drew up. 10 p.m. At the banquet to-night a telegram dated Gore, 7.50 p.m., was read, in which it was stated that Mr Conyers was then in much tho same state, but if anything slightly better.