CASUALTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 35

CASUALTIES.

MOTOR CYCLE FATALITY GISBORNE, May 2G. An inquest was opened to-day concerning the death of Edward James Hatton, aged 26 years, who died in Cook Hospital after a motor cycle accident. Evidence was given that passers-by found the deceased and a companion named Frank Gavin on the road early on Sunday night. A motor cycle was lying across the deceased’s back. The wheel of the motor cycle was deflated. Both men were unconscious. Dr Hall, medical superintendent of the Cook Hospital, gave evidence that the deceased was admitted suffering from a fractured skull, hemorrhage and concussion of the brain. An operation was performed and the patient becam'* semi-conscious, but later again became un conscious and died. The coroner, Mr P. H. Harper, S.M., decided to adjourn the inquest in order to hear the evidence of Gavin, who was seriously injured, but whose condition is reported to be improving. WORKMAN ELECTROCUTED HASTINGS, May 26. Thomas Allen, aged about 55, was electrocuted while working at the Whakatu Freezing Works. The deceased was an employee of the Post and Telegraph Department, and was engaged running a telephone line from one part of the works building to another when he came in contact with an 11,000 volt power line and was killed instantly. He lived at Hastings and is survived by his widow. DANGERS OF PETROL AUCKLAND, May 28. Painful burns to both arms and both legs were received by Frank Diggle, aged 28, a single man, when petrol with which he was cleaning a suit he was wearing suddenly ignited early this evening. Diggle .was sponging his trousers with a rag soaked in petrol when he struck a match to light a cigarette. Immediately the match was lighted the fumes from the petrol ignited, and in an instant Diggle’s trousers were blazing. Flames were leaping round his body, and, in an endeavour to beat them out, he had his arms burned also. His condition is not serious. FOUND DEAD IN OFFICE GISBORNE, May 28. A well-known professional man, Mr William Morant Bayly, secretary of the Poverty Bay A. and P. Association, Winter Show, Jersey Cattle Club., etc., was found dead in his office this evening. The deceased came to Gisborne in 1919. He formerly resided in Stratford and Wanganui.

SHIP’S BOATSWAIN DROWNED INVERCARGILL, May 28. J. Breen, aged about 53, boatswain on the Raranga, which is at present at Bluff, fell into the harbour late this afternoon, and was drowned. It is stated that no one actually saw him fall in, but when it was realised what had happened members of the crew quickly removed him from the water. An attempt at resuscitation failed. KILLED BY FALL OF ROCK AUCKLAND, May 31. Fatal injuries were received by John Joseph Flynn, aged 41, of Mount Albert, as the result of being crushed by a large rock in a trench alongside the waterfront road at Kohimarama on Saturday morning. He died in the Auckland Hospital this morning. Flynn was employed by the City Council on excavation work to lower the level of a water main alongside a new road. While bending in a trench five feet by 18 inches he was jammed by a heavy piece of papa .rock which gave way from the top of the trench. He was struck on the hip and back and suffered severe internal injuries. The deceased, who was a widower, is survived by two children. FALL FROM BUILDING NAPIER, May 30. A man whose name is believed to be T. Smith was killed yesterday afternoon when he fell from the top storey of a building. Men were engaged at the time removing steel girders. Smith fell to the bottom floor and broke his back and injured his skull. Another man, Arthur Hughes, broke his ankle, when leaping from a ladder to avoid a falling wall in another building this morning. MOTOR CYCLIST KILLED HASTINGS, May 31. A youth, named Raymond Smith, aged 18, a resident of Napier, was killed instantaneously on Saturday afternoon in Hastings as the result of a collision between his motor cycle and a car driven by a person who is alleged, to have stolen it earlier in the afternoon. Another young man named Chee, who was in the sidecar attached to the motor cycle, was injured, but not seriously. The driver of the car and another occupant are said to have decamped immediately after . the smash and no trace has yet been found of them by the police. The owner of the car, Mr Rangi K. Kamau, of Bridge pa, left it outside the gates of Cornwall Park whilst attending a hockey match. Immediately he found the ca r missing he reported the matter to the police, and it was while he was at the station doing so that the accident in which the car was involved occurred. DEATH FROM BURNS WELLINGTON, May 30. Karl Krans, aged 26, a barman, who was seriously burned in the Panama Hotel fire on May 21, died in the hospital today.

MOTOR CYCLE ACCIDENT CHRISTCHURCH, May 31. Frank Smith, aged 22, and Zoe Aldridge, aged 20, each had a leg fractured and received injuries to the head when a motor cycle which they were riding collided with a tram on Riccarton road last night. FALL DOWN STEPS A man named Leonard Hardie, residing at 196 Castle street, was admitted to the Hospital at 2 a.m. yesterday suffering from severe concussion resulting from a fall down the steps in Maclaggan street. The Hospital authorities reported last night that the injured man was still on the dangerously ill list. MAN’S SUDDEN DEATH Herbert Henry Priston, a married man, 51 years of age, residing at Brighton, died in the Hospital at 9.30 p.m. on Saturday. It is understood that Priston collapsed outside the Gridiron Hotel on Friday evening and remained in a state of collapse all night. He was removed to the Hospital on Saturday, and died during the night. An inquest was opened yesterday before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.; as coroner, when evidence of identification was taken. The coroner ordered a post-mortem examination to be made, and the inquest was adjourned till a date to be arranged later. The deceased was employed by Messrs Powley and Co. as a storeman. DEATH IN HOSPITAL Albert Hamilton, a married man, residing at 20 Playfair street, Caversham, who was admitted to the Hospital some days ago suffering from injuries which he received when he fell down a 17-foot bank _at Shiel’s brickworks, Fairfield, died in the Hospital on Saturday morning. KNOCKED DOWN BY CAR A girl named Mary Cockerell, nine years of age, residing at 173 Moray place, suffered serious injuries to the head when she w-as knocked down by a motor car in Princes street on Saturday afternoon. She was admittted to the Hospital at 5 o’clock, and was placed on the dangerously ill list. FOOTBALLER INJURED A young man named Leonard Reaves, 17 years of age, residing at Jackson street, St. Kilda, was admitted to the Hospital on Saturday afternoon suffering from slight concussion. The injury was received while Reaves was playing football at Alexandra Park.