HALCOMBE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9440, 10 May 1909, Page 4

HALCOMBE.

From Our Own Correspondent. A fire occurred here on Wednesday last, by which a house owned by Mr Taylor, and occupied by Mr W. Hirst, was with its contents totally destroyed. The building was insured in the South British of £l5O, but the furniture was uninsured, and thus Mr Hirst, for whom sympathy is expressed, suffers heavy losss. On the 7th inst. Mr Heavey, ganger on this section of railway, was the victim of a thoughtless, but not uncommon, act of some of the firemen on the passing engines. 1 This stoker unthinkingly “chucked” a piece of discarded coal from the “cab” which hit Heavey’s head with great force, inflicting serious scalp wounds, and rendering him , nnconsoions. .A doctor was soon in attendance and did all possible for the unfortunate man, who remained insensible for several hours. On. Saturday he was sufficiently recovered to be removed to the Palmerston Hospital, where we hope he will make a rapid and complete Another “near thing” occurred to a youth who, unlike Mr Heavey, [did not “stop” aud “look out for the engine,” but urged the horse he was driving to cross the line in front of a rapidly approaching‘train that was dangerously near. Fortunately the animal showedghe possessed more brains and was a better judge of time and distance than the lad with the whip, by refusing to “risk it,” and backing the cart down the bank rather than haul it into contact with the cowcatcher.

[The Manawatu Times reports that Heavey underwent a serious operation on Sunday, hut the report late last evening was that he was still in a bad way. ]