ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 267, 4 November 1908, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

SEIUUtS AC'UDEM OS SIIII'ItUAUL/ Uy 'Telegraph.—Presi Association. Clirisichureli, hast -\igiit. Yesterday afternoon a serious accident occiin-ed on board Hie coln.-i- Uiu port, which was discharging a cargo ui coal at l-yltcltuiij the Victim lieing a man named Alexander Cheer, who was working in Su. U hold. A basket ol coal was being hoisted up wncli ii siruck a derrick and capsiz -,1. A large piece of coal, weighing over hall a hundredweight, i'<-'U ""I of tile basket and struck Greer on the lop of the head, iallictiug terrililc injuries. 'Jiie unfortunate man was at once got up from Heboid and taken to the ao-called casualty ward, where he was attended, lie was operated upon anil it was found h • was sulk-ring from snoek. There was J compressed fracture of the top of the 'skull, which was splintered into small 'pieces, and a fracture of the base of tiie skull. The man's terrible injuries were attended to under the most adve-sc conditions, owing to .the disgraceful j lack of facilities in the ward, which has once more proved to be utterly unsuit able for properly dealing with serious accident eases requiring immediate surgical attention, which in a busy port like Lyttclton are liable to occur at any moment of the day or night.

To-day Mr. Laiirenson, M.P., inspected the ward, and was very indignant at what he saw. and sent a telegram to ,the lion. G. Fowlds, Minister for Public Health, on the matter. Greer passed a fairly good night, lie was still unconscious, although there was a slight improvement ia his condition this morning. YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH. Wellington, Last Night. At the inquest concerning the death of .Mrs. ISraund, wife of an oilieer on the steamer KoiniUa, it was shown that deceased had sull'ered from melancholia, and had taken nitric acid. She recently came out from England, and was married to Mr. llraund live weeks ago. A verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was returned by Dr. McArthur. S.M. MAN MISSING. Thames, Tuesday. Mr. J. IJ. Steedman, an old and highly respected resident of Waikawau. between Thames and Coromandel, has been missing since Sunday. He is over SO years of age, and was last seen at 11 o'clock oil Sunday morning, The creeks 'have been dragged and the surrounding country is now being searched. It is feared'that he has found his way into the waters of the Gulf.