ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 314, 30 May 1911, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

A STARTLING DISCOVERY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Gisborne, Monday. Upon liis Tetum from Auckland yesterday, Harold Knnc, chemist, made a rather startling discovery, for, on visiting his shop, he found the manager, Samuel Taylor, lying dead. When Mr. Kane went to the shop it was locked up. He went away, but returned later, and, as the shop was still closed, thought that something was wrong and made investigation, and by climbing through a window gained admittance, and discovered Taylor lying dead on the floor. Deceased was a comparatively young man, and had been in Mr. Kane's employ since .January last. He leaven a wife and family, who were shortly to join him from England. Kano's object in returning to Gisborne was to resume control of the business. Deceased had been drinking. ALLEGED ILLEGAL OPERATION. Auckland, Monday. Alice Hart, aged 22, who resided with her mother, was admitted to the hospital on Friday suffering from an alleged illegal operation and died on Saturday afternoon. An inquest was formally opened yesterday and adjourned till June. FOUND DROWNED. Auckland, Last Night. The body of a man was found in the Waitomo creek last night by Messrs Forster and Challis, and has srncc been identified as that of John Cundy, a carpenter, or Otorohanga, who had been unwell for some time. ACCIDENT ABOARD A STEAMER. Auckland, Last Night. James Raynes, relative of Captain O'Sullivan, of the Taniwha, met with a Serious accident on board the steamer Daphne while that vessel was discharging cargo at Warkworth this morning. Raynes was in the act of going down into the hold to see how the work was progressing, when the spindle in the derrick pulley-block broke, letting down a sling of five sacks of produce, which struck Raynes in the region of the kidneys. He bled profusely, and was examined by the local doctor, who gave him a draught and had him sent to the Auckland hospital.

FELL DOWN A SHIP'S HOLD. Invercargill, Last Night. ' Fred Taylor, a seaman on the Warrimoo, fell down the hold of that steamer at the Bluff to-day, and wag taken to the hospital in a semi-conscious condition. .: , :ii.n,tH' SUICIDE AT TIMARU. Timaru, Last Night. John Jobberns, aged 08, committed suicide on Sunday evening by shooting himself in the mouth with a small rifle in a shed on his farm. A verdict of temporary insanity was returned. Deceased was formerly a commercial traveller. THE KORU FATALITY. At the inquest on the lad George Frederick Thomas Smart,.of Koru, held yesterday before Mr. H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., Coroner, evidence was given that the youth, 17 years of age, was of a bright and sunny disposition, and that the pea-rifle accident which caused his death must have been due to an accident. It was shown that the rifle, a thumb-trigger Winchester, was n dangerous weapon, having a remarkably sensitive spring, so much so that the Coroner remarked tiiat a man ought to be prosecuted for selling such a shockingly dangerous thing. The evidence of the father was that at about five o'clock on Friday evening he heard a crack, and heard his wife and daughter run to the son's room, his wife calling out, "My God, George has shot himself." He found the boy lying on the bed, his feet on the floor, a bullet wound in the forehead, and the rifle between his legs. The deceased's sister gave evidence that he frequently handled the rifle in his room. Dr. Wylie, surgeon, gave evidence of his treatment of the lad at his home and his subsequent admission to the hospital, where he was operated upon, several pieces of bone being removed from the brain surface and the brain substance, but despite this the lad expired at about half-past three on Saturday morning. The pea-rifle is to be destroyed by the police, in compliance with the wish of the deceased's father.