ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 149, 20 December 1911, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

i 0 SUICIDE BY CHARCOAL FUMES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Lust Night. A Re'efton man, named Coutts, aged 47, employed at the Ikamatua sawmills, built a small man-house, and arming himself with a charcoal stove and wet sacks, blocked up the aperture, filled it with charcoal fumes and was suffocated. People wondered why Coutts built a box so carefully. At the inquest a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned. A DROWNING FATALITY. Auckland, Last Night. At the inquest on the body of Gerald Alfred Byrne, the victim of a drowning accident in St. George's Bay on Sunday, a verdict of accidental death by drowning was returned. The evidence showed that Albert Nelson, of Parnell, was first to observe the accident, and putting off in a dinghy, secured the. deceased and took him a-sliore, other rescuers picking up three other members of the capsized crew. In recording their verdict the jury gave expression to their appreciation of Albert Nelson's plucky action. A STEVEDORE FATALLY INJURED. Wellington, Last Night. Wm. Whixon, a stevedore, who sustained a severe fall while working on the Manuka last Friday, died to-day in the hospital. He was a single man, aged about 45. A sling of cargo, which was being hoisted, struck him and sent him over the vessel's side on to the wharf, 20 feet below. Ho struck a crane in his descent, and sustained a compound fracture of the skull and other injuries. FALL FROM SCAFFOLDING. Wellington, Last Night. Matthew Ritehlesh, a builder's laborer, while engaged at the new Adelphi Theatre, fell from scaffolding 12 feet high, and sustained an injury to his spine, lie was taken to the hospital for treatment, lie is 42 years of age and married. FOUND DEAD. Gisborne, Last Night. A. farmer of the district, named Major Sliind, was found dead on the road at Waihcrehere to-day. A post mortem will be held to-morrow. There are no details.