NAPIER.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2507, 18 January 1877, Page 2

NAPIER.

Wednesday. An inquest was held this afternoon on the body of Susan McMahon, aged 70, who was run over by a railway train yesterday afternoon. The woman resides in one of the Government immigrants' cottages abutting on the railway, not far from the Napier terminus. She was going home, and was crossing the line when the 3 p.m. train to the Spit came upon her. She was seen by the engine driver, just as she. stepped on to the line, about ten. yards in front, and with her back towards him. He called out to her, whistled, and reversed the engine, but could not stop it before it-knocked her down. When picked up one foot and one arm were nearly severed, hanging only by shreds. She was taken to the hospital, and died last night. A verdict of " Accidental death" was returned,

and a rider added censuring the authorities for not fencing in the line at those portions where it passes through populated districts. The Lingards have been very successful in "Our Boys/ drawing immense houses. Yesterday, at Waipawa, an inquiry was opened into the matter of the petition of the Hon. Henry Russell against the return of Sydney Johnson for the Waipukurau Riding, Waipawa County. -Evidence only was taken, and the legal argument reserved. . Besides allowing plural voting, and rejecting the votes of a person entitled to vote, the Returning Officer closed the poll for a quarter of an hour, while he went to inquire if the qualification was correct of a person who tendered a vote. Ho also closed the polling place for half an hour while the scrutineers and the poll clerk went to lunch, he remaining outside to keep voters who might come in and talk until the scrutineers returned.