A SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 238, 22 January 1898, Page 2

A SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

A MAN DISEMBOWELLED.

A young man, named Ronald Galbraith, abo.it 18 years of age, met with an awful accident on Thursday evening at Broadmeadows, Hautapu. He was riding oi a load of straw, when the load slipped and the unfortunate young man tell to the ground, being impaled on a hay fork, which entered his groin and passing upwards tore open his abdomen, the bowels protruding. Dr. Perceval was at once summoned and attended the sufferer, and yesterday morning attended the young man's removal to his uncle's (Mr G. Skene Dixon) house, whither he was carried by Messrs Nixoni Howard, Potts, Ward. Dixon and Lingmuir, members of the ambulance class.

The injuries are of a most severe character, and although Dr. Perceval was able to stitch up the wound on Thursday evening, it is doubtful if Galbraith will recover.

It seems that on falling, the handle o the fork struck the ground coming to an almost np right position, and Galbraith fell on to one of the prongs, on which traces of blood were found.. The force of his fall was so great that the handle of the fork was broken.

A fatality seems to attach to the stack for the fotiodatiou of which Galbraith was engaged carting straw at the time of his accident. The work proceeded up ti'l about 2 o'clock yesterday, when the stack caught fire, presumably through a match carelessly thrown done by one of the workmen, notwichstandiug the orders of the manager, that there was to be no smoking'on the work. In, addition to the unfinished stack, a completed one along side was also burnt ; as also a dray and the frame of a waggon, which was alongside the stack, with a load of hay on it". The horses took fright before they could be got out and cantered about for some little time before they t/exe stopped and unharnessed. Nothingcouldbedone to stop the fire in the stacks, and the effoits of the workmen and manager, Mr Potts, who was soon on the spot, were directed to beating out the fire in the grass, through which it ran uke wild fire, and there was considerable danger of it spreading to a field of wheat adjoining. This fire,was, however, got uuder after some hard work, but the stacks were burning away at the time the news was despatched. It,is estimated that there were about 40 tons of hay in the two stacks, and as it was well saved, the loss will he considerable, and we are heartily_-80rry for Mrs Martyn'a misfortune.