Accidents and Fatalities.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3761, 21 April 1908, Page 2

Accidents and Fatalities.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night, A serious collision occurred in the lower harbour at a late hour on Saturday night, resulting it is feared, in the loss of four lives. A large number of members of the Naval Artillery were camped at the heads for the Easter manoeuvres, and some of them were returning to camp about 11 p.m. When opposite Pulling Point, the launch tried to cross the bow of the Lady Roberts, the Government steamer, but failed, and the steamer ran into her, throwing all those in the launch into the water. The following persons are missing: Corporal Robert Slater, of Dunedin Naval Artillery, residing at Mornington, and son of Mr Robert Slater, late member of the Arbitration Court. Gunner Matthews, of Port Chalmers Naval Artillery. Two lads named McPhee, whose parents reside at St. Kilda. The following occupants of the launch were picked up by the Lady Roberts, which remained in the vicinity of the disaster for an hour: —Sergeant H. S. Montgomery, Sergeant Mior, Gunner Reeves, Trumpeter Peters, all of the Port Chalmers Navals; Gunner Birchall, of Dunedin Navals; Bandsman Thomson, of the Garrison Band; the eldest boy McPhee, George Thomson, civilian of Maitland street, and a Dunedin man known as Portuguese Joe, the owner of the launch.

The Lady Roberts returned to Port Chalmers to secure the services of a doctor for two men who were injured in the collision, and then returned to search for the bodies of those missing:, but up to the present they have not been recovered. Slater was 24 years of age and unmarried, and both the boys McPhee, who are missing, were under 14. Gunner Matthews was about 20 years of age. Auckland, Last Night. A young man named Alfred Henry Coxhead, of Miranda, sustained several injuries on Friday morning as the result of a train accident. Coxhead had been to see an Auckland dentist earlier in the week, and was returning by the express for Drury, intending to proceed from there to his home. When near Drury he attempted to alight on the platform, but apparently slipped, and clutched the step. He was dragged along for some distance in this manner, till he let go. ■ When picked up he was unconscious, and had badly injured the base of his skull. He was sent on to the Auckland Hospital by train, and admitted. His condition is critical. Invercargill, Last Night. f ' Three men named Charley Brown, George Saunders and "Banjo" Jones went out fishing in an oil launch from Riverton, on Friday morning, and it is feared that they are drowned. Shortly after noon, a gale, fierce, though short lived, sprang up. The men did not return and search parties went out on Saturday, The boat was found washed ashore on*the Riverton Beach, and from the nature of the movable articles found in it it is considered improbable that she had capsized, but simply swamped. Inquiries along the coast from Bluff to Colsac and on Centre and Stewart Islands, have failed to reveal traces of the men.