ACCIDENTS & DEATHS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10304, 13 January 1927, Page 3

ACCIDENTS & DEATHS

FATALITY AT MOTUHORA

MILL WORKER, KILLED

INSTANTLY

STRUCK BY SHAFT CRANK

The history of the sawmilling industry in the Motu district fortunately records few tragedies but, yesterday, there occurred one of the most shocking fatalities recorded in Poverty Bay. At McDonald’s Motuhora sawmill shortly before noon, Walter Beets, an employee, was working on a hauler. On a down grade, the log was speeding along a track at a very fast speed. Suddenly the machinery jammed, and the connecting rod of the crank shaft snapped and flew out catching Beets on the chest and throat, felling him to the ground. Death was instantaneous.

it appears that the log was travelling rapidly down a hill towards the mill when it suddenly went on the track and jammed in behind a large tawa. The sudden strain on the hauler set the rope into reverse and caused the connecting rod of the crank shaft of the engine to snap, and a portion new back hitting the unfortunate driver.

Deceased was a married man with ten children ancl liacl been working for Mr McDonald ever since lie opened up in the Motuhora district. ' An inquest will be held at Motu to-day.

SUICIDE BY SHOOTING. TAIHAPE, Jan. 12. Albert Pendval Love, settler, residing fourteen miles from Taihape, was found clead yesterday in a wliare from a gunshot wound in the head. A shot gun was lying by his side, ft appeared as if deceased had placed tue muzzle to the top of his head and discharged the gun by a string tied to the trigger. Gove was fifty years of age. tie leaves a wife and three young children. At the inquest to-day a verdict or suicide while temporarily insane was returned.

DEATH FROM FRACTURED

SKULL SELF-INFLICTED

STRATFORD, Jan. 12.

Norman Francis Dixon, single, 23 years of age, a farm hand, was yesterday, as a result of queer behaviour, certified .insane and put in a police station cell for removal to a mental hospital. He was in good spirits when visited at 7.3 D, but at eight o’clock he was found dead, appearances being that he had fractured his skull with a sanitary pan. At the inquest a verdict was returned that death was due to a fractured skull, self-inflicted, no blame being attachable to anyone.

CHILD’S ARM AMPUTATED

CRUSHED BY FATHER’S MOTOR LORRY.

PAHIATUA, Jan. 12

A distressing accident occurred at Hu lea nu i on Monday afternoon, when Beryl Mabey, the 31-year-old daughter of R. Mabey, had her arm crushed by a motor lorry. The father was manoeuvring the lorry at Hukanui station yard when he heard a cry and jumped down. He found the rear wheel lying oil the child’s arm. With frantic haste he moved the lorry up a pace, but it was found that the child’s arm was crushed and mangled. She was removed to Pahiatua hospital, whore the arm was amputated.

INFANT’S DEATH FROM NATURAL CAUSES,

PALMERSTON N., Jan. 12. An inquest was held to-day in the courthouse before Mr A. J. Graham into the circumstances surrounding the death of an infant, the illegitimate child of Myrtle Feck, 18, a domestic of Roni ''tea. Myrtle Feck gave evidence that tin* child was too weak at birth to take nourishment and died three days later.

Robert Findlay Aitken, medical practitioner at Johnsonville, in written evidence, stated that the postmortem examination disclosed that the heart was greatly enlarged ancl showing congenital defects sufficient to cause death.

A verdict that the child died from natural causes was returned.—P.A.

Who pnvs the'bill for the injured worker? Consult the Standard Insurmce Company for full protection. — C. G. Bloore. Chief Agent. [i. Seddon, Manager.—Adrt.