40914 Private Francis Alexander Dunn, (25/5/1893-23/10/1918). "she loved him best"

Private Frank A. Dunn, who was reported wounded in France on October 23, is the sixth son of Mr and Mrs John Dunn, Otamita. Private Dunn was born at Arthurton and educated at the Knapdale school and Gore High school. He joined up with the 23rd Reinforcements, and was 25 years of age. Prior to enlisting he was in partnership with his brother, Mr D. Dunn, of the firm Dunn Bros., of the Gore foundry.  -Mataura Ensign, 21/11/1918.

IN MEMORIAM

FOR THE EMPIRE.

DUNN. — In loving memory of Private Frank Dunn, killed in action October 23, 1918. 

We miss thee from our home, dear Frank, We miss thee from thy place

A shadow o’er our life is cast, We miss the sunshine of thy face.

'Tis hard to break the tender chord, When love has bound the heart; 

’Tis hard, so hard, to speak the words, "We for a time must part.’' 

IN MEMORIAM.

FOR THE EMPIRE. 

DUNN. — In loving memory of Private F. A. Dunn (Frank), 23rd Reinforcement, who was killed in France on October 23, 1918. 

She loved him best who knew him well. 

Inserted by M.M.G.  -Mataura Ensign, 23/10/1919.

There is a discrepancy between Frank Dunn's date of death in the newspapers of the time and his memorial on his family's gravestone.  It might have been because he was initially reported missing, then wounded, then dead, on a busy day for the Otago Infantry Regiment.

Timaru Cemetery.

Alan McDonald, (1866-30/10/1922). "gunpowder and gelignite"

A serious accident happened in the municipal quarry yesterday afternoon. Mr John McDonald was engaged blasting rock, and, using a short piece of fuse, the explosion took place, before he got clear, with the result that he was seriously injured by rock and debris striking him in the face. A medical man was immediately sent for, and members of St. John Ambulance conveyed the injured man to the Public Hospital. On inquiry late last night it was ascertained that his condition was critical.  -Timaru Herald, 21/10/1922.

FATAL ACCIDENT.

DEATH OF A QUARRYMAN

INQUEST ADJOURNED

The death occurred at the Timaru Hospital at an early hour yesterday morning of Alan AugusD.no McDonald, an employee at the municipal quarry at Gleniti, who was injured by an explosion at the quarry on Friday, October 20, in the course of his employment. 

An inquest into the circumstances of the accident was opened yesterday afternoon at the Courthouse, Timaru, before the District Coroner (Mr E. D. Motley). 

Donald Eric Ross, foreman at the Borough Council quarry, gave evidence of identification. Deceased was employed by the Borough Council as head man, and held a certificate of competency as a manager or foreman from the Inspector of Quarries. Deceased was employed on October 20, the date of the accident, using a hand drill. He had a hole of about 11 feet bored, and this was cleaned out by means of a galvanised iron pump at frequent intervals. The pump became jammed, and deceased put a small quantity of powder down in the hope of moving the pump. Witness could not say if there was gelignite attached to the fuse or not, but deceased spoke to him about using a piece of gelignite. Witness did not know what length of fuse was used. Before setting the shot deceased cried "Fire!” and witness immediately looked out of the office window, where he was at work, and saw the explosion. Witness saw someone falling over, and went to where the explosion took place. Here he found deceased in a sitting position. Witness asked deceased, who was then conscious, how it happened, and the latter said “Instantaneously.” Witness could not surmise how the accident happened, but deceased was an experienced man and exceptionally careful. Witness had known deceased for 30 years, and for 29 years McDonald had resided with him. He considered deceased was 56 or 57 years of age, and, he thought, was born in Victoria. Witness had not known deceased’s parents, but the father died when deceased was five years of age and the mother when he was 12. Witness would not consider a shot such as was set to be dangerous at all. 

To the Coroner: From the injuries received by deceased witness considered that his face must have been nearly directly over the hole when the explosion took place. It was very seldom that a pump became jammed, and witness did not know of a case where explosives had been used. 

The inquest was adjourned till Thursday next, so that inquiries could be made.  -Timaru Herald, 31/10/1922.

QUARRY FATALITY.

THE EXPLOSION AT GLENITI.

CORONER'S VERDICT.

The inquiry into the, circumstances of the death or Allan Augustine McDonald, resultant on injuries received in an explosion in the Timaru municipal quarry on October 20, was resumed yesterday forenoon, before the District Coroner, Mr E. D. Mosley. 

Peter Charles Bower stated that he was employed in the municipal quarry at Gleniti. On the day in question he was working with the deceased drilling a hole for a large shot. When the hole was nearly 11 feet in depth the pump became jammed. Attempts to free the pump by means of a rod failed, and deceased went to the magazine, where he got powder, fuse, and a piece of gelignite. Deceased put the powder in the hole, taking a handful out of the bag. There was room for the powder to drop between the pump and the side of the hole. The hole was dry on the surface and all the way down to just where the pump was. Witness was very careful to see that no powder whatever was left on the surface. Deceased was in a kneeling position when he was putting the powder in the hole. There was a howling nor’-wester blowing at the time, and it was difficult to get a match lighted. Deceased put about an inch of gelignite to the fuse and got it lighted. Then he leaned over and dropped the fuse into the hole. Witness considered that the wind blew the sparks from the fuse down the hole, causing an instantanous explosion. Deceased did not move after he put the fuse down the hole before the explosion occurred. The powder bag was tied up and put at a safe distance before the fuse was lighted. Witness thought it was the damp sediment from the bottom of the hole which was blown up into deceased’s face. Due warning was given that a shot was about to be fired, and witness went back a few paces, but deceased had not time to get back. Witness considered that the procedure adopted to free the pump was quite safe.

To Inspector Whitney: There was a detonator put on the end of the fuse before it was inserted into the gelignite. Witness had not, in his previous experience, known an occasion where powder had been used to free a pump. Deceased was quite well aware of any danger there was. The hole had not been worked for a day, and was quite dry.

Donald Eric Ross, foreman at the municipal quarry, recalled, and in cross-examination by Inspector Whitney, stated that he had never known explosives to be used for freeing a pump. He had never known powder used in that particular way. He considered the plan adopted by deceased of closing the hole would have been quite safe had not deceased been directly over the hole at the time of the explosion. Nothing would have come out of the hole, in his opinion, but the loose stone dust and mud at the bottom of the hole. He considered deceased would have been quite safe at a few paces distance. 

Dr. G. H. Ussher said that he was called to the hospital on the date of the accident, where he examined the deceased. He was suffering from extensive injuries to his face, and from swelling of the tissues of the neck. His face was quite black and charred. Both eyes were extensively damaged, and the eyelid of the right eye was missing. The right cheek was also badly battered and the injuries extended to the back of the throat. Deceased was then also suffering considerably from shock. The injuries could have been caused by an explosion at close quarters, and particles of grit and powder were buried in the flesh. Deceased gradually became worse, septic conditions intervening in the lungs. Death was due to septic absorption and heart failure, the result of the injuries. 

Dr. Elaine Gurr, assistant medical officer at Timaru Hospital, said that deceased was admitted to the hospital on October 20. She described the nature of deceased’s injuries much on the lines of the previous witness. Deceased died on the tenth day after the accident, from septic absorption and heart failure. 

The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to septic absorption and heart failure, the result of injuries received from a premature explosion of gunpowder and gelignite with which the deceased was endeavouring to loosen a pump stuck in a hole that was being bored in rock in the Borough Council’s stone quarry at Gleniti. Death was accidental, and no blame was attachable to the officials of the quarry.  -Timaru Herald, 3/11/1922.

Timaru Cemetery.

Thomas Haskins Butler, (1860-28/9/1923). "fell on to the deck"

Fatal Accident. 

An accident which resulted in the death of H. T. Butler, a man over 60 years of age, occurred on the waterfront early on Thursday evening. A number of men were unloading motorcars from the Trelevan at No. 3 wharf, and it appears that just before the accident the deceased was standing on a large case in one of the railway trucks. On another case being lowered, he seized it with a hook which, not gripping properly, slipped, and Butler fell on to the wharf. He was unconscious for a short time, and when Dr. Gabites arrived he complained of a pain in his shoulder and over his right eye. He was removed to his home, and later one of the blood vessels in his head became ruptured, with the result that haemmorhage supervened. He died at three o'clock yesterday morning. An inquest will be held at 10 o'clock this morning.  -Press, 29/9/1923.

WHARF FATALITY.

INQUEST ON WATERSIDER. 

The inquest concerning the death of T. H. Butler, Hunt Street, who died on Friday morning as the result of au accident on No. 3 wharf on Thursday night, was held on Saturday morning before the District Coroner (Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.). 

Senior-Sergeant Fahey conducted the inquest. Mr F. J. Rolleston appeared for the New Zealand Shipping Company, and Mr S. Andrews, stationmaster, Timaru, watched the proceedings on behalf of the Railway Department.

Clarence Henry Shannon Butler, son of the deceased, gave evidence of identification. His father was 63 years of age and was employed by the Railway Department at the wharf on casual labour. Deceased was brought home from work on Thursday last in a taxi. He said his shoulder was strained and that his head was troubling him. Deceased said that he fell off a truck and did not remember anything else. Dr Gabites was sent for, that was between 7 and 8 p.m. Witness’s father died at 3 a.m. on Friday.

William J. Dass said that he was working with deceased in a truck alongside the s.s. Trelevan unloading motor cars When witness and deceased were in the act of slewing round a case to enable another case to drop into position, deceased took his hook, caught it in the corner of the case, and was in the act of assisting to slew it around when the hook slipped. Deceased overbalanced and fell on to the deck of the wharf. 

To Mr Rolleston: The accident was not attributable to any operation m unloading, and had nothing to do with the ship. The operation of unloading from the sling was complete. 

H. d’Eganneh said that on the date in question he was engaged tallying on the Trelevan. Witness saw deceased in a truck just prior to the accident, and gave corroborative evidence of the actual mishap. Every attention was given deceased till the arrival of the doctor, very soon afterwards. 

Dr Gabites. stated that he was summoned to the wharf on Thursday evening at about 7.30 o’clock where an accident had occurred. On arriving at the harbour he found deceased conscious but suffering from shock. Witness was told that the man had been unconscious. Deceased complained of a pain in his right shoulder and above the right eye. There was no abrasion over the right eye. Witness gave instructions for deceased to be removed to his house in Hunt Street. Before being moved deceased said he felt better and tried to walk, assisted by two men. Witness went to deceased's house with him to see if he was all right and gave instructions as to his treatment. Witness was afraid that a reaction might take place with haemorrhage of the brain as a result of the accident. Witness promised to look back the following morning. At 1.30 a.m. on Friday witness was summoned to deceased house. On arriving there he found Butler breathing heavily. It was evident from the symptoms that deceased was suffering from haemorrhage of the brain and that he could not last the night. Witness remained with deceased for some time but Butler died about an hour later. Deceased died from cerebral haemorrhage due to a fall. The question of an operation was impracticable. 

The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, adding that the mishap was entirely accidental, blame being attachable to no one. His Worship expressed sympathy with the widow and family of deceased in the sad and sudden loss of a highly respectable and hard working husband and father. Mr Rolleston on behalf of the Shipping Company associated himself with of the Coroner, expressing sympathy with the bereaved.   -Timaru Herald, 1/10/1923.

Timaru Cemetery.

James David Ramsay, (1/1915-1/11/1922) "a fine lad"

DEATHS.

RAMSAY. — On November 1st., at Glen-iti, James David, beloved eldest eon of D. and E. Ramsay, in his eighth year. (Accidently drowned.)  -Timaru Herald, 2/11/1922.

DROWNED IN A DAM

INQUEST REGARDING GLEN-ITI FATALITY. 

The inquest concerning the death by drowning of James David Ramsay, son of Mr and Mrs David Ramsay of Glen-iti, was held at the residence of the parents yesterday afternoon before, the District Coroner, Mr E. D. Mosley S.M..  Senior Sergeant Fahey conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police. 

Mrs .Ramsay said that James David Ramsay, the deceased was her son. He was seven years and ten months old, and was a pupil at Glen-iti school. On Wednesday he was at school and returned home for his dinner at noon, going back to school afterwards. He came back from school at ten minutes to three and was then alone. He changed his clothes, had afternoon tea, and left for his uncle’s home which was in close proximity at 3.10 p.m. She did not see any one go away with her son and did not see him again until about 5 p.m. when he was brought back dead.

David Hammy, painter, Glen-iti, said he was the father of the deceased boy, and he gave evidence of identification.

Thos. Wm. Curr, a boy aged 7 years of age, said he attended the Glen-iti school. On Wednesday afternoon he met James Ramsay after school just outside his gate. He went with deceased to the latter’s uncle's place which was close by. After leaving there they went down the lane, bird-nesting and through a fence and across a paddock towards tile dam. Witness and deceased then looked through a pipe and saw a file which he threw into the dam. Deceased then tried to find the file by feeling with a long stick. When he was near the place where the file was thrown he lost his balance and fell in. Witness sang out — “Come out Jim at once,” but the deceased did not speak. Deceased went down under the water and came up again, and was moving his arms and legs. After that he went down again and witness saw him a little later but he went straight down after that and witness did not see him again, but only saw some bubbles. Witness then ran and told George Ramsay, the boy’s uncle, what had happened. 

George Ramsay, dairy farmer, Glen-iti, said that on Wednesday afternoon the previous witness informed him that his nephew, James David Ramsay, had fallen into the dam. Witness immediately went to the dam and took a fork with him. He took the depth of the water which was about 3ft 6in. He could find no trace of his nephew in the dam and set out to look for him elsewhere. Finding that he had left his home to come to his (witness’s) place he returned to the dam after going to deceased’s grandfather’s place. Mrs Ramsay, the boy’s mother, and his (witness’s) father also went with him to the dam. On going along the bank witness saw foot marks, and another neighbour, Mr Smith, came on the scene and they then dragged the dam with a fork. Mr R. J. McKeown was also present during the dragging. The first time they dragged they found the body. The body was examined on being taken from the dam but life was extinct. It was at least 45 minutes from the time witness was told that the boy had fallen into the water till his body was procured. The body of the deceased was then taken, to his father’s house.

R. J. McKeown said that on Wednesday afternoon he heard that the deceased had fallen into the dam when he was at the home of deceased’s father. He assisted in dragging for the body of deceased and bringing it to the bank. There was no sign of life when the body was brought to the surface.

The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death by being accidentally drowned in a dam on the property of George Ramsay. Mr Mosley feelingly expressed his sorrow with Mr and Mrs Ramsav in the sad disaster which had overtaken them. The boy appeared to have been a fine lad and one could only regret that he had been cut off in his early youth.  -Timaru Herald, 3/11/1922.

Timaru Camatery.

Allan Coupland, (1890-3/11/1926). "taken with a seizure"

DEATHS.

COUPLAND. — On November 3, at Pareora (suddenly), Allan, the youngest son of the late Robert and Mary Coupland, of Otipua; aged 36 years. At rest. Private interment.  -Timaru Herald, 5/11/1926.

INQUEST.

SUDDEN DEATH AT PAREORA.

 On Wednesday evening, Allan Coupland, a single man living at Otipua, was visiting a friend named Wilkins at Pareora West. He had supper and was preparing to leave when he was taken with a seizure, and collapsed and died before medical aid could be summoned. An inquest was held at Timaru Courthouse last evening by the District Coroner (Mr E. D. Mosley). Evidence was given by Arthur E. Wilkins, Archibald Coupland, John Coupland, Dr. Ussher, and Constable Swan. The verdict, as a result of a postmortem examination, was returned that death was due to syncope, following on acute oedema of the lungs as a result of an embolism.  -Timaru Herald, 5/11/1926.

Timaru Cemetery.

Valarie Carson Ferguson, (1928-11/4/1940). "startled the horse"

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS

CHILD FATALLY INJURED. 

Valerie Carson Ferguson, aged 12 years, a daughter of Mr J. W. Ferguson, Evans street, Timaru, suffered shocking head injuries and died instantly when a dray drawn by a bolting horse overturned down a bank at the Timaru abattoirs yesterday afternoon. 

Audrey Fairbrother, aged 10, received an injury to her back, and John Roberts, an employee of the borough council, fractured ribs and shock. Roberts, with two girls in the dray, was returning from work, and when passing through a gate to reach the stables in one of the abattoirs paddocks the horse bolted. Leaving the road leading to the beach, the horse ran up a hill, then swung around and raced downhill, the dray capsizing over the bank bordering the road.  -Evening Star, 12/4/1940.

GIRL’S DEATH

Pinned Under Dray

Inquest Concluded

The inquest into the death of Valerie Carson Ferguson, aged 12, who was killed when a dray drawn by a bolting horse overturned near the Borough Council abattoir on April 11, was concluded before the Coroner (Mr H. Morgan) yesterday. The verdict was that the girl died from a broken neck, “such injury being received when a horse attached to a dray into which she had just climbed took fright and bolted. The dray was overturned on top of her.” 

John Roberts, a driver employed by the Timaru Borough Council, said that on April 11, at 4.30 p.m., he was returning to the Council stables in Eversley Street with a horse and dray. As he was going along Waimataitai Street to the stables, three little girls followed the dray. They asked for a ride, which he refused. When he reached the entrance to the stable paddocks, he got out to open the gate. After he had taken the horse through and had shut the gate, he was climbing back on to the dray when he saw Valerie Ferguson and another girl climbing into the dray from the rear. He told them to go away, as he had instructions not to allow strangers in the dray. As the girls were getting into the dray Valerie Ferguson called out to another girl some distance away. The noise made by the girls startled the horse, which started to move forward. As a result witness slipped on the shaft of the dray and fell to the ground, the left wheel of the dray passing over his back. He was unable to move owing to the injury, but could see the horse bolting up the hill. He did not see the dray overturn or the girls fall out. Witness added that the horse was a quiet animal, but evidently got a fright when the girls called out. 

William McKenzie, a labourer, residing at 153 Evans Street, said that he saw Roberts driving to the pound before the accident. Three girls were following the dray, and one, whom he recognised as his niece, he called away. When the dray stopped the other two girls climbed into it. The attention of witness was distracted for a moment, and he next saw the horse galloping in the paddock and running up an incline off the track. He did not see Roberts, but saw the girls in the dray. Audrey Fairbrother was kneeling down and clinging to the right hand side, while Valerie Ferguson was bouncing about in the dray. When the horse was 50 yards up the incline, it swerved sharply away to the left from a fence and went back in the direction of the track at the bottom of the bank. As it was going down the bank, the horse swerved again to the right with a result that the dray turned over. Witness ran to the scene and met the girl Fairbrother on the track. She said she was all right and went home. Arriving at the dray he found that the horse had broken the harness and was standing in front of the stables, while the dray was resting on the right wheel. Valerie Ferguson was lying partly underneath the dray, just in front of the wheel, but no portion of the dray was resting on her body. The girl appeared to be dead. Witness then found Roberts lying against a bank in the paddock near the gate. He appeared to be suffering pain and could speak only in a whisper. He asked witness to help the children. 

Audrey Mary Fairbrother, aged 10, gave evidence of climbing into the dray with Valerie Ferguson as Roberts was closing the gate. When Roberts was climbing into the dray the horse moved forward and he slipped underneath. The horse ran fast up the hill. She did not remember how she got out of the dray.

Henry Thickett, butcher, Stafford Street, said he was driving a van down the bill towards the pound, when ne saw a horse leap out of the shafts of a dray which had overturned. The driver, who was on the ground, told him to get to the dray as fast as he could. The first person he saw on the scene was a small girl lying underneath the dray with the iron rim of a wheel resting firmly across her head. He immediately released the weight off the girl. There was a pool of blood by the girl’s head, but she was still breathing. Others soon arrived on the scene. 

Formal evidence was given by Constable C. G. Gadsby. 

The hearing was adjourned for a period while the evidence of Dr. C. A. Patterson was taken at his residence. The doctor said that he was called to the scene of the accident where he examined the injured girl and found life already extinct. He examined the body later at the hospital and found the neck broken and indications of a fracture at the base of the skull. The right collarbone was fractured and there were heavy abrasions on the chest. In his opinion death was caused by a broken neck.  -Timaru Herald, 7/5/1940.

Timaru Cemetery.

Henry John Keenan, (1903-12/11/1939). "in the pumping chamber"

MAN DROWNED.

Tragedy at Klondyke. 

BODY FOUND IN PUMP-HOUSE. 

The body of Mr Henry John Keenan, aged 37 years, who resided at Timaru, was found in the pumping chamber at the pump-house at Klondyke this morning. 

Mr Keenan went on duty at midnight, to watch the electric pumps which supply water to the County races near the intake to the irrigation race a mile or two above the headquarters of the Public Works Department. He was to have come off duty at 8 a.m., but the relief man who went to the pumping station 15 minutes before that hour could not find any trace of Mr Keenan. 

The pumping chamber was drained and the body was found at the bottom. The body was brought to the morgue at the Ashburton Public Hospital, where an inquest was opened this afternoon by the District Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst). Only evidence of identification was taken.  -Ashburton Guardian, 13/11/1939.

INQUEST HELD

DEATH OF PUMP ATTENDANT.

Accident at irrigation works. 

That death was due to asphyxia caused by immersion in water, deceased apparently having accidently slipped in to the sump at the North Hinds River irrigation excavation while going on duty at midnight on November 12-13; there being no evidence to show how he fell into the water. This was the verdict given by the District Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst) at the conclusion of the inquest hold yesterday afternoon into the death of Henry John Keenan, aged 36, of Timaru, who was found dead at the bottom of an excavation sump at the Public Works diversion race near Surrey Hills last Monday week.

Constable J. A. Paddy (Methven) conducted the police inquiry, Mr W. D. Campbell (Timaru) represented the Public Works Department and Mr J. G. Leckie (Timaru) appeared for the New Zealand Workers’ Union and Keenan’s relatives. 

Arthur Charles Henderson, a carpenter, employed by the Public Works Department at Rangitata, stated that about 11.15 p.m. on November 12 he passed deceased on the road, and he appeared to be in good health and in cheery spirits. Deceased was on his way to work, and they exchanged greetings. 

Frederick Brown, a labourer employed by the Public Works Department gave evidence that he was one of the first six to arrive at the sump on the following morning. The first thing he noticed when he arrived was the lights of the machine were on. In his opinion deceased was raising the handle of the pump which became detached from the pump and caused him to fall backwards.

Medical evidence was given by Dr. J. Russell Wells who said that death was due to asphyxia caused through immersion in water, but there was no post mortem evidence to indicate how deceased fell in. There was no evidence of alcohol having been consumed. 

Walter Bignell, an overseer, employed by the Public Works Department at the Rangitata diversion race gave evidence that at 8.15 a.m. on November 13. he made an inspection of the pumping plant. If the deceased had been carrying out his work during the night the sump, which was 16 feet deep, would have been empty. The sump was full to the top with water. He ordered the sump to be emptied and the body of deceased was found at the bottom. The plant was standing on a wooden decking over one edge of the excavation and there were three feet on either side of the plant for the attendant to walk on while attending the plant. 

In reply to Mr Leckie witness said that there were no rails around the sump at the time of the accident, but since then protections had been put up. He said he considered that it had not previously occurred to him that there was any need for a protecting rail. There was a hole in the decking over which it may have been possible for the deceased to have tripped. 

To Mr Paddy witness said that Keenan may not have fallen off the decking into the sump. He may have fallen off the track on the north side of the excavation.

Constable Paddy gave evidence of finding of the body after the excavation had been drained. He said that Keenan fell into the water after slipping on the decking which that night would have been in a slippery condition on account of a heavy frost.  -Ashburton Guardian, 23/11/1939.

Timaru Cemetery.