ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 72, 26 March 1891, Page 6

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

A fatal accident is reported from Mr Pilkington's farm ab Panmure, Tamaki West." On March 11th a man named Chas. Davis, formerly of Panmure, was engaged in rolling Something upset him from his seat and his legs being entangled in the reins, he drew the horses hack, and got crushed by the roller. Dr Lewes was called, and did all he could for tne poor fellow. He, however, was terribly injured, and died in spite of all efforts to save him.

An explosion occurred on M arch sth ab the torpedo depOb, Shelly Lay, Wellington, by which two torpedo-men namoa Roas and Decern lost their lives. They were engaged wibh three or four others in filling some small shells with gun cotton When about twelve pounds exploded. Torpedo-man Rosa was 35 years of age, married, and had been a member of the Torpedo Corps for about 5 year?. He had charge of the smithy connected with the station. Rosa was horribly disfigured, his whole body being more or less scorched. Ho had cut 3on both his hips, legs, and lip, and a terrible wound in hia abdomen. Densem's hair was completely burned from tho face, which was covered with a charred mass of blood and cuticle. There was a lacerated contused wound on the left cheek and eyebrow, extending on to the temple. Tho outer skin came off his hand like a glove, while his logs were much scorched, especially about the knees and ankles. At the back of the left arm there were eight lacerated and contused wounds, two _of them being particularly large, exposing lacerated and charred muscles. An inquiry was hold into the causa of tho accident.

Anold settlor, Charles Griffon, metwibha»J accidenb on March 3rd, which terminate" fataliy. Griffen has been in the Port Alber. district for some thirty years. He was an old soldier, and took part in tho Maori war in 1564. The injuries were received by beino-thrown from a young horse. Griffin was night watchman at the Kauri Timber Company's Mill. A strange fatality occurred ab Ponsonby on March 5, a young woman named Emma Lilian Whittingham having died, after a brief bub very painful illness, which, according to medical testimony, was caused by phosphorous poisoning. The deceased wa3 a 'healthy looking young woman slightly over 21 years of age, the daughter of Mrs Cameron, who resides in College Road, Ponsonby, by her first husband. She was nob married, and for some time past had been in service with MrsPercival,ofParnoll. Anir.questwashold on tbe following afternoon ab bhe Suffolk Hotel. A verdicb was reburr.ed " Thab deceased died from poisoning by phosphorous taken by hersolf while in a state of temporary insanity."

On March 9th a very 3erious accident happened bo a young man named George Wallace Owen, aboub 19 years of age, son of Mr G. W. Owen, of Shelly Beach Road, Ponsonby. Young Owen, wibh twofriend3 named Leighton and Johnston, were down at Mobubapu in bhe yachb Muriel on a cruise, and had put into Sandy Bay for some shooting. In the afternoon the young fellows were dawdling aboub taking things easy, when one of them accidenbally kicked against a gun lying on the ground. The gun went off; and the full charge of shot was deposited in bhe leg of Owen, who was a few yards off. Sandy Bay is a somewhat out-of-the-way spob, andhelp was urgenbly needed. But tho Lizard had yesterday morning brought down the Governor and party on a shooting expedition, and they were close at hand. Thoy wero informed of the accident. Capt. Grenfell, one of bhe parby, bound up the wound as woll as possible to stop the bleeding; and Dr. Oakloy, surgeon of the Lizard,' was sent for. Mr Reid supplied the surgeon with a horse, and he did what ho could for the sufferor. The Lizard then steamed round to Sandy Bay.and about seven o'clock the whole parby atarbed for Auckland. On bheir arrival Lord Onslow vory kindly placed his carriage ab the disposal of Dr. Oakloy to have Owen conveyed to tho Hospital, but on the way up it was decided at the request of Owen himself to convey him to his parents' home, Dr. Knight accepting bhe responsibility. Owen is now doing very well. A fatal babhing accidenb occurred a h Brighton Beach, Chrisbchurch, on March 9Ib appears thab Mr Brown, grocer, of Belfast, drove his family to the Beach and shortly after their arrival their son, aged twelve years, went into the sea to bathe. He got into difficulties and tho lather wenb to his assistance. Both were drowned. Mrs Brown waited on the beach some time and then returned to Belfast. She was so sorrow-stricken, however, at witnessing tho death of her husband and son thab she was unable to give any particulars of tha affair. The bodies were recovered later near the mouth of the Waimamakiriri.

A fatal accident, v/hich has thrown quite a gloom over the Paparoa district, occurred on March 14. It appears thab Miss Louisa Fenwick, aged 18 years, was oub riding, and afber proceeding aboub three miles°from home was thrown violently and dragged a great distance. Aa soon as found sho was carried to the house of Mrs Masson, bub died immediately afterwards. She never regained consciousness. She was a niece of Mr Cliff, Paparoa.

On March 18fch, at tho Aratapu Hotel, Kaipara, an inquest was held on the body of Thomas Lyons, a gumdigger, wbo was drowned in Kaipara Harbour. Tbe deceased came to the colony in 1879 in tho ship City of Auckland, was aboub 34 years of age, and was a nabive of Ireland. He had his life insured for £200. The jury returned tho following verdict: " Deceased, met his deabh by accidentally falling off the weather side of his boat, through being in a woak and nervous state after' drink. Wo also believe that every effort was made by his companion, Patrick Power, to save deceased from drowning."

Mr J. B. Gresson, solicitor, Christchurch, meb with a serious accident near Southbrook on March 17. He was seated on the platform of the North train with his face to the engine and was suddenly observed to fall. The train pulled up five chains further on and assistance went back. Gresson was found lying insensible on the metal. Ib was found thab the wheels of one carriage and the guard's van passed over his shoulder. Soon after he regained consciousness, and •was removed to Rangiora and attended by two local doctors. Mr Gresson succumbed to his injuries at half-past twelve.

On the 24th of February Mrs Gillespie, of Western Springs, was washing and had lit a fire outside to boil tho water. Her infant son Allen Howell Gillespie was playing about the yard. She was obliged to go" away for a minute to hang up some clothes. When she came back she was horrified to see the child enveloped in flames. He had presumably fallen into the fire, but just managed bo scramble oub. The measures to extinguish tho burning clothing were prompt and successful and Dr. Walker was sent for. He saw the child and also abbended ib the next day, when he lef b remedies and instructions, saying that if any change took place he was to be sent for. Presumably all wenb well till March 9th, when collapse set in, and before medical aid could be obtained the unfortunate little child died,

Jusb over six months ago the barque Kentish Lass, Captain Johnson, a wellknown inter-colonial trader, sailed from Hokianga for Sydney with a cargo of kauri timber and was never heard of again. It is presumed thab she foundered off the New Zealand coasb in one of the terrible gales

which prevailed about that time. No trace of wreckage or any sign of tho lost vessel had been found until a few days ago, when Mr T. Hill, Collector of" Customs ab this port, received the following wire from the postmaster ab Kohukohu, Hokianga: — " Squared kauri log marked \V 547, found washed upon beach ab Kawerua, Hokianga, Has been identified as one of those shipped on board missing barquo Kentish Lass." Tho Kentish Lass was an English-built wooden barque of 306 Cons, owned in Wellington. She eicared ab Hokianga on June 14th, 1800, for Sydney. The greater number of her crew belonged to Wellington.

A labourer named Frank W. Thompso" went into the sea at Gisborne to bathe, and after a search his dead body was found in the surf. Ib is supposed ho had fainted on entering tho water, for ho was a good swimmer. The place where ho bathed was quite shallow.

A skull has been found at the Watercourse, top of Cieddon Valley, Milford Sound, believed to be that oi" Quill.one of the Government survey party, wiio Jost bis life some weeks ago. The discovery was made by two brothers of the deceased. From where tho remains wero found to bhe top of the cliff over which Quill is supposed to have fallen is two thousand feet, and almost perpendicular, so death must have been instantaneous.

A very sudden death occurred last week in the Karangahape Ward. Sir Thomas Hooper, a well - known and highly respected resident of Essex-street, off Newton Road, was standing conversing with his daughter in the garden, when suddenly he foil down apparently in an apoploctie lit. Deceased was 76 years of ago, and leaves a wifo and two adult daughters to mourn their loss.

A minor named Matthew Douciatti was found dead in his claim near Goldsborough, Hokitika, March 20. He had nob been observed aboub sinco Saturday, ao probably ho had been dead some days. Death apparently was due to a fall of earth.