ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1896, Page 6

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES.

Two boys named Becker were drowned in Ida Valley, near Clyde, Obago, on Dec. 30.

A girl named Goldfinch, aged about 17, was drowned when bathing at Island Bay, Welltngbon, on January 6th,

A young man named Alberb Edward Fox was drowned in bho Wairau River, Blenheim, on Dec. 29, when bathing.

A boy aged 12, son of Mr Herman Hompleman, was drowned while bathing near bhe railway bridge, Kaiapoi (Canterbury), on Jan. 1.

Ab Sbanley Brook, Nelson, on Jan. 2, a young woman agod 19, named Mary Annie Biggs, had a sunstroke and died soon afberwards.

An eighb year old daughber of Mr Georg 6 Burling, of Alfredbon, near Maaterbon, was killed bhrough bhe capsizing of a bullock dray in which she was riding.

Charlea Aiiißworth, sawmiller, aged 45, was drowned while bathing in a waber-holo ab Rata, near Mar bon, on New Year's Day. He leaves a widow and bhree children.

A farmer named Henry Squire was drowned in the Pareora river, Tiinaru. He was after somo catble ab the timo, whon ho got into a deep hole, and becoming unseated from his horse, was drowned.

A man named Jamas Howe, a surfaceman on tho Wollington-Manawatu Railway line, haa beon admitted bo bho hospital ab Palmersbon North, suffering from internal injuries caused by being crushed between a truck and a houso which was being removed.

During bhe passage of' the barque Tillie Baker from New York to Wellington, whon off Western Australia, a sailor named Harry Wybarg waa washed overboard. A norbhwosb gale was blowing, and nothing could bo done bo save the unforbunabo man. He was aged 37, and a native of Sweden.

On January 3rd about 11 p.m., a fow young men went to bathe in tho Manukau Harbour. A young fellow named Jumas Hart, whose parents live ab Bombay, wenb oub of his depth and was drowned. Ho was somo years ago adopted by his undo, Mr Young, of Ihumata, Mangcro, and was a great favourite with tha settlors of bho district.

William Hugo, of minstrel fame, died in the Masterton Hospital on January the 12th. Tho cause of his doath was concussion of tho brain. How tho injuries wero obtained is a mystery, as owing to the condition of tho man, no depositions wero taken. From broken statements made to the custodian of the hospital, ib would appear thab Hugo waa injured in a row, but whether ab Wellington or Masterton is not certain.

A miner named James Ken worthy, aged 69, expired very suddenly ab Kawakawa on the 23rd December. On tho morning of bhab dabe he wenb to work at bho mine, apparently in his usual health, bub whilo lighting a candle in tho presence of bwo of hia mates, before entering tho mine, ho fell from where ho was sitting, and died almoab immediately. Ho leaves a widow and several grown up children in Kawakawa and surrounding districts.

An awfully sudden death occurred on Dec. 29 at bhe Vicboria Hobol, in Victoriaabreeb. Mr Michaol Kiely, a boarder, dropped dead ab bhe tea-table ab about six p.m. Deceased, who was aboub 54 years of ago. was a contractor, carrying on business ab Gieborno. He arrivod in Auckland on Docember 24th to spend tho holidays. Ho was a widower, hia wife having died fourteen yeara ago, and he leaves no family, bub has a brother in Giaborno nnd a sister in Chriabchurch. He was a very temperate man, and had nob touched any inboiicabing liquors for several yonre.

A sad bathing accidenb happened ab Giaborne on tho afternoon of January 15th. Nurae Sheffield wonb to batho in aho Tnruheru River, cloeo to tho Hospital, three young lady companions sitting on tho bank watching hor. Tho tido was low and aho had to wade somo diatanco across the mud flat. A few feeb from whore she entered the water tho bank sholvorl steeply into deep water, so thab eho ab once gob out of her depth, and waa quickly drowned, her companions being unablo to render any assistance. Tho body has been rocovored? Tho girl waa aged 23. Hor parenta live ab Pokono, noar Auckland.

Mr John Towneend, an old Thames re<«i' donb, on Jan. 17th mob with an accidenb of a serious nature. Ho ia tho ownor of a farm at Hikutaia, and was taking parb in work in connecbion therewith, by loading a dray with hay. Ho had Juab about completed a load, and waa ebanding on bho bop, a distance of 20 or 25 feeb from bho ground, when bhe horso mado a move, and Townsand, being unprepared, overbalanced and foil backwards on hia head. Ho recoived injuries to bhe spina, evidently of a serious nabure, as ho losb tho use of his limbs and was almosb unconscious. Ho waa driven into town to tho hospital, whoro Dr. Callan abfcanded bo him.

A boy named Bartholomew Sheehnn, 12 years, was accidentally drowned ab the City Salt Water Baths aboub half-past fivo p.m. on Januaiy 4bh. Tho boy was brought oubalivo by John Glover, a son of tho caretaker, and moasuros were taken to restore breathing and consciousness, but he soon died. Dr. Bealo, of Ponsonby, had been telephoned for, but when ho arrived lifo waa extinct. Thore appeared bo bo a black pabch on bha cheab, and it is believed that the boy took cramp or a fit so suddenly thab he was nob able bo give an alarm. Ab the bime of bho accidenb ib was dead low water, so thatthoro would only be aboub four feeb of waber whero the body was found. An inqueab waa held subsequently, at which a verdict ef "Accidental drowning " waß returned.

A sad drowning accident occurred near Masberton on Now Year's Day. Two lad*, named Waltor and Reuben Harris, aged nine and seven, sons of Mr Walter Harris, a well-known settlor, wenb oub rabbit hunting after breakfast. Aa thoy did nob reburn bo bea aearch was made, and bheir clothes wore found on bho bank of bho Waipoua River. A holo in bhe river was dragged, and bobh bodies wero recovered aboub midnighb. Ab bho inqueab held on bhe bodies, tho evidence wenb in the direction to show thab the younger boy musb havo gob oub of hia depth whilst babhing, and his brother plunged in with his clothes on to rescue him. Whon found tho boys wero locked in each other's arms. There were marks on their faces which indicated thab a rotriover dog, fche faithful companion of the lade, had attempted to save them. Tho dog returned homo after bhe obher dogs and very wob.

Henry Arnold Tub be, Professor of Classics ab tho Auckland University College. who wenb to Sydney in the s.s. Waihora, visited Ponrith, and bbonca wenb to a place named Wallace, where he called ab bho house of a reaidonb and told tho inmates that ho had beon oub all night, and had tried to kill himself by inflicting stabs in the vicinity of tho heart. A doctor waa called in and he dressed tho wounds, which are not of a soriou3 nature. Professor Tubbs lofb Auckland a short bime ago for Sydney, where ib waa understood he was to bo married to a young lady formerly resident of Auckland. Profesaor Tubbs was elected to tho Professorship of Classics in bhe Auckland Universiby College aboub bwo years ago, having been for some yearß previously assisbant bo Professor Tucker in Melbourne. From private cablegrams received in town, we learn bhab Professor Tubbs has recovered and lefb Sydney for Melbourne in company wibh a friend. Tbe Professor, ib frill be remeru-

bered, waa formerely lecturer in Melboujne University, and has many friends in the Victorian metropolis. Mr John Babger, who arrived by the Waihora to-day, states thab while in Sydney he was in company wibh Professor Tubba, who ■t;aa nob bhen in good health, suffering severely from bhe heat. Mr Babger abbributes the subsequent unfortunate occurrence bo sunsbroke.

The U.S.S. Company's steamer Rotomahana, Captain Bsntley, on arrival here on January 7th from Sydney, reported the suicide by drowning of an under-ateward on bho previous Sunday. The reporb in tho steamer's official log stabed bhab ab 6.20 p.m. on Sunday, January sbh, when bho Robomahana was in lab. 34,7 south and longitude 168.a0- wesb, John McLaod, bedroom steward, a young man 25 yoara of ago, jumped overboard and was drowned. Theaocond cook, James Sbewarb, was bhe lasb man who saw him aliyo. Stewart happened to bo passing the midship starboard recess, when ho saw McLeod sitting on the rail. McLeod immediately on Stewart's appearance, called out 5' goodbye, Jimmy," and disappeared backwards overboard. Stewart at once gave bhe alarm. Immediaboly tho alarm of " Man overboard "' waa given, the steamer's engines wero stopped and reversed, and at the same time four life-buoys were thrown over the eido and lookouts sent aloft. The porb quarber-boab was ab once cleared and lowered, and senb away bo tho rescue in charge of bhe third officer, Mr Maurice Feetu. The Rotomahana sbeamed back bo a position wosb of the buoys, which were being picked up by bho boab. Nothing was scan of the unforbunete man, either from -the ship or tho boab. Ab seven o'clock bhe boat was ordered alongside and hoisted up again, there being considerable south-wosb swell on ab tho time, and further search being considered useless. After this detention the sboamer rosumed her passage to Auckland. The drowned man McLeod had been off duby previous to hia death, complaining of fooling unwell. No cause ia assigned for his evident suicido. Ho was a nabive of Glasgow and was a single man, having no rolatives in bhe colony. Ho had been in bhe employ of bho Company aboub four years. Thore is anobher McLeod on board tho steamer —William McLood, 0 a forocabin steward, whose people live in Australia— bub he was no connecbion of tho drowned man.

Themoßbappalling boa tingaccident which has occurred in the Auckland district since the drowning of eight young men in a yachb at Whangarei somo years ago, occurred on January tho llth in tho waters of tho Kaipara Harbour. A party had been oub to Moborimu Island for day's picnic, and wero reburning ab S.iiO in bhe afternoon. Whon they had only gob about 1£ chains from tho Island a puff of wind gibed the sail. Tho boub capsized, and all tho occupants wero thrown inbo bhe wabor. A abrong wind was blowing from the ialand to main land, and tho bido was running in strong. Tbey ware unable to cot back to the island. Mr Thomas Edwards, who had charge of bhe boab, tried all he could to save tho obhers. He pulled them oub of bhe water and gob them bo hold on bo bho boab and rigging, bub bhere was such a heavy sea on bhab ib washed over bhe heads of bhe occupanbs of tho boat. None of bhem could swim. Edwards started with Harold Perkins for tho shore. The little fellow waa drowned, and Thomas Edwards was tho only one that reached tho shore alive. He was in a state of exhaustion. The following is a liht of those who were drowned :-— Mra Mary Perkins, wife of Mr Euler Perkins, aued about 45 ; Miss Jessie Perkins, daughter, aged 22 ; Mias Nellie Perkins, daughter, ajjed 17; Lottie Perkins, daughter, a«ed 10 ; Harold Perkins, son, aged 14; Mr Armstrong (aged 30) and son (aged ,')), formerly of Manchoator and labe of Wellington ; W. Palmer's only daughter, Minnie, ngod 12 yenrs; Mr Boswarick, formerly of Oamaru ; Misa Josephine Macdermott, aged 19, duugbtor of Mr W. J. Macdermobb, of tha *' Herald" composing stall. One of those drowned was an elderly man from tho south, a blacksmith, whoso name is unknown. An inquest was held on tho 13th insb. on one of bho bodies, and tho jury returned tho following verdict:

—"That Nellie Perkins meb her deabh by accidental drowning. Tho jury have to express thoir appreciation of tho brave and unselfish action of Mr Thos. Edwards in endeavouring bo savo bho Uvea of others ab oxbromo risk to himself. They think that in thia caso, aa in a groat many others at holiday times, bho boat was rathor overcrowded."