ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9012, 26 January 1895, Page 9

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Tho Afcaroa coach had a narrow escape from a serious mishap going 'down the hill from tho Hill Top Hotel on Wednesday. Wheniouuding a sharp bend about a mile and a half above Barry's Bay there was a eudden ominous grinding of the near tido break. Tho pole horses were brought eharp rouml, and the near front wheel of the coach was seen to be at an angle of fortyfive, owing to the axle bar having snapped. Closer examination showed that an old flaw was tho cause of the accident. Tho proprietor of the coach, who was driving, acted with perfect coolness and judgment, and the accident resulted in nothing worse than the broken axle bar and a delay of about an hour in reaching Devauchelle's Bay in a buggy, which had to be procured from Barry's i ay.

(FBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) AUCKLAND, January 25. A shocking bathing fatality occurred yesterday evening on the West Coast opposite Aratapu. Evelyn Hogg, Bessie Scotland, and Ann Woollams were drowned. Their ores were about sixteen. The same monuiiij: a little daughter of Hector Alcock, of Awtapu, was drowned in the Kauri Company's dam. The following are additional particulars :—A large number of Wairoa residents were camped on the coast holiday-makiug. A lagoon, in which sixteen ot their number were bathing, became like a whirlpool when the tide rushed in. The wash from the breakers assisted to carry tho swimmers seawards. Mr Guernng, the schoolmaster of Aratapu, assisted several ashore. A large number of people BtaudiDg on the beach witnessed the accident, and were powerless to help the unfortunate people owing to their inability to swim. The body of Mies Bessie Scott was secured quickly, but all efforts to effect a restoration of life proved unavailing. Miss Evelyn Hogg, a visitor to the district, belongs to Newmarket. Her body was found half-a-mile further 4 along. Mies Annie Woollams , body has not yet been recovered. Mrs Hope and Miss Fiorrie Jones had a uarrow escape from sharing a similar fate. Much sympathy is felt throughout the district. The flags of all vessels and of the public buildings are at half-mast. Miss E. Hogg was one of the younger daughters of Mr W. Hogg, grocer, Newmarket. She was on a visit to her aunt, who is living at Aratapu, and was accompanied by her mother. WELLINGTON, January 25. Miss Pridham, who fell off the train at Johnsonville on the 22nd inst., has re* cpvered consciousness. News has been recoived that Mr Kitchener, the accountant of the National Bank at Tanranga, shot himself in the head to-day at 2.30. Kitchener is still alive, but there is lictle hope of his recovery. An Auckland telegram states that Mr Kitchener had just returned from lunch, mud the clerk, hearing theahotof a revolver in the manager's room, ran in and found Kitchener lying in a pool of blood, a revolver lying at hand. A dootor probed for the bullet, which is still unextracted. The Bank was to have closed on Monday. (There is no suspicion of financial difficulties. The doctors have fair hope of Kitchener's recovery. He had been in delicate health, but appeared better since his removal to Tauranga. There is much sympathy with Mra Kitchener, his mother, whose grief is great. Bhe lost her husband and two children in a fire at Dunedin. •

DUNEDIN, January 25. John' Page, aged 75 years, a resident at Morninetou, died suddenly, it is presumed of apoplexy. At the inquest the verdict was '' l)eath from natural causes."