FATAL ACCIDENT AT PORT CHARLES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3939, 7 April 1870, Page 3

FATAL ACCIDENT AT PORT CHARLES.

It has b#en reported to us by one of tlie men who came up by the ketch 'Cambridge,' which arrived here on Monday fiom Kilcowhakarere, that on Thursday last a veryserious accident occurred at the saw mills at Port Chares, by which a man Darned James Tolmie was killed, and another named Louis Kingstone severely, if not fatally, injured. The following are the particulars of the occurrence, ao far as we have been able to learu: —lt seems that the proprietors of the Port Charles saw mills had determined to take advantage of the late rains in getting down the creek a number of logs to the mill, and that the logs, while being floated down the creek, had got jammed, so that they stuck fast against the bank on each aide. Screw-jacks were resorted to, in order to get the logs separated, which apparently was easier accomplished than anticipated, as one of the logs rolled over the unfortunate man Tolmie, before he had time to get oufc of its way, crushing him to death iv its passage. At the same time Kingstone was injured, having, it is said, his arms and one of his legs broken. As there was no resident medical gentleman in the Port Charles district, one of the workmen named Thomas Banks was instantly despatched to Coromandel, to give information to the authorities there, aud also to procure the services of some doctor to atteud upon Kingston. Banks had just arrived at Kikownaka. rere as the ketch was leaving, and the urgency of his mission of course prevented him delaying to give fuller particu. lars of this sad accident. Little hopes seemed to be entertained by Banks of the ultimate recovery of Kingstone, as the iajuries he had received were of so serious * character ; and, as a log also had partly passed over him, it was anticipated he may have received internal injuries not at once observable. Tolmie was a man of about 30 years of age, unmarried, and of much mor« steady habits than the generality of bushmen, aud much respected by his fellowworkmen. At all times occupation in the bush is a hazardous and a dangerous employment, but, if the reports of these accidents be not greatly exaggerated, it would seem that the Port Charles saw mills have had their full share of melancholy occurrences. It will be remembered by our readers that only a short time ago the proprietor of these mills, Mr. Pollard, was lost in the bush, and his remains afterwards partly found in the creek and in the bush adjoining. The man Kingstone has since been brought up to Auckland by the cutter ' Tiritiri,' and now lies in the Provincial Hospital.