LAND SLIP AT THE THAMES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1061, 29 June 1869, Page 2

LAND SLIP AT THE THAMES.

(From the " Evening News," June 22.)

One of the most disastrous accidenta which we have had occasion to report since the opening of this goldfield occurred yesterday morning, at abpnt half-past twelve o clock, causing, we are sorry to say, the death of three persons— a man, woman, and child. The accident occurred at a time when unfortunately very little assistance could be procured, although in this instance the most effectual and speedy aid would not probably .have saved life. The cottage which was the scene of the unfortunate occurrence, was situated on a rather exposed position, on the ridge of the Canadian Gully, Moanatairi, within about a hundred yards of the Victoria Battery, near the junction of the roads leading from the Junction Hotel and Victoria Battery to the Eureka claim, and the entrance to Canadian Gully. The cottage, or. t whare was situated on the Golden Terr.ace claim,' and was occupied by a man named Gordon and his wife and child, and a mate of his named John M'Leod, the last three of whom were the unfortunate victims of the accident. It appears that about half-past twelve o'clock, while it was raining very heavily, Gordon, who was the only person awake at the time, heard some noisei and put on part of his clothes for the purpose of going out to ascertain the cause. As the moon was in the sky, he was able to see that the mass of ground aboveMhe house was beginning to give way. Gens don rushed to the door to awake those in the house, but was .unfortunately too late, being mefc by the whole back •por'tidii of the building, which had been crushed in by the weight of earth together with part of the kauri tree, which.fell on the house. The unfortunate man,, seeing the destruction with which his wife, and child wjre. overwhelmed, rushed for assistance to the houses near. A number of men in a few minutps were at work, and the bodies of the inmates were soon^ recovered. Jafp*mation was also sent to the police at' Gra» hamstown, and constable M'Williamsand two .of the men under his. charge, together with Dr. Lewis, at once proceeded to |tho spot. It was found that nothing could be done to restore animation to any of the sufferers. It was evident, when the bodies wero exhumod, that death must have been instantaneous, and must have been caused by suffocation. Tho foatures of all the three had not undergone the slightest alteration, the expression being quite calm, as if they had not even been awoke by the noise. Of course the features aro blackened in such a manner as would have been caused by suffocation, but there are no further marks on the faces of any of tho sufferers. It appears, howevor, that McLeod sustained severe injuries to his chest by the fall of the tree to which wo have before alluded, although, in oil probability, he never felt it. The woman also was injured, but tho child appears not to have been orushed or.bruisod in any way. A pioce of the wall paper was found on its face, as if it had fallen off tl|e wall at the time of the occurrence. The bodies when taken out were at orico_ conveyed.to tho house of a relation,, which was situated close by, and afterwards were taken to tho Junction Hotel, near tho Victoria battery. A great many persons who visited the scene of the accident yesterday were of opinion that if an ordinary amount of caution had been used the accident might have been escaped, but in our opinion the site on which the cottage was situated was apparently as secure as a great many others which whole families are at present occupying on the ranges. Tho slip appears to have been caused by a crack created by the dry weather, which tho water of Saturday's rain worked into and carried off tho bed-rock, bringing with it tho roots of a heavy kauri tree. An inquest was hold at tho Junction Hotel, Grahamstpwn, yesterday, and tho bodies were brought up to Auckland by the s.s. John Ponn last ovoning for interment.