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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5335, 20 March 1879, Page 2

We regret to have to record the death by drowuirtg yesterday morning of a y<Wg man named Michael O'Neill, who was in the employment of Mr Michael Hayden, contractor. It appears that the deceased and Mr Hayden were walking on tho beach at about 10 ,o > cio"Ck yesterday 'morning) and when they got to the bluff the deceased undressed arid, went into tUe sea for. a bath, Mr Hayden Walking on-. Mr H4yden understood that the decased cOiild swiui, but we have sSnfce hoard that lie could not. Biifc in aiiy case the deceased did not seem to be in any danger when Mr Hayden saw Mm in $h.e water, as he was only iii up to tlVc waist. Shortly afterwards, however, some boys who were on the bluff, saw that O'Neill was drowning, and they hastened to Mr Miller at the gaol and gave an alarm. By this time Mr Hayden had also been informed of the accident and he proceeded with his informant to look for the decased, but could see no signs for him. Sergeant O'Malloy was quickly on the spot, and obtaining the assistance of some of the prisoners who were working near the lock-tip, and some three or four of whom are capital swimmers, a search was made for the body, tho prisoners diving again and again, but ineffectually. The sergeant continued the search round the bluff towards the Spit, but could see nothing of the body. The deceased had only a few days ago passed an examination by the medical officer of tho Hibernian Society, and was admitted at the last meeting of the Napier Branch of the order. The deceased was one of the ] arrivals by the City of Auckland, and it is a curious circumstance that this is the third of those immigrants who have I perished by accident. The first was Cronan, who was killed at Meanee by being dragged along the ground by a horse, Cronan' s wrist being at tho time fastened by the rope that was round the horse's neck; and tho second one was Brunen, who was killed by a fall of earth at Kopua. We again remind our readers that the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's annual races will take jjlace at Hastings to-day and to-morrow. The railway time-table will be found in another column. The Hydes' Burlesque Troupe will make their first appearance to-night at tho Theatre Eoyal. The company contains several old Napier favorites, amongst whom are Miss Jennie Nye and Miss Lizzie Morgan, both very charming vocalists and actresses. Mr Mack Alexander, who was here with the Marionettes, is also one of the company, and the Misses Alice and Amy Johns are said to be excellent in burlesque. Mr J. P. Hydes' abilities as a comedian are well known in the colony. The opening piece will be the comedy of " Checkmate," and the well-known burlesque "IlTrovatore." The Theatre Royal, last night, as we anticipated, was again well filled, the j stalls being closely cz'owdod. It was the last appearance of the Stewart Family, whose pleasant entertainments at their | previous visit here proved so attractive to the Napier public, large and appreciative audiences assembling at the theatre nightly. The performance, half of the proceeds of which are to be given to tho Kaitangata relief fund, was as successful as any of the previous ones, Mr Stewart and his talented daughters singing and acting with their usual vivacity, and receiving the warmest approbation from the audience. The Stewarts leave for Wellington to-day. We learn that £24 is the amount available for the Kaitangata relief fund from last night's performance at the Theatre Royal, being the half of the proceeds, kindly given by Mr R. Stewart. We understand that the directors of the Gas Company have determined to exercise a supervision over fittings on premises about to bo lighted with gas. Wo think such a course has not been taken too soon, as a serious fire may at any time happen through defective fittings. Complaints are frequently made by consumers as to the insufficiency in the supply of gas on their respective premises, and the insufficiency has been traced to the state of their fittings. The following extract from tho " Journal of Gas Lighting" of the 31st December last bears on this subject — "It is of the utmost consequence, for the consumer's own protection, that his fittings should be kept in complete order. Our columns this week bear records of the frightful effects which may result from leakages of gas. l Lives arc sacrificed and property is destroyed in consequence of small leakages, which may go into the consumer's bill, or may be charged to the Gas Company. All we wish to see is an effective control kept by the companies over the apparatus which conveys tho gas from the meter to the several parts of a house. It would require some trouble for the first twelve months, but we are certain that consumers would soon appreciate the benefits and security that would ensue from the intelligent and careful supervision of the apparatus by means of which gas is distributed." Wo learn, that Dr Caro has been appointed surgeon to Court Sir Henry Havelock, A.O.F. A most extraordinary sight was witnessed in Read's paddocks at Gisborno a few mornings ago at daylight. Very many acres of land wero perfectly snow white with mushrooms, which might have been easily gathered by the cart ' load. The Herald informant stat;os there was not a square foot of ground in which mushrooms wore not to be seen. The Wanganui annual regatta is to take place on Friday, March 28. There will bo seven events. Mass will be celebrated by the Rev. E. Reignier next Sunday, 23rd instant, in the school-room, Havolock, at 11 a.m. The following description of an effectivo cowcatcher is from a Canterbury paper of a late date: — Some little time ago, while a train was travelling towards Southbrook, south of Christchurch, a most remarkable illustration was afforded of tho effective power of that article known on our railways as the cowcatcher, of Yankee invention and notoriety. The train was travelling at the rate of 30 miles an hour, when five cows, that had been standing gazing vacantly along the line, attempted to leap clear of the thunderbolt; but it was too late. The first animal was caught by the feet, hurled into clear mid-air to a height of 20ft., and came down like a tabby off '< a ten-storey house— one mass of clastic «

g'emine fit for the tins of the Australian Meat Preserving Company, with, the extraction of -boji'es,, ".' Tjie second and third wci'O slmig. across tho lino into the ditch, like crusfre^ band-boxes ; the fourth ttiet the Jamo-^te as the first ; and the fifth overcome r .'by terror had dropped , down, and' was dragged along for some, distance by the engine. The train stopped, and an inspection of the animals ensiled. There wore only. two alive j tlids6w"cro tho ones which MA, : f|jMett somersaults jn niid-itei They jay like or hiqlMscs, all huddled np iri.io, a heap, withoiit form, but life being apparent by violent.. motion of the need froni side to side,. The otliers were all dead. We tllink the experience possessed by the cows of our railways must be as perfect as that of the JTndian who galloped furiously up to a r swiftly travelling train on tho 'prairie, and lassoed tho funnel of the engine, with the view of capturing it. At tho next stoppage the attention of the : driver Avas directed to a piece of shrivelled meat, dragged by a rope round the funnel of the engine, . A peculiar. Accident liap'peried to Mr I W. Moffit, of the Bank of New South Wales, Albury, on Friday week last. In accordance with .orders necessitated by the fact of the Kellys being at large, this gentleman (says the Border Post) had a loaded revolver lying ready for use in a drawer of his desk at the bank. On i opening the drawer the revolver accidentally fell, and the contact with the ground caused the hammer to fall and the pistol to go off. The bullet went clean through the calf of one leg, about half- way between Heel and knee 1 , and the other leg beings in the direct line of fire, it struck it with sufficient force to make its way through the cloth of Mr Moffit's trousers. After impact with the other limb, the bullet travelled tLpwards all along the lpg, arid again tearing through the cldth, finally stopped its course without further injury. The wound caused a great loss of blood, but no bones were broken, and the accident will merely entail rest for about a month. Reports continue to be received, a coiTespondent of the Pall Mall Gazette writes, of a remarkable case of superstition in the village of East Knighton, in Dorset. The circumstances have been amongst the chief topics of discussion in all the country side for weeks past. In a cottage dwells a woman named Kerley and her daughter, a girl of about IS, and the latter is supposed to be bewitched — to be the subject of the strangest manifestations. It is positively declared that articles have been throws out of the cottage into "the street, although neither window nor door was open, and these are stated to have been sent flying about in all directions. An old woman named Burt is set down as the cause of all the mischief, and she is declared to have assumed the form of a hare, to have been chased by the neighbors, and then have sat up and looked, defiantly at them. It is positively believed that until blood is drawn from the witch tho manifestations will not cease. Tastes differ (writes "Attieus" in the Melbourne Leader), but I cannot account for the predilection of the young white woman who has voluntarily taken up her abode with the tribe of Goulburn blacks, and by preference has adopted their costume and mode of life. She has chosen a sable mate, and appears to live a happy life in the company of her aboriginal Ingomar and his numerous canine companions. There must be some strongmindedness about one of Eve's daughters who prefers her opossum skin to puffed silk or niched muslin, and who decorates her person with a nosestick instead of earrings. A fire recently breaking out in the village of Menhe, Russia, a number of people hurried to tho spot to assist in extinguishing the flames, and amongst them a Jew named Leopold Weinberger. The peasants being irritated at the appearance of the Jew, whom they fanatically looked upon as the cause of the fire, immediately surrounded him, and illtreated him to such an extent that he became unconscious. While in this condition the peasants attempted to cast him headlong into the flames, but were fortunately prevented by the timely appearance of the magistrate. The ringleaders amongst the peasants have beea arrested. —Jewish World. A complete panic prevails in Astrachan and Seratoff. A letter in the Golos says that the plague made its appearance at the beginning of December, when the Cossacks returned from the war to the village of Vetlianka, in the distriot of Enotaievsk. The doctors thought that the disease was typhus, but precautionary measures were delayed, as with the frost the number of deaths decreased. With the return of warm weather, however, the mortality was terrible, the people dying off like flies, and the dead lying unburied in the streets. The district has been surrounded by troops, and communication with Moscow has been stopped. General anxiety with reference to the plague is manifested in the Press and in society, and it supposed that the deaths are more numerous than has been stated. Charles Dickens' fat boy has a worthy representative in a native lad belonging to Palmerston, and whose appearance generally subjects him to a good deal of surprised comment. His age, the Advocate states, is not yet twelve years, but he Aveighs over 13 stone. His head and face alone would have gladdened the heart of Leech, when he wanted a model for one of his grotesque illustrations. He is one of the niost extraordinary looking youths of the aboriginal race we remember to have seen. His measurements are something incredible — nearly 60 inches round the chest, and 54 round the waist. Shonld he develop physical growth as he now promises, he should yet bo a second " Claimant " before the Dartmoor dietary scale and prison regime reduced him to comfortable proportions. The parents of this modern fat boy are very proud of then- offspring, and readily give any information as to his age (11 years and 3 "moons"), weight, health, physical peculiarities, &c. The lad himself is not quite so pleased at being considered a natural curiosity, and though he does not object to having his thighs, ankles, calves of his legs, waist, chest, etc., measured, he has a decided objection to uncovering his head to the too curious inquirers into the mysteries of phrenology, if such information is desired. The Liverpool Post says that General Tom Thumb, the celebrated dwarf, died on the 19 th of January last, at his native place, Bergen, in the province of W est Friesland, Holland, where he had only recently retired after realising a handsome fortune from exhibiting himself in the chief countries of Europe and America. The cause of his death was dropsy. The real name of the general was Haneman. At the annual pew auction at the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's church, New York, the Bum realised was £8,000, being an increase of £790 over the sales of last year. It is hard to say whether the intelligent compositor shines most when dealing with poetry or prose. He was grand when he gave us ' ' Caledonian stern and wild, Wet nurse of a poetic child ;" but he also shone in telling of the pride a young Oxonian felt in " turning to his alum water." A Eedpath lecturer, while speaking, used the French quotation, "Honisoi gui nial y pense," whereupon the ladies in the audience stared — then blushed — then looked at each other — and, finally, got up and stalked out of tho hall, and the local paper, in its criticism, said that " various portions of the lecture were too indecent for publication." One reason why more people did not go into the Ark is that Noah neglected to advertise in the daily papers. There is a great moral lesson contained in this fact. _._