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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIV, Issue 611, 10 September 1868, Page 2

j Kouoxoxga.— Captain Ileymet, of the iKate Grant, informs us that the missionary located at Rorotonga is teaching tlie natives tliere to use various kinds of warlike weapons, and drilling them as soldiers.—New I Zealand Herald, 20ih August. Sad Accident.— A most melancholy accident, and one showing remarkable heroism on the part of a littlo girl, occurred on Sunday at the Leamside Station of ! the North-Eastern Kail way. Leamside is the station for the Durham city and the Auckland Talley. About noon on Sunday an engine and tender entered the station from York. On rounding the curve at the south end of the platform the fireman observed four children on the lino nearly at the other end of the platform. They at once put on the breaks, shut off tho steam, reversed the engine, and sounded both whistles loudly. The noise of the | whistle appears to have been the first intimation the children had of the approach "f the engine. One little fellow of four years old wna seen to take to his heels and make towards the end of the platform where he could escape from danger. He was followed by an eider girl of nine years, who also appeared to have a fair prospect of escaping. Two little ones, however a boy and a girl—were between the metals, and making with feeble steps towards the three-mol space between the rails anil the platform, which was too high at that place for them to mount. As the elder girl neared the end of the I'latform she looked back and saw the danger of (he two little ones behind, and with a sudden impulse she turned back and ran to them. She got to them and huddled them in between herself and the platform when the engine reached the group, the connecting rod striking her and throwing the three children on to the ground. Meanwhile the little fellow, who had dashed off at the first alarm, had almost reached the end of that portion of the platform sloped low enough for him to step up. Before he could reach it, however, the engine overtook him, the connecting rod struck him a fearful blow on tho head and knocked him on his back. The engine was brought up a few feet from the bridge. It immediately returned to tho spot, where a most sickening sight was presented to those who ran down from the bridge. First, the body of the boy was reached. He had received a blow on ibis head which brought him backwards over—a deep gash, as if the head had been completely cut in two, showing where the rod had struck the poor child. He was quite dead, having been apparently killed on the spot. About ten yards further along the platform lay the other three children. The elder child, a little girl, had received a blew on the head similar to that of the little boy, the blood gushing •Vora the wound inflicted, and the brain being exposed She had also received a wound on the arm. Notwithstanding the fearful injuries she had received, she still lived when taken up. On being picked up it was was found that the two other children for whom the girl so nobly risked her own life were not only alive, but almost uninjured, one having sustained a slight injury to the foot, while the other had a small bruise on the hand. The little boy who was killed and the elder girl were recognised as John Wilson, aged four years, and Margaret Wilson, aged nine years, brother and sister, the children of a miner named Wilson, residing at Kaintou Gate. The child Margaret Wilson only survived two hours after the accident. An inquest was held at Leamside, on Tuesday, on the bodies of Magaret and John Wilson, aged respectively nine and five years, who were killed on the previous Sunday, at Leamside Railway Station. After hearing the evidence tho jury returned a verdict of accidental death, clearing the porter, Edward Collins, from all blame in the matter .; but expressing an opinion that, as the crossing of the railway was much frequented by children and others on the Sundays, there ought to be some one else on duty at the time the trains pass besides the man in charge of the station. The two children who were saved were Isabella Gilroy, aged four years, and a younger brother of the two deceased children. No explanation as to how they came on the line transpired.— Daily Telegraph, sth June.