ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 13, 16 March 1872, Page 4

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

Accident on the Wakapuaka Koad. — On the 28th ultimo, a serious accident befel Miss Kingdon, eldest daughter of S. Kingdon, Esq., who, when riding along the Wakapuaka road, a little beyond the Cemetery, was thrown from her horso by the animal shying, and broke her arm in two places above the elbow. The young lady, who was alone, walked home leading her horse, a distance of nearly two miles. Accident to Mes. Stapfobd. — Mrs. Stafford and three of her children, accompanied by Mrs. Atkinson, were taking an airing in a carriage on Wednesday, the 28th ultimo, and return-; ing through the Wood from the Wakapuaka road, overtook, in Grove-street, the carnage of Sir David Monro, containing Lady and Miss Monro. The horse driven by Mrs. Stafford was a recent purchase, and although believed to be quiet, was known to be excitable. In passing Lady Monro' s carriage, Mrs. Stafford struck her horse •with the whip, which caused him to kick the splash-board, and then start off at a gallop. As they approached Collingwood bridge Mrs. Stafford became alarmed, having no control of the animal, and expressing her feai's of danger in crossing the bridge to Mrs. Atkinson, that lady caught one of the reins and pulled the horse suddenly round before the bridge was reached — co suddenly, that the off shaft snapped off short, and the breeching giving way on the other, the horse was liberated and went off with the broken shaft at his heels. The sudden wheel round of the vehicle threw one of the children out of the carriage violently on the ground, but fortunately ■without doing it any serious injury. The escape of the whole party was not a little remarkable. Any accident while crossing the bridge could scarcely have failed of being attended with serious consequences ; while had the shaft not broken, the probability is the vehicle when pulled round ■would have capsized. Accident with Firearms. —On the 4th instant, as Mr. Wakefield, aged about nineteen year, residing at Hope, was shooting on the hills at the back of that place, he rested his gun, loaded, with cap on and hammer down, with its butt on the ground and the barrels leaning against his chest, and proceeded to load another gun, and hand it to a lad who was out with him ; the motion in doing this caused his gun to disoharge, and he was wounded in the side of the chest and 'upper part of the left arm. From the shock and loss of blood, he became insensible. The lad who was with him ran and procured help, and he was removed home. Mr. Waring

was sent for, and on examining him found that moßt providentially the charge fr,om a gun had struck his watch, and had driven the works quite away, the back of the watch deflecting the charge so that it passed between the arm and the body, lodging only a few pillets in the arm and armpit; the watcli apparently inflicting the wound on the chest, and a large one on the inner side of the arm, without either breaking the hone, or wounding the large artery. Had it done this, the sufferer would have bled to death ; and had not the charge struck the watcli, it would have entered the chest, and must have caused instant death. We are glad to hear that ho is progressing as favourably as could be expected from the nature of the injuries, and shock to the nervous system. This should be another warning to sportsmen of the danger attending the carrying of a loaded gun with the hammer down on cap, and of the impropriety at anytime of turning the muzzle | towards their own, or another person's body. Accident to Ma. J. Armstrong. — On the evening of the 4th instant, about half-past eight o'clock, while Mr. J. Armstrong was conversing with two friends, standing in the middle of Bridgestreet, a horseman came suddenly upon the group, and knocked him down, breaking the small bone of one of his legs. Mr. Armstrong was immediately conveyed home, and the bone set without delay, and we hope the patient will progress favourably. Mr. Armstrong was one of the preliminary expedition men who accompanied the surveyors to Nelson, and is much respected. A Story op a Skeleton.— Sensational paragraphs have appeared in the columns of the Evening Mail and Colonist, respecting a human skeleton found buried on Mr. Haycock's farm, near the Waimea bridge, on the 23rd ult. last,, the skull showing signs of a blow, leading to the belief that the person to whom it belonged had met with his death unfairly. For some reason not easily seen, the skeleton has been conjectured to have been that of Mr. O'Burke, drowned in the Waimea River, in July, 1814, and whose body was recovered the following morning and interred. The whole story concerning the supposed finding of a skeleton, is a pretty illustration of how a tale may be magnified. No skeleton has been found, but only the upper part of a skull, which there is every reason to believe was brought from the Rabbit Island by Mr. Haycock, on whose land it was discovered, fourteen years ago. On Good Friday, 1858, a party from Richmond, of whom Mr. Haycock was one, had a picnic on the Rabbit Island, where he picked up a human skull, minus the lower jaw, which he took home, and kept where the present skull was found. Mr. Haycock does not now reside in Waimea East, so we canndt readily refer to him for his testimony on the subject, but we have spoken with a person who saw the skull when found, and afterwards in Mr. Haycock's possession. The great probability therefore is, that, the skull found last week on Mr. Haycock's land, is the identical one brought home by him fourteen years ago. In the early days of the settlement numerous human bones were found on the Rabbit Island, the relics of a party of Maoris who were slaughtered there in the old fighting days, and of which on our arrival in Blind Bay we heard traditions. This we believe to be the simple and true version of what has been magnified into a dark mysterious occurrence. Death of Mb. James Burnett. — Ife was with no ordinary surprise and pain, that the community of Nelson learnt on Saturday, the 2lst ultimo, of the death of Mr. Burnett, of the firm of E. Buxton and Co. Mr. Burnett's illness had been so little known, and where known so little regarded as being of a serious character, that had he died quite suddenly the shock would scarcely have been greater. In the very prime of years, possessed of a constitution capable of enduring great fatigue, his chances of life appeared far above the average of men. Mr. Burnett had been unwell with what is called low fever for upwards of a week, but as far as we can learn, his case was not regarded seriously uutil the day which preceded his death. The deceased gentleman was of so kindly and genial a nature, that he was beloved by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance ; while in business, the uprightness of his character won him universal respect. The case was rendered more painful by the absence of Mrs. Burnett, aud the younger members of the family at Taranaki. Wakefield. — The inhabitants of this district had hoped that they had seen the last of the fires ; but on 27th ultimo a piece of gorse, set on fire on the land known as Treaton, spread ! so rapidly under the influence of a strong " spout " ! wind, aa to seriously endanger the neighbouring houses. Only the strenuous endeavours of the neighbours saved the house of Mr. J. Price, sen., and the store of Mr. W. Painton j as it is, a very great deal of fencing has been destroyed, and at one time St. John's Church was in great danger. Great praise is due to the prompt response of all in the neighbourhood to the appeal for help. Upper Wakefield. — An accident happened on Thursday afternoon, February 29, to a young man, a son of Mr. Thomason, of Spring Grove, who was engaged in carting wood in the bush of Mr. J. Hoult, jun. It seems that the horse took fright from some of the harness breaking, and started off on the descent into Mr. Hoult's paddock, throwing the young man out and overturning the cart ; the wheel passing over his foot. Fortunately, Mr. Hoult was on the spot, and with other neighbours gave every assistance. A passing vehicle conveyed the sufferer home. Fire. — About half-past one o'clock on the morning of the 29th ult. the bells gave an alarm of fire, and a cottage in Washington Valley was seen to be in flames. The cottage was uninhabited, and the flames must have got a strong hold of the building before the alarm was given, as before the hose could be brought to the spot the building was pretty well consumed. The house belonged to Mr. Thomas, and was insured in the New Zealand Office for £120. An inquest was afterwards held, when a verdict was given to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.

An Incorrigible Drunkard. — A man named Augustus Yelverton was brought before the Resident Magistrate on the 23rd ultimo, charged with being an habitual drunkard. He was very noisy aud violent when in Court, and took a stone from his pocket, which he threw through a window. A constable proved that lie had been con vioted for drunkenness three times within the last six months, and had only been out of gaol a {ew hours when he again got intoxicated, and disturbed a prayer meeting at the Temperance Hall. The prisoner was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. Hydrophobia in Wellington.— The Post of the 22nd ultimo, says :— " A clear case of hydrophobia occurred this morning on the beach. A dog went mad, and its owner fortunately seized it before any damage had been done. After being secured to a post, the animal, which was snapping and foaming at the mouth, was put out of misery by a little poison." If this was a real i case of hydrophobia, it will we believe be the first that ever occurred in the southern hemisphere. Diphtheria in Wellington. — The Post, of the 23rd instant, says : — Diphtheria, we regret to say, seems on the increase in Wellington, and considering the prevalence of unhealthy smells in various parts of the city, this is not surprising. The matter is becoming a serious one, and in the absence of any system to compel persons to keep their premises clean, we can only urge upon householders the fact that their plain duty to themselves and their neighbours requires them to be scrupulously careful, both to remove substances calculated to breed malaria and to keep isolated as much as possible those who may bo unfortunate enough to contract the disease. Damage sustained at Greymouth. — " We understand," says the Independent, " that a telegram was received by the Government from the resident engineer of Westland, that the work necessary for the protection of the town of Greymouth is estimated to cost fully £11,000, but that only £5,000 of this amount can be fairly charged against the Brunner and Greymouth railway. This leaves a sum of £6,000, which will have to be raised by the local authorities." Incendiary Fire in Auckland. — A little before midnight, on the 7th instant, an alarm of fire was given at Newton, Auckland. A fire was seen breaking out from Mr, Johnston's bakehouse, but tbe efforts made to get it under were so prompt that it wa3 extinguished before it made any progress. When the fire was extinguished a pile of combustibles was found in the bakehouse in which the fire originated, consisting of rags, paper, split boards, and fat. Small Pox in Wellington —The ship England arrived at Wellington on the 9th instant, after a rapid passnge of ninety days. She had two saloon passengers, and thirteen English and seventy-eight Scandinavian immigrants on board. Measles and small-pox had prevailed on board, and three adults and thirteen children died on the passage. The vessel was placed in quarantine behind Somes's Island five miles from the city, and prompt measures were adopted to prevent small-pox reaching the shore. Two buildings are being erected on Somes's Island at opposite sides, one for the sick and the other for convalescent patients. Since the arrival of the vessel another death occurred. The qualification of the medical officer in charge is questioned. Disease first broke out among the Scandinavian children. An accident occurred to the coach running between Greymouth and Hokitika, at a place between the Arahua bridge and Waimea track. On the coach getting into a hole, the leaders bolted off, when the coach had to be dragged out, and was taken into Hokitika by the wheelers only. The Hon. Mr. Fox and Mrs. Fox were passengers. A man named Oscar Van met his death recently in the Cassias claim, near Ross, Westland. Van, with two others, were ascending the shaft of the Cassius claim, at dinner time, and all had entered the cage, which, after it had commenced rising suddenly jerked and fell a few inches ; this was caused by a twist in the hoisting chain but deceased, apparently under the fear that the winding-rope had broken, attempted to return to the chamber from the rapidly ascending cage : in doing so his head caught the cap-pieces, and he was knocked down with his head and shoulders overhanging the cage, and in this position was dragged up the shaft till the great pressure of its sides gradually drew deceased from the cage, leaving him to fall a distance probably of sixty feet to the bottom of the shaft. Deceased lingered for an hour in great agony. Another Maori prisoner died in Dunedin gaol, on the 10th instant, of consumption. The deceased was seventeen years of age, and had been sentenced to three years penal servitude. A little girl about two years old, daughter of a widow named Roff residing at Greymouth, was playing by the side of her mother who was washing, when being suddenly missed it was found that she had fallen into a neighbouring waterhole. Although quickly got out the child was insensible, nor could animation be restored. A bungling attempt was made to break into the Bank of New Zealand at Arrowtown, Otago, on the 13th ultimo. Henry M'lntosh, a compositor, was drowned on the 24th of February, in attempting to cross Blackwater Creek, near Greymouth. A miner named Frank Manning, was drowned in the river Taieri, on the 11th of February. A man was drowned in attempting to cross the Eangitata, on Sunday, the 11th ultimo. He was cautioned against fording the river by a native named Tommy, who gave his evidence at [ the inquest. The unfortunate man crossed two small streams, aud then entered the main stream ; he stumbled and fell, and then got up again and tried to swim, called out twice and sank. Tommy ran along the bank, and saw the body floating down, and afterwards picked it up on a spit. It was about ten minutes after he saw him sink that he got him ashore j he was then quite dead. The following articles were found on the deceased, viz. : — A Book of Common Prayer, in-

scribed "E. O'Halloran, jun., Glasgow, 1869," a box of colours, a sketch book, and several minor articles, including letters addressed "R. O'Halloran," one of which was signed J. Muckay, jun." late Civil Commissioner of New Zealand. During a gale on the night of the Bth instant, the wooden building formerly used as a Presby. terian Church, at Shortland, was lifted right off the blocks and removed a distance of about seven feet at one end. The building is about sixtyfeet long by thirty wide, and the force of the wind must have been very great to have moved such a mass of woodwork. A human body, supposed to be that of the young man Samuel, drowned at Port Chalmers some days previously, was seen to pass the ship E. P. Bouverie, lying in Port Chalmers, on Tuesday, the 21st, but owing to the furious gale blowing, no effort could be made to recover it. The owner of the Warren Station, Oxford, Canterbury, who lost recently 1,600 sheep and about twenty miles of fencing by a grass fire, intends to proceed for damages against the person who originated the fire on an adjoining run. Two fires occurred in Christchurch on the morning of the 20th ultimo. One resulted in the destruction of the premises of Mr. Clark, general dealer, at the corner of Colombo and Lichfield streets. Mr. Clark and his family who were asleep in an upper chamber, narrowly escaped -with their lives ; indeed, the children were saved only with the utmost difficulty. The other fire was in St. Asaph street, by which a stable and other detached buildings were destroyed. The premises in each case and their contents were partially insured. Five stacks of corn on the farm of Mr. Duncan Scott, Level's Plain, Canterbury, were destroyed by fire last week. Mr. Scott was from home at the time of the fire. It is not known how it originated. G-overnment is not going to prosecute Mr. Ingpen, lately committed at Invercargill, charged with defalcations of public money. Discoveries have been made of negligence in another G-o-vernment officer which go far to exculpate Mr. Ingpen. Information. has been received in Wellington of the burning of Mr. Fitzherbert's flax mill at the Wainuiomata. The loss is estimated at £3,000, no part of which is covered by insurance. The cause of the fire was unknown. A child in Wellington named Lawton, met its death by pulling over a tub of hot water which, stood upon a bench, by which it was so dread- | fully Bcalded that it died in a few hours. A carpenter named David Smith, residing ia Invercargill, endeavoured to cut his throat with a table knife. The wound was sewed up and the man is out of danger. Smith had been drinking heavily. Mr. Frederick Heskett, surveyor, of Auckland, was found drowned in a small water-hole. He was subject to fits, and it ia supposed that when seized by one he fell. «Tho Cominisioner of the Greyrnoutli Native Reserve has recommended that the aura of £1,000 be granted from the Native Trust Fund for the purpose of repairing and strengthening the protective works on the bank of the river facing that part of the town which is native property.