ACCIDENTS AND INQUESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7645, 24 May 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

ACCIDENTS AND INQUESTS.

ACCIDENT TO THE GOVEIINOR. His Excellency the Governor and the viceregal party left Auckland eu route for Wellington on the 3rd May, at half-past five p.m., and proceeded by special train to Onehunga, where the Hinemoa was waiting. Lady Jervpis and Miss Jervoia had proceeded to Onehunga at half-past three o'clock. His Excellency arrived at Onehunga at about twenty minutes past six o'clock, and walked down towards the end of the wharf. It is said that some person hailed him to warn him of his danger, but at that moment Sir Wm, Jervois, ' probably dazzled by the steamer's lights, for the Hinemoa was moored astern of the Ifawea, turned in the wrong direction, and fell overboard. Fortunately it was flood tide at the time, and His Excellency was able to grasp one of the ; stringers, and held on to it until assistance ' arrived. Mr. Noble, second mate of the s.b. Hawea, hearing the alarm, jumped overboard, : although he had not the most remote notion . at the time of who it was who was in the , water, but his assistance fortunately was not required, for a rope being prepared and lowered, His Excellency was drawn on to the wharf, not having apparently sustained '■ any injury, beyond the loss of his hat and ! umbrella, for he walked unaided on board , the Hinemoa, , Mr. Noble has been presented by the Governor with a handsome binocular glass, , beating an inscription referring to his gallant i act. i FATAL EXPLOSION AT DUNEDIN. | A fatal accident occurred at Dunedin just 1 about live p.m. on Monday, May 17. The 1 unemployed working in Howling-street (a 1 cross street from Princes-street) have been firing and blasting within the past few days. .' Just a little before five a blast was let off, and ' either through too much powder being used 1 or not sufficient blinding, or probably both, 1 stones, some of them of very large size, ' were hurled some distance away. 1 Some fell iu Princes-street, usually ' crowded at that time, and an expressman is said to have had his thigh fractured. A i number fell on the roofs of shops in Princes- >■ street, and a large one came crashing through , the roof of the London Photographic Rooms, 3 and instantly killed Mrs. Finch, sister of i the wife of the proprietor. Mrs. Irvine b herself, who was sitting working at the same I table, had her skull fractured, and her o recovery is doubtful. Two other ladies a sitting in the room received slight injuries. 6 As the blast took place in a deep cutting, ; . about eighty feet, and the stones must have a passed over the intervening houses, the force s of tho explosion may be judged when it is stated that the London Photographic Rooms , are fully 150 yards distant from where the - blast took place. e Showers of stones fell on the houses in the 0 vicinity, and some penetrated through other i roofs, whilo a chimney of one was wrecked. e The fascines used for blinding were found s about eighty yards away, e e THE TAIAROA INQUIRY. a The Taiaroa inquiry was resumed at Weill lington at two p.m. on May 10. The evid dence of Gilbert Hutton, a sailor by profes,s sion, and a passenger in the Taiaroa at t the time she was wrecked, and that of -. Alex. Gordon Grant, sergeant in the -, Torpedo Corps, who had been sub-lieutenant i, in the Royal Navy, and had served altogether n fourteen years, was taken, but no fresh facts , were elicited. I. Captain Thomson was recalled, and said e they had more than sufficient lifebelts on ,t board, probably about sixty or seventy. They , had no other life-saving apparatus on board !, except lifebuoys. The lifeboats carried on e the steamer do not right themselves, but r. had airtight tanks. They had on board two s Holms' lights, but he did not know it at the is timo. They were in the chief officer's n charge. They were of a kind which floated n on the surface of the water. Mr. Bell is addressed the court, and an adjournment is was made. On Wednesday, the 12th May, is the enquiry was resumed, when Mr. Travels ie addressed the Court on Captain Thomson's }. l behalf at considerable length. He argued that

there were some important circumstances which find never come to the master's notice. The chief mate was informed that land had been seen on the port bow, and it was his duty, regulations or no reflations, to have at once taken steps to put the ship in safety. He did not wish to speak hardly of the dead, but the stern logic of facta seemed to indicate that in the interval between the first mate taking charge and the time of striking great negligence had been shown by him. In all proba- j bilifcy, by soma error or other, the course was altered. He submitted that the only noint was whether there was negligence on the part of the captain in the interval between six o'clock, when he went below, and the time of striking.-The judgment of the court was given on May 13, cancelling Captain Thomson's certificate, but it was recommended to reisssue it after a lapse ot time if in the meantime he serve _ regularly as mate. The cost of the enquiry is £b.i us. Among the things washed ashore from the wreck of the steamer Taiaroa recently was the thighbone of a man probably about fave feet ten inches high. Close by was found part of a uniform with sailor button, apparently belonging to one of the stewards. Mr. Yallance'a portmanteau was also washed ashore. It contained nothing but a totahsator ticket and three collars, and had probably been opened and emptied, and then strapped round again. The wreck is breaking up fast, and the beach is strewn with spars and gear, as well as tweeds, dress stuff, and other portions of the cargo. The seventh and last mail bag was picked up on the beach, and brought to Blenheim. The letters are pulpy and hardly decipherable in some eases. One. i-eaiidered bag contained nothing but a pound note in good condition. The body of a man was found floating in the harbour on Tuesday, April 27, near Sims and Brown's shipbuilding yard Devouport, bv Mr. Arthur Buchanan. Information was sent to the water police. Tie body was brought to the morgue, and an inquest was hold on Wednesday, the 23th April, before Dr. Philson and a jury, of whom Mr. Winnilield Biggins was chosen foreman. The evidenco showed tint the deceased had been employed at the Calliope Dock for about eighteen mouths, and was of somewhat intemperate habits. The last day he was seen alive (Wednesday, April '21), ho appeared to be under the influence of drink. It was suggested that he had fallen from tho top of the cotter dam into tho harbour, while making his way at night to the engine-house. Dr. Honeymau, who made a post mortem examination of the body, said that it was without marks of violence, and in his opinion death was caused by drowning. Trie jury returned the following verdict:—"That the deceased was found drowned without marks of violence, but as to how he got into the water there was no evidence to show. The Harbour Board will either have to improve the lighting arrangements at the Wharf, or re-iutroduce the electric light, as two persons fell over it on April '20, deceived by tho imperfect light. The first man, a ci-ar-vendor on the wharf, fell over about six o'clock, just as the Clansman was returning from her excursion trip, and was rouging up to tho tee. One of her crew, George Wilson, succeeded in rescuing the man, who had clung tenaciously to the two cigar boxes which he was vending. About five minutes afterwards M. Auguste Vollbracht who had incautiously approached the aide of the tee to learn the particulars of the previous accident, struck his foot against a, piece of wood, and fell overboard himself. The seaman Wilson was again to the fore, and plunged in and got a towline fastened round Mr Vollbraeht's body, and had him hoisted up into a boat, which was nigh at hand. Mr. Vollbraei '. seemed little the worse for the accident, and was driven oil home in a cab. The s.s. Taupo, Captain McColl, from Napier to Gisborne, with seven passengers— namely, Messrs. Kohiusay, Chuton, Scuddy, Constables, Leonard, and White, and about , 500 tons of cargo, went ashore at half-past one a.m. on April 2S on tho rocks, two miles ] and a-half to the eastward of Gisborne. The weather was fine at tho time, although a rather dark night, and the sea was smooth. As soon a3 the vessel struck, rockets were sent up, which were at once observed, and preparations made for going to her assistance. Meanwhile the s.s. Rosina, on her passage to Tolago Bay, had also seen the rockets, and returned to her assistance. The Rosina, with ore passenger and one of the crew, steamed to Gisborne, and took off the Collator of Customs and the harbourmaster, who had been making preparations to proceed to the wreck. The s.s. Taupo was found lying on the reef, the same as that touched by'the Te Anau some time ago, the sea being perfectly smooth. There was no excitement or danger to life, and preparations were at once made and anchors carried out. Mtor discharging about 100 tons of cargo at eleven a.m., an attempt was made to get the Taupo oil', which was successful. An inspection of the vessel while- in dock on May 15 revealed the fact that she had sustained little or no damage by her grounding at Gisborne. Two plates were found to be slightly bulged. The Taupo went from here to Dunedin, where the two plates will be taken out aud straightened.

Two men, Hugh Bill and Thomas Casley, were 6ii(located by gas in the Caledonian mine, Thames, on April 28. They were working on the Red Queen leader, at No. o level, and the atopea were about 10 feet above the level. From where they were to the. shaft in 600 or 700 feet. The manager, William Corin,,was round about half-past ten, and spoke to them. There was a tine current of air then. About eleven o'clock Frank Rowe went down and told them that gas was floating about No. 2 chamber, and to be on the lock-out, at the same time advising them that in tho event of the gas rising it would be better to go up the pass about 20 feet ahead of them, leading to No. 2 level. Hill replied jocosely to Ro\ve, as the latter was leaving, "All right ; we will look out for ourselves, Mr. Rowe." About one o'clock the gas became very bad at No. 2lovel, putting cut the caudles. The manager returned soon after, and the men were divided into two parties with a view to reaching the deceased, one party going towards the pass already mentioned, and the other endeavouring to go down to No. 3 level by ladders. The manager ascended to the surface to turn the water down tho shaft to dissipate the gas. A small jet was brought to play, and word was conveyed to the lire station,wheuccahose reel was brought to the mine and laid on the main. In the meantime lire was got up in the boiler, so as to work the cage. A party succeeded in getting to No. 3 level, and saw Casley about 100 feet from the shaft lying on his face, but the gas prevented anything further being done. When a powerful jet had broken the force of tho gas, and tho winding engine could be worked, a party went down, and Casley was speedily brought to the surface. In a few minutes more Hill, who was found near his mate, also reached the top. This was about half-past three. Dr. Payne was waiting on tho brace, and drove away to tho Hospital with Ca3ley, whither Hill was also conveyed. At first, when brought to the surface, many persons were of opinion the men were breathing, and that Casley : moved his limbs, but after steady perseverance with the customary process of restoration, Drs. Payne and Callan wore compelled to pronounce life extinct. At the inquest on the body of Thomas Casley, the jury returned the following verdict: —"That the deceased, Thomas Casley, came to his death accidentally by suffocation in foul air in tho Caledonian mine," to which was added the following rider : " That more caution should bo exercised by the managers i in allowing men to work in the presence of foul ga3." An inquest was held on May 12 on the body of Patrick Johnston, who died at the District Hospital on the 9th May, before Dr. Philson, Coroner, and a jury of six, Mr. John Riddell being chosen foreman. The jury viewed the body, and the evidence of Richard Walker, farmer at Point Chevalier, David Walker, son of last witness, Constable Donovan, and Miss A. Crispe, matron of the Hospital, was taken. Dr. Bond, House Surgeon at the Hospital, deposed that the cause of death was acute endocarditis of not more than two days' standing. The jury returned a verdict that " Doceased died from natural causes, and no blame attaches to anyone." On Wednesday, May 5, about ten a.m., the Arawata arrived from Russell. During the passage one of her coal-trimmers, named Robert Duchlow, fell overboard, and was drowned. At about four o'clock that morning Duchlow was assisting in putting ashes into the shoot, which became choked, and, to free it, he went over the vessel's side, and with a stick that was handed to him, endeavoured to free the ashes at the mouth of the trap-door, at tho bottom of the shoot. Whilst doing he suddenly fell backwards into the sea. The alarm was at once given, and tho steamer was promptly

stopped by Captain Cromarty, who was on deck at the time. Several lifebuoys, with Holmes' patent lights, were thrown over in the direction where the man fell, and at the same time a boat was lowered, manned, and sent away to the rescue. Despite a most careful search, no trace of the man could be obtained. It is believed that, as the vessel passed Duchlow, he must have been struck by the propeller. Duchlow was a single man, his parents residing in England. He came to this colony in the s.s. Thomas Russell, and was always spoken of as a steady quiet fellow, A very sad accident occurred the other day to Mr. Kapson's eldest son Walter, a farmer at Kaukapakapa, necessitating the removal of his left A younger boh, in the act of driving in a staple, accidentally hit it on the slant, which caused the staple to fly off and to strike his elder brother's eyo just below the sight, penetrating tho eye and/ lacerating tho cornea right across. Mr. ' Rapson Bent his sen, who was suffering agonies of pain, to town to Dr. Wilkins' for treatment, who found the eye so seriously damaged, and all sight lost, that he advised its immediate removal, in order to prevent any disease extending to his other sound eye. The operation wa3 speedily effected under chloroform. On the 16th of May, as a man named William Holman, a carpenter, was looking at his boat, at anchor near St. Mary's Point, he noticed the dead body of a boy near the timber booms moored there. He sent information of the affair to the water police, and Coustablo McDonnell went over to the locality indicated, and took charge of the body, which was brought to the morgue to await an inquest. The body was subsequently identified as that of Arch. W. Cooke," aged 10 years, whose parents resided in Hobsoustreet. Toe lad was seen alive by his nioMicr at two o'clock on the 15th May, and when leaving home said he would not be long, but he never returned. The parents were searching for the boy all that night, and failing to find him reported the matter to the police next morning. There is little doubt the boy lost his life playing on tho booms, a dangerous practice which many children engage in. An inquest way hold on May 17, before Dr. Philsou and a jury, of whom Mr. Arthur Bunnell was chosen foreman. After hearing tho eviden:e, the jury returned a verdict of " Found drowned," and added a rider, that " the jury recommend that means be taken to prevent children playing on the logs within the booms."

A serious accident befel Mr. W. B. White, of Conquest Place, Parnell, on tho 18th of May when in Mr. A. H. Nathan's warehouse, Paliaerston Building. Mr. White, who. it may be explained, suffers from bad eyesight, had been to the first floor to transact some business, and was returning iu company with Mr. S. J. Nathan, who left him at tho foot of the stairs to attend to the telephone at the rear of the storeroom. Mr. White, it seems, rather unwarily walked in among the cases and fell down the lift opening—a drop of about ten feet—into the cellar, the lift being then at one of the upper floors. Assistance was Bpeediiy at hand, when it was found that Mr. White had sustained severe injuries, and medical aid was summoned. Dr. Mackellar attended, as also did Dr. Nesbitt, and it was found that Mr. White had fractured his leg at the ankle. The sufferer was removed to his residence, where he is now progressing as favourably as could be expected under the treatment of Dr. Mackellar. Between eight and nine p.m. on the 19th May an old man named Albert Nichols, of Hikutaia, fell over the Queen-street Wharf. A young man named William Peake, in the railway department, Newmarket, who was at hand, divested himself of his coat, and plunged in to his rescue. Sergeant Clarke, of the water police, and others hastened to give assistance on an alarm being given. A rope was thrown to Peake, and by aid of the bystanders he managed to safely reach the wharf with the half-drowned man. Peake * deserves great credit, as Nichols, being ! unable to swim, would probably have been drowned but for the former's promptitude and courage. A telegram was received on May 10 by Superintendent Thomson from Constable Gordon, of Whangarei, stating that Mr, Sloane, chemist, had been found dead in his bed about one o'clock on Sunday afternoon, May 9. It seems that he had been taking chloral to induce sleep, and on Saturday night got his daughter to weigh him 40 grains, which he took. On Sunday morning he had two further doses of 20 and 23 grains of chloral respectively, being a few hours afterwards found dead in bed. Mr. Sloano was formerly in business in Te Awamutu. He leaves a widow and two daughters, who are said to be ill-provided for." The first general football match of the season took place oil Saturday afternoon, the Sth of May, on the Mangawhare ground. No advantage was gained by either side. Just as the second spell began an accident happened, which put an end to tho game. Murray and Casson were chasing the ball when Murray fell on it, and Casson, having passed it slightly, turned sharply back to hold it, and in the collision Murray's leg was broken. The snap, like the striking of two horseshoe;: together, was heard at a distance of a hundred yards. The sufferer was

taken to Hume's boardinghouse, and made

comfortable till the arrival of the doctor. I Dr. Norton found the break very severe, a compound fracture of both bones between the ankle and knee of the right leg, the bone protruding over tho flesh. The setting was performed in a masterly manner, and the doctor recommended the removal of the sufferer to the Auckland Hospital. The brigantine Ryno came into harbour on May 13 from a cruise amongst the South Sea Islands, and by her we learn that on the 14th November last the brigantine Levi Stevens, of San Francisco, was wrecked on the island of Suwarrow during a heavy gale. All hands were saved. She was bound from Paget Sound to San Francisco, and had on board half a million feet of timber at the time as cargo. The constable at Mangonui has forwarded a report to Superintendent Thomson, regarding a fatal accident on Saturday, the Sth May, to an aged Maori woman named Marama Pukearite, through being thrown from her horse. It appears her riding habit caught in the saddle, and, being dragged along the ground, her head sustained severe injuries. She died in a few hours at her kaianga. Her relatives would not agree to an inquest being held. A telegram has been received from Constable McGilp, of Russell, stating that on the night of the 14th May a Maori woman named Vina was burned to death in a whare at Kerikeri. An inquest was held at Russell, the body being brought down there for that purpose. The 8.8. Coptic, which left Lyttelton for London on the Ist May, had proceeded a few miles on her way when a stowaway was discovered in a dying condition between the boilers. He was promptly released, and attended by the ship's surgeon, but expired in ■ a tew minutes. The captain at first thought of burying the body at sea, and it was sewn in canvas for that purpose. He afterwards altered his mind, and returned to the mouth of the harbour, where the corpse was put on board the steamtug and taken to Lyttelton, while the Coptic proceeded on her voyage. The deceased, who is supposed to be a Swiss named Jacques Fleary, arrived as a stowaway some mouths ago in the Rimutaka from the Cape of Good Hope, where it is said ho has a wife and four children. The inquest on tho body was held on Monday, the 3rd May. Papers found on the deceased showed he was a native of Berne, in Switzerland, and he had expressed the intention of stowing away in the hopes that, after he got as far as Rio de Jauiero, he might be able to get a passage home. He had evidently fallen between the boilers when poking about for some place to hide, and was probably stunned at once, as his head and arm were jammed between the cylinder. A verdict of " Accidentally burned to death" waß returned. On the 27th April a serious accident occurred to a labourer named Sanderson. While engaged in cutting down a road leading to Mr. Udy's place at Pakuranga, near Howick, a large quantity of earth fell upon him. On being extricated, it was found that the unfortunate man had sustained serious injuries, his collarbone and five ribs on the left side being broken. Dr. Erson was sent for, and promptly attended, He is married, and has a largo family. The body of a man named Jas. Carswell was found floating in the Kakanui river, Oamaru, on April 29. He is supposed to have fallen in. The body of a woman named Jane Aitkin, the wife of an old settler, was found floating in the Wellington harbour on Tuesday, 27th April. Deceased was of weak intellect, and, having wandered from home on Monday, is supposed to have fallen in. At the inquest on the body a verdict of " Found drowned " was returned.

A boy named Lyon, seven years old, was drowned accidentally in a creek at Port Levy, Canterbury, on April 26. During the storm at Christchurch on Thursday, the 29th of April, two girlsaged respectively eleven and seven years— the children of John May, Little Akaroa, were washed away in the creek. The youngest was found drowned at half-past three p.m., but the other was found about five o'clock, jammed by a log, alive. She is now, apparently, all right. Much damage has bean done to buildings and culverts in the Akaroa district. Batriek Kelly, an old Crimean veteran, has been accidentally burned to death in his tent, near Dimboola. A horse and saddle, all wet, found near Waipawa, have been identified as belonging to a man named VVeatonby, a mill hand, who left Waipukurau for Waipawa on May 2. He had to cross the river, which was in flood. Search parties have been out all day, but have found no trace of the man. Albert Fletcher, farm servant, was killed by falling over a embankment at Kaiwarra. George Buchanan, employed with the regular staff fitting up telephones at Kunurua, near Masterton, on leaving there on Wednesday, April 23, fell off the top of a brake going down the Mungapukeha hill, and dislocated his neck. He died next morning. A butcher at Arrow, named Archie Cameron, has died from the effects of strychnine taken while in drink. The body of the missing man Carswell has been found floating in the K»kanui river, Otago. The steamer Douglas took the ground while crossing the bar at upotiki on May 1, and drove upon the beach during the night. The cause of the accident i 3 the shallow bar and overlapping sandspits- No blame attaches to Captain Austin or his officers. She was subsequently got off. A serious buggy accident occurred on the 7th May to Mr. E. Fatten, Collector of Customs, at Napier, and his wife. While driving down Munro street the whistling of a passing locomotive frightened the horse, which bolted down Edward-street into Hastings, and came into collision with a verandah opposite Swan's brewery. The concussion caosized the buggy, broke the verandah post, and the upper heavy beam fell on Mrs. Patten, breaking both thighs. Mr. Patten had his left log broken. On May 6 a deaf mute named Brooker, whilst walking between the rails of the Tamouni branch line, Fielding, was knocked down by some timber-laden trucks. His legs were broken, and his skull fractured. He died instantaneously.

At the inquest on William Stoupe, grocer, Chriotchurch, who died suddenly on the 9th May, the evidence showed that the deceased had been almost continually drunk for several months. A verdict of death from intoxication was returned. On Friday morning, the 14th May, John McManus, 30 years of age, while removing basils from the revolving drum at Lightband and Allen's, tannery, Woolsron, near Christchurcb, was accidentally killed. The sack fastened round his shoulders, and caught in the shafting. He was drawn off the ground, and his neck, broken. A telegram has been received from Otaki staling that Mrs. James Sheath, wife of the postmaster at Tauranga, was drowned in the Otaki river on May 16. Samuel Heaton, a fisherman, dropped dead at his house at Sumner, Canterbury, on the 14th May. Ad escape of gas on May 14 in William T. Gilmour'a house, Walker-street, Dunedin, resulted in the death of bin father, James Gilmour, by suffocation. A gas meter was being put into the house during the day, and a leak must have been left in the pipes. Mr. Gilmour, sen., went to bed about half-past six, and his son, upon entering the room at half-past eight, noticed the strong smell of gas; and found his father in bed dead. Mr. Gilmour was about SO years of age. At the inquest on the body a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned. An apprentice named Clements Robinson belonging to the Waimate fell overboard on the iSfch May, and was in imminent danger of being drowned, when an apprentice named Harris, son of the late Ven. Archdeacon Harris, of Christchurch, pluckily jumped overboard from the stem of the ship, and kept the drowning youth afloat until a boat came to the rescue. It was with considerable difficulty the lad was get into the boat, as he was very much exhausted. A man named Benjamin Sewell, employed at Messrs. Booth and Co.'s sawmill,_ near Carterton, met with an accident while at work on May IS, which resulted fatally. Jas. Davies, a labourer, who met with an accident on the ocean steamers' wharf, Lyttcl ton, on May 17, by being run over by a railway truck, died at the Lyttelton casual ward on May 19, mortification having set in. At the inquest a verdict of "Accidental death " was returned, but the jury added a rider that it was advisable that someone should bo appointed to watch the lines while shunting was being carried on.