ACCIDENTS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9083, 18 June 1888, Page 9

ACCIDENTS, ETC.

WRECK OF THE HAWEA.

PASSENGERS AND CREW SAVED. New Plymouth, June 12. The s.s. Hawea on her trip from the Manukau to the Breakwater became a wreck at half-past seven o'clock this morning in a most peculiar manner, and is now under the water, the sea washing over her. BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. She left the Manukau at half-past ten a.m. on Monday, and came to anchor about half-past eleven o'clock the same evening, about half-a-mile from the Breakwater, where she remained till about six o'clock this morning. Captain Hansby was anxious to get alongside the wharf in order to catch the through train to Wellington, leaving New Plymouth at seven a.m., and ho weighed anchor shortly before six a.m. He took his vessel a round turn and then steamed towards the wharf under slow steam, taking the usual route, the tide being quarter flood. It was dark at the time, and a northerly gale was blowing, the wind and tide making a strong set inshore. The beacons were lighted, and everything went on smoothly till the vessel was in line with the sandbank, though well clear of it. A SUCCESSION OF BUMPS. Captain Hansby noticed that the Gairloch was ahead, close to or alongside the berth which the Hawea usually takes up. He then reversed the engines and threw another anchor to bring the vessel around and clear the Gairloch, and in going astern to make the chain taut the vessel bumped against a hard substance. The bump was not a severe one, and most of the passengers took little notice of it. However, with the swell on several other bumps were felt, and the Captain immediately ordered the carpenter to sound the pumps, and also gave instructions to heave the lead to ascertain the depth of water. The carpenter reported that the fore compartment was perfectly dry, but the after hold was filling rapidly. In a few minutes the afterhold was half-full, and cases were floating about in all directions. SETTLING DOWN. The vessel soon began to settle down by the stern, although the forehold was still dry, and the bows were well out of the

water. The captain seeing that it was a hopeless case, gave orders to lower the boats, and take the passengers ashore. The No. 4 boat was lowered, and came alongside to take the passengers off meanwhile Captain liansby had got lines out to the end of the wharf to keep the vessel from going on her beam ends. The work of embarking the passengers being completed, the first boat got away, and landed them at the wharf.

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE CAPTAIN. The second boat was being loaded with luggage when the steamer lurched over nearly on her beam ends, throwing the

captain off the bridge. He caught hold of the stanchions, and was in a position of danger for some moments, when ho recovered himself.

THE CHIEF OFFICER WASHED OVERBOARD. Shortly afterwards a heavy sea broke, and took the chief officer, Mr. Waller, overboard, and right under the whaleboat, which was lying alongside. On coming to the surface Mr. Waller made towards the whaleboat, and was taken on board safely. Nothing daunted, he resumed his duty, and he and Captain Hansby worked energetically in carrying out all that was necessary to be done. A RACEHORSE DROWSED. There were two racehorses on board, Mr. Keith's Allegro and Mr. George's Armourer having been performing at the Auckland Winter Meeting. The horses were lowered into the surf, when one of them falling out of the sling on being lowered careered madly around for some time, and then struck out madly for the shore, reaching it safely after a great struggle. The mare Allegro was lowered into the water, and the halter was held on board the whaleboat in order to guide her to the shore. The poor animal, however, became almost unmanageable, and was with difficulty towed some distance towards the land, then with a sudden jerk she snapped her halter, and turning round made out for sea. The whaleboat went, in pursuit, but the chase was fruitless, and the mare was drowned, being subsequently washed ashore.

FHLL OF WATER. The discharging of tho passengers' luggape and the horses had taken a considerable time, during which the tide was rising rapidly, until it reached almost level with the decks aft. Tho fore compartment bulkheads commenced to yield to the increased pressure of the water in the after hold, and the vessel was rapidly settling down by the head. The crew wore then ordered to leave the vessel in tho whaleboat. The water was rapidly filling up forward, and as the men's quarters were ankle deep in water, it became a matter of difficulty to save their luggage, and as a matter of fact nearly all the seamen and officers lost more or less of their personal effects. THE LAST TO LEAVE. The captain and chief officer remained on board for a considerable time after the crew bad left. The vessel, which had been lying almost on her beam ends, gradually righted as the water filled the fore compartment, and she took the ground on an even keel. Beforo the captain and chief mate left the sea was washing clean over tho vessel. They were taken off in one of the Harbour Board boats. THE LOCALITY OF THE WRECK. The spot where the Hawea struck was about 600 feet from the wharf, in a southeasterly direction. According to the chart the sounding at the spot where the Hawea struck indicated 12 feet at low water spring tides, and at the time of the accident the actual depth of water must have been between 16 and 17 feet. The Hawea was

drawing 12J feet of water, so that there was presumably ample water to permit of her being taken to the wharf. LIST OF PASSENGERS. Tho following is a list of her passengers : —For New Plymouth, there were Messrs. Keith, Russell, Hall, George, Monaghan, Cunningham, Abraham, and three steerage; for the South, there were Miss Kennedy, and Messrs. Scarfe and Reid. THE INSURANCES. The following are the insurances on the Hawea :—ln colonial offices : National, £500; South British, £500; Standard, £750 ; United, £250 ; Victoria, £700 ; New Zealand, £250; Colonial, £250; North Queensland, £250. In Home offices, £2000. The company are underwriters for £8000. OFFICIAL ENQUIRY. Juno 13. The official inquiry into the stranding of the s.s. Hawea was held here to-day before the Collector of Customs. Captain Hansby said ho anchored off the breakwater about eleven o'clock on Monday night, when the weather was squally with a chopping sea. At half-past five o'clock on Tuesday morning he prepared to go into harbour, and hove in about fifteen fathoms of cable. The Gairloch was close by, and just before entering he stopped the vessel and reversed her engines to let the Gairloch go in first. He then came in with the leading lights a little open to the westward. When he saw the breakers on the beach off the end of the breakwater he starboarded the helm. When abreast the bank he put the helm hard aport to haul up to the wharf and put the engines at half-speed. He saw she was nob answering her helm on account of the fresh breeze on her broadside, and he then stopped her engines, let go the starboard anchor, and went a-head slow with the helm hard aport, thinking the anchor would check her bow to windward. She came round a couple of points when he felt the vessel touch lightly. He went half-speed as ho thought she had touched the bank. Immediately after he felt her strike heavily a second time, and saw that her way had been stopped. He sounded the wells and found that she v

not making water. About half-past eight the cable of the starboard anchor parted, and the vessel drifted to where she now is, and got aground. At high-water the forehold was filled with water. He got the passengers and crew ashore. The chief mate, William Waller, was next called upon to give evidence. His evidence was similar to the captain's. The evidence will be forwarded to the Marine Department, Wellington. The Hawea was an iron screw steamer, 160 horse-power, 7*21 tons gross, and 402 tons net register. The vessel was built in 1875 for her present owners (the Union Steamship Company), by Messrs. Denny and Co., at Dumbarton, Scotland,and her dimensions were :—Length, 215 feet 7 inches ; breadth, 27 feet 3 inches ; and depth of hold, 14 feet 1 inch. The Hawea was a smart boat, and had been found extremely serviceable in the West Coast trade, in which she had been engaged for a considerable period. Wellington, June 15. Captain Bendall wires from New Plymouth to the Underwriters' Association that lie boarded the Hawea this morning, and found the bottom caved in under the engine-room, the funnel carried away, and the deck planks started. The upper work is holding together still-, but will break up shortly. Any idea of floating the steamer is now hopeless, as a heavy swell is causing the vessel to work through the sand on to a rocky bottom. /

THE WRECK OF THE HENRY JAMES. Apia, May 14. A little excitement was caused here the other day through the arrival of a boat's crew of five men from a ship that was wrecked on a reef about thirty miles to theN.E. of the Island of Palmyra. It appears that a vessel called the Henry James, bound from Melbourne to San Francisco with coal, struck on the abovementioned reef about half-past ten o'clock on the night of the 19th April, and became a total wreck. The crew and passengers, in all numbering3o souls, barely escaped with their lives. They lost everything, bringing nothing away with them in the boats but the clothes they stood in. After a great deal of trouble they managed to reach the small Island of Palmyra, where fortunately there were some cocounut trees, which supplied them with sufficient food and drink — there is no water on the Island—to keep them from starving. After being two days on the Island it was arranged that the mate and four of the crew should start in the largest boatthe cutter — and try and reach some place to procure help. They started and made for Samoa, which they reached in an exhausted condition, after a passage of 19 days. They had nothing but cocoanut food to eat and cocoanut water to drink all the way. , They were quite unable to do any rowing by the time they reached this coast. Fortunately they were noticed some distance out to sea and picked up by a Samoan chief called Potogi, and brought round to Apia in his schooner. The man-of-war Calliope, with the Consul-General (Sir John Thurston) on board, was here when they arrived. The mate made a sworn abatement, and the Acting - Consul here—Mr. Wilson —laid the matter before Sir John and the captain, with the result that a schooner was ordered. to be chartered and fitted out at once to go to the relief of the sufferers. Most people here thought that, under the circumstances, the man-of-war would have gone; but those who had the power, and who had doubtless good reasons for the course they took, sent the schooner instead. The schooner chosen the Vindex — a fast sailer, and as there are two men put on board who have masters' certificates, every precaution has been taken to ensure her reaching her destination as quickly as possible. The following additional particulars concerning the wreck of the Henry James came to hand from a private source. There were on board Captain Xatimorc and 20 of a crew and ten passengers, including two ladies and four children. The Henry J ames was an iron ship about five years old, of 963 tons, and was owned by the North British Shipping Co., Glasgow; agents E. and A. Brown, Newcastle, N.S. W. She left Newcastle with a cargo of coal for San Francisco on Sunday, the 25th of March, and sighted Palmyra Island on Monday, the loth day of April, about 3.30 p.m. At 10 p.m. she struck on a sunken reet when going about 8 knots, steering N. by E. A E., wind E.S.E., the moon just setting and the night being a fine starlight one. When she struck the captain backed the yards and hauled the headsails down, and the ship remained" fast on the reef. The crow got the cutter and' the captain's gig out, and remained by the ship all night, but in the morning it was found impossible to go on board—the seas breaking clean over the ship. It was resolved to make for the island, which was distant about 36 miles, and the boats arrived there about 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday, and landed about 6 p.m. The Palmyra Group consists of five small uninhabited islands, about live miles in circumference, with a lagoon in the centre. The shipwrecked people found two hats, a flagstaff, but no flag, and coacoanut palms bearing fruit, were scattered over the islands. No fresh water was found— islands in no part being over six feet above water level. The only things saved from the ship were a sextant, chronometer, and a nautical almanac, a bag of bread, two 10gallon breakers of water. [A telegram from London dated June 10, states that all the crew were saved.]

WRECK AT KAIPARA HEADS.

Helknsvillk, June 6.

The Minnie Ct'sey has just arrived. She reports that the Sophia R. Luhrs is ashore on the north end of the spit, almost close to where the ill-fated James A. Stewart was lost with all hands. The crew have reached the shore in safety in the boats. Captain Marks hopes to get off with the assistance of the tug if the weather holds good. The sea is smooth at present, but the surf is too strong to get the anchor out. The Captain reports that he arrived from Wellington off the bar on the 31st May, without meeting a chance to sail in, the wind continuing light and unsteady from the N.E. The wind being steady on the 4th of June, and the tide favourable, ho started to beat in, but night coming on when off the outer corner of the Tory shoal, the anchor was let go, and the vessel apparently lay very well all night, and an anxious watch being kept, no alteration in the bearings was seen till 4.30 this morning, when the vessel was found striking the ground, which proved to be the north sandspit. Finding that the anchor was not holding, the crew left the vessel.

The barque is valued at £'2000, and is insured for .€750, her owners the Union S.S. Co. undertaking the greater risk themselves. The latest intelligence states that there was no hope of getting her off, and the vessel has been sold by public auction for £87.

The Union Company's steamer Omapere arrived at the Bluff on June 8 with 570 tons of coal from Greymouth. She left there at eight p.m. on the sth, and experienced strong S.W. winds and heavy sea throughout. When off Miiford a terrific sea struck the vessel, smashed in the forecastle head, and broke the mate's arm below the elbow. Mr. Robinson was on the bridge, and got the full force of water. Everything possible was done for him aboard, and on the vessel's arrival he was sent to Invercargill for professional advice. A painful accident occurred on the Sth June at the Shirt Manufacturing Company's premises, Great North Road, when a young girl named Eliza Beeston, 17 years of age, was seriously burned through her dress catching fire. Miss Beeston, who is employed at the factory as a boxmakor, was engaged in an upstairs room in heating a quantity of glue, and she had occasion to turn for a moment, when the fire suddenly caught the back of the skirt which she was wearing. The girl immediately lost her presence of mind and ran down the stairway, the draught feeding the flames, but when she reached the lower floor Mrs. Jackson, the forewoman, at once seized her, and after some difficulty extinguished the flames, though not until the girl had been severely burned on the legs and back. The occurrence transpired so quickly that a follow - workwoman of Miss Beeston, who was in the room upstairs, knew nothing of the matter for some time. Dr. Mackellar, who had been sent for by Mrs. Jackson, dressed the injuries, not, however, pronouncing them dangerous, and the girl was removed to the Hospital. A very mysterious death by drowning took place at Dargaville on the 20th of May. Mrs. Mary McKenzie, widow, a dressmaker at the Mangawhare Store, accompanied by Messrs. Harding and Hoskings, went to church. She afterwards walked part of the way home with the former*, and returned with the latter, and left him at his gate, a few yards from her own abode. About nine o'clock several people, both at Dargaville and Mangawhare heard the screams of a woman in distress, apparently proceeding from the water, but could see no one. Atoneo'clockonMay2l HenryCooksey found the body of the deceased loft on the bank of the river at ebb tide. It was corn-

<■■■■■>■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■»■■■■■■■■ | pletely dressed, even to the kid gloves on the hands. The clothes were over the head. There was a large wound on the mouth, apparently from a blow, her projecting frontteeth having penetrated the lip. On the body being taken to deceased's house, her slippers were found in front of the fender, and the lamp was still burning. An inquest was held at Dargaville on Tuesday, the 22nd of May, before Mr. Webb, coroner, on the body. After hearing the evidence of several witnesses the jury returned an open verdict of "Found drowned." The funeral of the unfortunate lady took place on May 23. Nearly every male resident in the district attended, and from the number present at Mount Wesley Cemetery one would have supposed that the whole of the women in the community were determined to show their respect to the deceased. Her coffin was literally strewed with flowers. In the absence of the Rev. Mr. Marshall in Auckland Mr. Harding, sen. , conducted the burial service. An inquest was held on May 21 into the circumstances of the death of Mrs. Mary Quinnan, who was run over by a horse and cart at Onehunga a short time ago, and who died at the Hospital on. May 18. After the evidence had been given, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that death was caused by internal hemorrhage, caused by vomiting, in consequence of improper food having been supplied to her by one of her friends whilst visiting her on May 17. A rider as follows was added:— "That more stringent measures should be adopted to prevent visitors supplying patients with any food without the doctor's sanction."

Inspector Broham on May 25 received a report from Constable Foreman, stationed at Helensville, of the circumstances attending the death by drowning of a man named Michael Kenny. The constable also forwarded the statements of two men—Thos. Lyons and Frank Rodgers—who were with deceased at the time of the accident. The facts appear to be as follow : The three men left Heiensville about eleven o'clock on the morning of the 24th May, intending to go to Tauhoa. They were in a 5-ton half-decked boat, and when about six miles from Helensville the boat grounded. They pushed her off, and had barely got under way again when a squall struck her, causing the back halyards to break and let the sail down. As it fell Kenny (who was at the time sitting in the centre of the boat) rose, and losing his balance fell overboard. Rodgers tried to seize him, but failed to do so, and Kenny drifted past the boat, and before the boat could be got round to him he sank and was not seen again. Deceased was an Irishman, about forty years of age, and had a wife and three children living somewhere in Ireland.

The body of a man was found on June 5 in a boiling pool of water at Rotorua, the feeder of what used to be called "C. 0. Davis* Bath," not far from the kuirau opposite the Palace Hotel. It appears that a young gardener from Te Koutu, wishing assistance, called at old John Law's house to ask him to come. The door appeared padlocked. On looking into an ugly boiling pool alongside he noticed the head of a man floating on the surface, face downwards. Giving the alarm Constable Cahill was soon on the spot, when with some difficulty and danger he succeeded in recovering the body, which was fully dressed. On ripping the clothes off the flesh appeared firm, scarcely even par-boiled, but the skin peeled off easily. On opening the deceased's house his lonely little dog came out looking the very picture of despair as it gazed on the horriblelooking remains of its old master. Sunday night, June 3, being very dark and stormy, there is net the slightest doubt that poor Jack missed his footing just at his own door and tumbled into the hot pool. On June 1, about half-past seven p.m., a man, who is thought to be a Polish Jew, and whose name is Warren, was walking up Victoria-etreet, and when opposite the Oxford Hotel was seen to fall on the pavement. He was taken into the hotel by some bystanders, when it was seen he was in some kind of a fit. A cab was got, and he was taken to Dr. Hooper's. Dr. Hooper was at home, and came out to the man, who was too ill to move, and who remained in the cab in the street. Dr. Hooper administered restoratives, and tried to bring the man to consciousness by placing strong ammonia under his nose. It was also attempted to give him brandy, but he was unable to swallow it, and none could be got down his throat. All attempts to bring him to his" senses failed, and he died in the cab while these attempts were in progress. The body was removed to the morgue. A post mortem examination of the body was made by Dr. Hooper. An inquest was held on June 2 at the Pier Hotel. After hearing the testimony of Patrick Rooney, Sarah Cox, Sergeant Kiely, and Dr. Hooper, a verdict of " Died from natural causes " was returned. The nationality ol deceased was not cleared up, but the evidence tended to show him to have been a French Canadian.

A rather sudden death took place on the 11th June in Ponsonby under the following circumstances :—A boy named Percy Thomas Sharpe, aged 7-i years, living with his parents in Ryle-street, was taken with convulsions about half-past nine p.m. on June 10, and died at half-past six a.m. on June 11. The boy on June 10 was in the best of health, seemingly. He was cheerful and in good spirits. He attended St. Stephen's Sunday-school on Sunday afternoon, and the Primitive Methodist Church, at the corner of Franklin Road, in the evening. After church he came home, had his supper, and went to bed. About half-past nine the boy began to cry out, and his parents at once proceeded to his bed, but only to find him attacked with convulsions, which continued in spite of all that could be done, and soon he lost consciousness, and so remained till death relieved him. Dr. F. T. Bayntun, of Wellington-street, was called in, and administered restoratives, but was unable to save him. The boy was very healthy and hearty, and Dr. Bayntun is of opinion that the convulsions were caused by an overloaded stomach, which, causing a sudden determination of blood to the head, brought on the fits.

A somewhat dangerous accident occurred in the football match University v. the Gordon Second on June 9 to Mr. Percy Kingswell, who was playing for the University team. It appears that in the course of the play Mr. Kingswell charged one of the backs, head downwards, and received a severe shock. He was unconscious for some time. Subsequently he was examined by Dr. Lewis, who pronounced the injury to be concussion of the brain.

Mr. C. E. Smith, storekeeper, Kaikohe, was found dead in his bedroom on the 26th May. His life was insured with the Government. He has no relatives in the country. An inquest was held, when a verdict of " Death from natural causes" was returned.

A painful and serious accident occurred early on Monday, May 21, to a miner named McQuiggan. He was walking over a bridge on the Kanieri tramway, near Hokitika, going to work before daybreak, and was blinded by a flash of lightning and fell into the stream below, sustaining a compound fracture of the leg. He was conveyed to the hospital. His sufferings were intense, the bone protruding, bui. they were borne heroically.

The body of James Gray, miner, who has been missing from Teviot, Otago, has been found on one of the beaches of the Clutha River. A large stone was found in each of the trousers pockets.

The body of an infant, supposed to be prematurely born, was found on the beach near Oriental Bay, Wellington, on the 22nd May. The police are investigating the matter.

Mr. H. J. Baker, a brewer well known in Napier, Wellington, and Auckland, was killed at Waipukurau on the 26th May. He had been on a visit to Waipawa, and when in the act of mounting a horse which he had recently bought, was thrown heavily on his head, lacerating the scalp dreadfully.' He was rendered unconscious by the fall. He recovered consciousness shortly afterwards, but again relapsed, and died at one a.m. on the 27th May. Mr. Baker was universally respected. A fatal accident happened on May 24 to John Foster, a carter, plying between Hokitika and Ross. Deceased was descending a hill leading to the Deep Creek Bridge, near Rimu, when he fell, and the wheel of the heavily-laden dray passed over his chest, crushing him. fearfully. Medical assistance was sent for, but Foster breathed his last ten minutes before the doctor arrived. Deceased leaves a wife and ten children. '* ',; ""'-*

A settler at Pahiatu named George Howell was drowned in the Mangatamoko River, Wellington, on May 24, while crossing in a boat. He was paddling with one oar and overbalanced himself, and was washed down the stream,

,-" On Thursday afternoon, May 24, Ethel and Augusta Williamson, aged seven and five years, - daughters of a farmer living near Papanui, Canterbury, were drowned in' the river Styx. Their father took them with him to cut and load manuka . near the river. On arriving there he Bent; them home. Shortly afterwards, his son found their shoes and stockings on the bank of the river, and further search revealed their bodies lying in six feet of water. A painfully sudden death occurred at Orange. A licensed publican named Angus, who had been drinking, became excited and quarrelsome and dropped down dead. In Southland a woman, while sweeping her kitchen, struck a dynamite cap with her broom. It exploded, and inflicted some ugly cuts about her eyes. Lawrence Swift, a quarryraan, was killed at the Cobden quarry, Greymouth, on the 23rd May, by a slip of stone, which buried him completely. He was terribly crushed, tind death must have been instantaneous. Charles, aged eight years, son of James Fowler, Mosgiol, was killed on June 5 by « horse bolting, with the boy hanging by his foot from the stirrup. John J. Mann, aged 22 years, was killed at Flag Swamp, Otago, on the 6th June, by falling under his dray in endeavouring to check his runaway horses. The captain of the whale-ship ornian, ■which arrived at Russell on the 2nd June, reports that while at sea in September last, the carpenter, who was engaged on the mainyard, fell to the deck and broke his neck, death being instantaneous. A body was taken out of the Wellington harbour on June 1, and was identified as that of Rogers, a fireman who had been tnissing from the steamer Tongariro. John Boland, miner, Greymouth, was killed on June 2 while cross-cutting a tree ton his claim, Still Water. A portion of tho tree flew up, striking him on the head, and killing him instantly. Three serious accidents were admitted to the Masterton Hospital on June 12. Arthur Goulson, jockey, whilst leading a draught horse got his leg broken by a kick. Abraham Fielding, whilst pig - shooting at Brancepath on Monday evening:, fell over find his gun went off, the bullet passing through both thighs, and smashing the right Dane. Anderson, benchman at Manpramohoe Sawmill, was struck by a large splinter from a machine, which entered the tide of hi 3 eye and passed underneath to the brain. He was chloroformed at the Hospital, and it took the united efforts of Dro. Hoskings and Milne to extract the | *rrjod. The sufferer is progressing favour- j ably, considering. i A young man named James McLeay, | lit Dunedin on the 12th June, while soften- i Ing some dynamite, met with a serious ! Bccident. The charge suddenly exploded, , and his left hand, below tho wrist, was J blown off. His right hand was injured, «Jid his body covered with bruises. His left arm was amputated above the wrist, and the man is likely to recover. , A body was found in the Wellington har.hour on the 7th of June, and has been identified as that of William Pope, billiardmarker, who was a passenger on the s.s. Kcrranui from Dunedin to Westport. The tody had been in the water 17 days, and Was much decomposed. An inquest was held on the sth June, in the Town Hall, Opunake, before His Honor Judge Rawson, of New Plymouth, respecting the death of a child of Mrs. William Wagstaff. The child had fallen down a well, and was found drowned. The jury brought in a verdict of "Accidentally drowned."

• A serious accident occurred to a little boythree years old, a son of Mr. Thomas King, gardener, Hamilton. The child fell from a work bench, and broke one of its legs below the knee. The child was taken to the hospital, and with the assistance of Mr. R. F. Mantles, who administered chloroform, the little sufferer's leg was set by Dr. Kenny, and the child was taken home to its parents. An inquest was held at Taupiri on May 22 on the remains of the late Mr. John Brown, storekeeper, of the Public Works Department, Auckland, before Coroner Searancke and a jury, of whom Mr. T. H. White was elected foreman. A voluminous mass of evidence was taken, and the ? ury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence, " That deceased had been found drowned, but that there was no evidence to show how the drowning had occurred.'' A yonnf; man named Odium, the eldest son of Mr. Odium, of West Hamilton, had his collar-bone broken on 9 while playing at football on Sydney Square, Hamilton. He is favourably progressing under the care of Dr. Ce.rey.