ACCIDENTS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8811, 26 February 1892, Page 1

ACCIDENTS, ETC.

WRECK OF THE STAR OF ERIN. Invercargill, February 7.—The barque Star of Erin, Captain Hopkins, which left the Bluff for London on February 6, has gone ashore at aipapa reef and is now a total loss. All hands were saved. The vessel had been delayed by easterly wind, and left when it shifted to the southward. Since then the wind has come up strong from the sea and this probably caused the loss of the ship. The wreck is a mile from the lighthouse, and occurred at midnight. A boat and ten men reached Fortrose at nine a.m., while tho mate and one man landed at Waipapa. The captain and the remainder of the crew have since landed. At eleven a.m. only the mizzen mast was standing. February 8. The Star of Erin's cargo for London consisted of 7219 sacks oats, 2721 bales wool, and 40 casks tallow. She was an iron barque of 949 tons register, classed 100 A 1 at l .loyds, and owned by Park Brothers, of London. She was built at Belfast in 1862 by Harland and Wolff, and was commanded by Captain E. L. Hopkins. The barque Star of Erin is a total wreck. Tho captain says a thick south-east gale was blowing at the time, and he did not see tho Waipapa light. The cargo was valued at £33,000 and tho vessel at £10,000.

A private telegram received in Auckland on Feb. 8 states that the cargo of the Star of Erin was insured a3 follows :—China. Traders, £7000; Mew Zealand, £4913; National, £3200; South British, £3000 ; British and Foreign, £3000; Victoria, £2000; Melbourne Lloyds, £2000 ; Standard, £1500; Canton, £1300; United, £1000 ; Alliance, £1000 ; Australian Alliance, £750 ; Union, £500: total, £31,163. The only hope of salvage is that a portion of the cargo may be washed ashore.

WRECK OF THE RYNO. By the arrival of tho s.s. Richmond from the Islands there comes news ot the wreck of the well known Auckland vessel, the brigantine Ryno. Captain A. Tribe, of that craft, who came up to Auckland in the Richmond, reports as follows of the occurrence : —" The Ryno, under charter to Messrs. J. T. Arundel and Co., left Auckland on November 25 for the guano depots, and arrived at Flint Island on .January 3, after a long and tedious passage. On the morning of the 4th she went ashore on the west side of tho island during a heavy blow, and became a total wreck. Those on board all got ashore safely, and afterwards with considerable difficulty managed to get some provisions and all stores for the island ashore through the surf. After remaining on the island for 10 days it was decided for some of the party to try and reach Tahiti. Accordingly on January 14 A. Tribe, master; C Olsen, mate; and A. Demer, steward, left Flint Island in an 18-foot open boat, and after being 5| days at sea, made Huahine, one of the outlying islets of the Society Group. Thence they got passage to Papeete in a native cutter, arriving there on January 24, where four days later they were picked up by the Richmond. There are still at Flint Island five of the crew of tho Ryno, namely : W. Fisher, A.B. ; Simonsen, A.B. ; Matheson, O.S. ; T. Gillibrand, O.S. ; and Meadows; with one passenger, William Cozens. The Ryno was well known in this port, having for many years traded under the flag of Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane. She was then for some time engaged in the intercolonial timber trade, but has for some time been under charter to Messrs. J. T. Arundel and Co., running as a despatch between the firm's guano stations and this port. She is a wooden brigantine of 85 tons, and was built in 1873 at Omaha. Her registered owner is Mr. W. C. Daldy.

By the s.s. Rose Casey on February 1 news came to town of the foundering of a well-known vessel belonging to this port, the steam scow Alpha, which has for some time past been used by her owner, Mr. D. Cooper, of the sawmills, Mechanics' Bay, for the conveyance of baulk timber from coastal ports to Auckland. The Alpha was an iron vessel of about 50 tons, and had been originally used by the Harbour Board in connection with their dredging operations. She was fitted with engines and other machinery recently when purchased for her present trade. The crew consisted of three men : A. Donovan, master ; C. Stubbs, engineer; and C. Cooper, deck hand. It appears that she left Mahurangi early on Jan. 31 for Auckland with a deckload of baulk timber and towing also a raft of about 50 logs, and progressed steadily until after midday, when tho wind suddenly shifted and blew in hard squalls from the north-east and east. Tho sea rose rapidly and frequently broke aboard, tho vessel making very heavy weather of it. The master 'tried to run back to Mahurangi, but without success, and a couple of hours later there was a lot of water in the engine-room, apparently from a leak. The ono pump on board was sob in motion, but proved inadequate to keep down tho inflow. By half-past three it was seen that tho craft was in danger of settling, and it was decided to abandon her. Accordingly, the three men on board got into tho dingy, and had hardly got clear of the Alpha when she foundered suddenly. The men lost nearly all their personal effects, Mr. Stubbs not having time to secure anything. After a long pull, all landed safely at Waiwera.

A fatal accident occurred on the Epsom tramway on February 1, when a man named Patrick Dunn was run over, receiving such injuries that he died shortly afterward. An inquest upon the body was held at the Hospital on the 2nd February. Dr. Philson presided as coroner, and Mr. Thos. Holmes was foreman of the jury. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," adding as an expression of their opinion that no blame could bo attached to anyone. One of the members of the City Rowing Club, W. Phipps, who lives in Newton, was rowing in the harbour on January 30 in a skiff lent him by a friend, when the craft capsized. Phipps, who cannot swim, narrowly escaped drowning, and ib was only when he was much exhausted that he was rescued by Mr. McKellar, of the Customs Department. On February 1 many of the vessels in port displayed their bunting at half-masb as a silent token of regret for the loss of tho well-known shipmaster Captain Charles Helander, who lost his life by drowning. Captain Helander was well known on the Now Zealand coast, and over a decade ago was master of the s.s. Southern Cross for a considerable time. He then retired from the sea and settled at Papakura, where he conducted an hotel with success for several years. At the time of the late strike he returned to the sea, and was officer on several of the Union S.S. Co.'a vessels. He subsequently went into a sailing vessel, and was last on the schooner Welcome as first officer to Captain Cooper, and ib was while in charge of this vessel ho was washed overboard and drowned. Deceased was an elderly man, and leaves a family who reside at Papakura. An inquest was held ab the Asylum on tho 3rd February by Dr. Philson, coroner, concerning the death of an inmate named Annie Rowland. The deceased had been suffering from consumption. A verdict of "Death from natural causes" was returned.

On February 11, about half-past four p.m., a rather serious accident occurred to two seamen, named Albert Schultz and Robert Brown, belonging to tne large steamer Morayshire, lying at the Queenstreet Wharf. Tho pair were engaged painting tho bow of the vessel, and were seated on a ladder suspended just beneath the anchor, when suddenly the anchor slipped and knocked Schultz off his perch into the water, while his companion was similarly precipitated into the harbour. The accident was observed by those on board, and the two men were promptly rescued by their comrades. Brown escaped with some scratches and bruises sustained by contact with the vessel's side, but Schultz received a nasty knock on the head. Mr. Robso'.i, chief officer ot the vessel, had the men attended to at once, and a doctor was sent for. Dr. King came, and found Schultz to have broken his leg, and to bo otherwise hurt. The injured seaman was later sent to the Hospital, whore the broken limb was set.

Afc Onehunga on the 31sb January John O'Neil, a man about 35 years of age, manager of the Apple Farm, East Tainaki, mat with a serious accident. He had been spending the day with a friend at Onehunga, Mr. Bolatid, and had mounted his horse, a young and spirited animal, for the purpose of returning home, when it commenced to rear and plunge, eventually falling and throwing its rider heavily to the ground. When picked up O'Neill was found to be insensible. Dr. Erson was called in, and on examination of the unfortunate man, found him to be Buffering from concussion of the brain, with symptoms of fracture of the base of the skull. A fine young man, 17 years of age, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bree, of Whangarata, was drowned at Tuakau in the Whakapipi Stream, on Sunday, February 7. He attended the Wesleyan Church in the morning, and while waiting for the afternoon service, went to bathe, no one except two little boys being with him. On the alarm being given, several young men set to work, when the body was found close to the bank, in about seven feet of water. It was removed to the Tuakau Hotel for tho inquest, which was held on February 8, before Captain Jackson, coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr. Thomas Walker waa foreman. The evidence supported the above statement, and the jury returned a verdicb "That deceased was accidentally drowned while bathing." Our Pollok correspondent gives the following particulars of the late Dr. Clark :— " Dr. Alexander Clark, of Whangarei, died at his residence, Glorit, Maunu Road, on Monday, the Ist of February. He was a native of Campsie, near Glasgow, Scotland, and was born about the yeai

1839. Ho obtained his degree as surgeon in the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, and his degree as physician in the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh. He came to this colony over seven years ago. Previous to that time he had for many years a superior practice in Egremont, on the south side of the Mersey from Liverpool, England, where his health began to fail. After trying various plans to secure a restoration to health, he at last decided to come to Auckland. He was reported to ba a skilful and successful surgeon, especially in tho operation of tracheotomy, which he repeatedly performed, and never lost a patient. He leaves a widow and three children to mourn their loss. He was a man of whom it might justly be sajd, 'he wore the white flower of a blameless life.'"

Our Kaitaia correspondent writes :—" A very painful accident took place at Takahue on the 27th January. A young native lad named Hone Ranuku lost the whole of the palm of his left hand. A gun bursting was the cause. Two days before, a native, who had been brought from Whangaroa to bo doctored by our tohunga died, and as he was being carried away, a group of natives took their guns—and such guns, fully fifty years old !— and loaded them to excess with blasting powder, and fired a farewell salute, and the result mentioned took place. Part of the palm and three fingers wera blown away, which necessitated amputation. Dr. Trimnell was wired for, and ha cut the wounded limb off, with the assistance of Messrs. J. W. Shannon, R. 11. Matthews, and \V. G. Puckey, The doctor has every hope of his patient's recovery." The two-year-old son of Mr. J. O'Brien, of Puriri, narrowly escaped drowning in Puriri Creek on Feb. 5. It appears he fell into a hole ten feet deep, but the occurrence was seen by a brother thirteen years of age, who gallantly jumped in with his clothe# on and rescued his young brother. One of the early settlers of the Wade, Mr. Robert Otway, was found dead on the road between the Wade and Whangaparoa last week. He was on his way to visit a friend, but as he did not arrive when expected, a search was made, and he was found dead near the house, having succumbed to heart disease. At an inquest which was held on the remains, a verdicb j of " Death from natural causes" was returned.

Miss Lees, a young lady living with Mrs. Hopkins Clarke, at Rarere, Kerikeri, was drowned while bathing in the tidal river near the house on February 14. The body was recovered soon afterwards, bub life was extinct.

A man named Peter Jacobson, employed afc the Aratapu sawmills, Northern Wairoa, narrowly escaped serious injuries on the Btb February. Jacobson was underneath the mill attending to the adjustment of one of the belts, when by some means he gob caught in the machinery. When picked up ho was in an insensible condition, and one of his ears was nearly torn from his head. He soon recovered consciousness, and ia now progressing favourably.

A native woman was severely scalded in a spring at Whakarewarewa on Feb. 12. Sha had been in quest) of some shrub used as a medicine which grows in the district, and whilst in search of it amongst the tea-tree the ground gave way, and she dropped into a spring, getting seriously injured on the legs and abdomen. She died on February 16. An old native named Takerei Ruha, who was missing from his home at Waiotapufoc sixteen days, has been found dead. De« ceased left the settlement to go to a bush near by, and had been returning with a kib of potatoes, which his hand firmly grasped when found. The body was in an advanced stage of decay, and was buried where found, just alongside the road. Hisfrienda had been searching for him for many days.

A party who ascended Mount Egmont on February 7 found the body of Southwood, who went up last April and did not return. The body was found in a good state of pre J servation on the top of the mountain, lying across two boulders at the foot of a precipice about twenty feet high. One leg was thrust out, and the other bent under the body, as was one arm. One side of the face was crushed as if smashed by a fall. The body had the clothes on, and even the hat, and the flesh was in such a good state of preservation that the body could nob have been exposed to tha air more than two days, and must have been covered with snow, which had melted off it. It is thought that the unfortunata man must have gained the summit oi the mountain, gone to the edge of the precipice and fallen over on to the boulder below. His life was insured for £300 in the office for which he canvassed. A party of eight men left New Plymouth ato noon on February 9 for Mount Egmont, to fetch Southwood's body to town. An inquest was held at New Plymouth, on February 12. A verdict was returned, " That deceased was found dead on Mount Egmont, with no marks of violence." The body was buried in Henui Cemetery. The money found on the body was handed over to the deceased's uncle. The barque St. Lucie, from New York, arrived at Wellington on Monday nighb, the Bth February, 123 days out. On December 31, in hurricane, she shipped a tremendous sea, which smashed up everything On the deck, carried away the boat, broke the m&inboom in two, and wrecked

the cabin. A large quantity of water got below, and the cargo is probably damaged. Grey, the second mate, and Streth, the man at the wheel, had their legs broken. Captain Erskine, and Funck, the first mate, were knocked about and seriously injured. Emily Colbeck, 30 years of age, the wife of a railway surfaceman, died at Dunediu on Thursday, the 4th February, while under chloroform. She was having some teeth extracted at Myer's dentistry. Dr. McPherson administered the anaesthetic, and shortly after he noticed the pulse cease suddenly. Efforts were at once made to restore animation, but without avail. An inquest touching her death was held on Feb. 5. A verdict ot death from failure of the heart's action while under chloroform was returned, tho jury adding that all necessary medical precautions had been taken to ascertain tho condition of the deceased, and that no restorative measures were left untried.

John Donovan, foreman of the Ocean Beach tramway shed, Dunedin, was drowned on January 29 while bathing in the surf at the Ocean Beach. The deceased was single and about 35.

At Ashburton on January 30 William Crooks, a lad aged 14, fell off a dray loaded with coal, which ho was driving. 'Iha wheel passed over his loins, and he haa since died. . An old settler, John Higgs> 70 years ol age, dropped dead in his paddock at Timaru on Monday night, February L>, while engaged driving cows home. He had been suffering some time from heart , disease.

At Hawera on Feb. 8 a man named James Kearn was found drowned in a waterhole near his residence. He had been strange In his manner for years. A boy named Polglaiso was drowned in the Mangatainoko River on February 3 whilo bathing. A serious accident happened to Cobb's coach between Rae's Junction and Island Black, Otago. The ringbolt broke, and the horses bolted with tho fore part of the coach. James Mcintosh (tho driver), was thrown out against tho bank, and Mr. Urownleo, of Dunedin, was precipitated over him, but escaped without serious injury. Mcintosh was badly hurt, and had evidently been dragged by the horse? for some distance. Mr. and Mr?, l'etors, of Roxburgh, were injured, and also a lady from Alexandra. Mcintosh has died from his injuries. Ho leaves a widow and rive grown up children. An inquest was held on Feb. 11 at W akefield, Nelson, touching tho death of Mr. Samuel Clayilen, a member of tho Education Board. He was crossing a email creek near his house by means of a plank when apparently ho became giddy and fell into a few inches of water. Ho struggled to the bank but died there. Tho cause of death was heart disease. A verdict to that effect was returned. A young man named Albert Atherton Jordan, '20 years of ago, called at the Christchrch Hospital on Wednesday night, February 10, and stated ho was in great pain from eating green apples. He was treated for irritant poisoning, but died at three o'clock next morning. An inquest was held in tho afternoon, and adjourned for tho stomach to be analysed. Thomas Spruges, aged IS, a native of Christchurch, has been drowned in the Teraumea Kiver, in the Kketahuna district. The body was found on February 12. John Dickenson, an employe at tho Ro»lyn Woollen Mill, Dunedin, left Kaikorai Valley on Fob. 13 with a fellow employe for a ride to Outram. On tho return journey they sommenced to race their horses. Dickenson was subsequently found lying unconscious on the road, a mile from Roslyn. j He died early on Feb. 14. He had been drinking. Ho leaves a grown-up family. At the inquest a verdict of accidental death was returned. A gallant rescue from drowning occurred at Christchurch tho other evening. A girl eleven years old fell into tho Avon, near lvilmorc - street. Thomas Coulter, City Council carter, though unable to swim, plunged into 10ft of water, seized the girl, and struggled to land with her. She was •iuiost gone when he seized her. During the severe thunderstorm in the Masterton district on February 4 two men nt Opaki had a wonderful escape. They were unharnessing horses in a stable at Captain Holmwood's when a Hash of forked lightniug passed through the building and struck six horses dead. Both men were knocked down, and it was thought one was killed. Dr. Beard on arrival found this was not so, as the man was only paralysed. The horse* killed were valued at £130. A boy named Murphy, seven years, the son of a settler at Fairfax, Otago, was killed by a fall from a horse. A gallant rescue from drowning occurred •at Napier on February 4. A girl eleven years of age fell into the Avon River at Jvilruoru-- , Thomas Coulter, City Council carter, though unable to swim, i plunged into ten feet of water, seized tho ' girl, and struggled to land with her. Three Maoris went fishing at the mouth of the Ngaruroro, llaw ke's Bay, on Feb. 4. The boat upset, but two of the occupants reached the shore, the third being drowned.

Robert Taylor, an ull expressman, was found drowned in Wellington harbour on the tit February. William Croaks, a la 1 of 14 year?, fell off u dray loaded with coal which ho wad driving at Aahburton. The wheel passed over hi? loins, and lie died a quarter of an hour afterwards.

Mrs. Heat tic was drowned while trying to cross the Kapuka River, at Kaikotira, in a van. Deceased with the van arid horsed was washed out to sea. Deceased was the wife of .Mr. Beat tic, of Black and Beattie, Chri-teh.uch.

A boy named Thomas Jensen, residing: at Sydenham, was drowned in the Heathcote river at noon on Feb. 9 while fishing. His body was recovered three hours afterwards. A telecrrain from Stratford states that a tout) named Patrick Wbeelan, a labourer, working on the Hayward Koud, was killed an February 8 by a failing tree.