ACCIDENTS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

ACCIDENTS, ETC.

FISHING BOAT CAPSIZED AT KATI* KATI HEADS. Tatjranga, July 23. A SHOCKING boating fatality occurred at Katikati yesterday evening, by which three lives were lost. It appears that three young men Messrs. G. V. Stewart, J. R. Francis Anderson, and Robert Blakeney—left Katikati on a fishing excursion, and when off the Heads the boat either capsized or was swamped, and sank at once, all the thr®e occupants being drowned. The disaster was seen by Mr. Alfred Faulkner, of Bowentown, who saw the cutter swamp and the men clinging to it for about five minutes, when they all dis-

appeared. * The cutter was some seven tons burden, in good order and well found. All were young men in the prime of life, and belonged to the best families in Katikati. Mr. G. V. Stewart is second son of Mr. Vesey Stewart, and leaves a widow and two children. Mr. Anderson is a nephew of Mr. T. G. Anderson, of Jesmond, Katikati, and his fate is peculiarly sorrowful, as he was only married on Easter Monday to Misa Mansell, of Tauranga, a niece of Lieut.Colonel Dowell, V.C. Mr. Blakeney was another nephew of Mr. Anderson, and was a single man. The ages of the three would all range between 25 and 30 years. The fatality will be an awful blow to Mr. Anderson and his family, as young Mr. Stewarb was married to one of Mr. Anderson's daughters, so the whole three deaths affect lihem very nearly. The three young men had lately gone into the fishing business at Katikati to develop it, and with every prospect of success. At considerable expense they had got a valuable plant, and a boat for trawling from Auckland, and also engaged the services of a professional fisherman. July 25. In the first news of the Katikati boating fatality, Mr. Robert Blakeney was mentioned as one of the crew of the boat. This proves to b& a mistake, and, owing to the Katikati office being closed yesterday, the error could not be corrected in time. Mr. Blakeney escaped the fate of his companions owing to its being his turn to take the fish over to Waihi for sale.

The other occupant of the boat was Robert Irwin, a fisherman engaged from. Auckland by the firm, and who is reported to have left a widow and one child illprovided for in Auckland. The only discovery made yesterday was by the Katikati search party t who picked up Mr. Anderson's hat. Large search parties are out again at Katikati. The accident occurred through the wind dropping when the boat was in a heavy break over a submerged reef about a mile outside Katikati Heads.

August 8. Mr. Stewart's body was found on Mafcakana Island on Saturday night, and broughl to Katikati on Sunday night. An inquest was held in the Courthouse to-day, before Captain McMillan, J.P., coroner, and a verdict of "Found drowned" returned. The funeral took place at 2 p.m. A portion of the boat has been washed ashore ab Katikati."

A SAD FATALITY. —THREE LIVES LOST. A sad accident occurred at Westport on July 15 by which three lives were lost. Early in the afternoon Mrs. W. Campbell and Mrs. Andrew McClusky, sisters, went out for a drive in a trap, accompanied by two children of Mrs. McClusky, a boy aged four years, and a girl of two years. They went along the Nine-Mile Road until they reached the Buller overflow bridge which was not railed.

While crossing the bridge, the horse, with the trap and its occupants, fell off in 10 feet of water. Mrs. McClusky clutched a pile of the bridge and ecreamed for help. Her sister sank before her eyes, and was drowned. A man who was coming along the road rescued Mrs. McClusky. The body of the younger child was found floating on the top of the water. The bodies of Mrs. Campbell and the elder child were dragged for, and secured later on and brought to town. Mrs. McClusky was prostrated by the shock. Messrs. Campbell and McClusky are employed by the Harbour Board. The horse harnessed to the trap was drowned.

DROWNING ACCIDENT AT WAITARA. An inquest was held on July 27 at Waitara, on the bodies of three men drowned at Waitara on Monday night, July 25. The evidence adduced showed that Peter Peterson, John Harris, Dan Reaty (seamen, and Arthur Larsen (a cooper), tor ted on a fishing expedition in a whaleboab on Monday morning, July 25. The weather was fair, and in the evening the boat was seen coming in. As nothing was seen of the men next morning, their absence caused some alarm, and a native who was gathering wood on the beach brought the information into Waitara that he had seen the dead Europeans there. A number of persons went on the beach, where the bodies of Peterson, Larsen, and Harris, were found.

Mo trace of Reaty was to be seen. The accident is supposed to have occurred when the party were trying to cross the bar after dark.

No vestige of the boat has been seen. Reaty leaves a wife and several children. Peterson was a married man. Harris was a married man, and leaves three children.

Reaty was a good swimmer. On one occasion he had a very narrow escape from drowning on the Waitara bar, and was always confident thab he could swim aehore. He was one of the party who were capsized on the bar some time since.

A FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY FATALITY". A frightful accident, writes onr Norman by correspondent, occurred here on Wednesday evening, the 20th July, whereby a man named Kenneth McDonald lost his life. It appears that McDonald had been in Normanby,, and on returning to his wbare in the evening took a short home along the railway line, which it appears he usually did, and when about a quarter of a mile north from Normanby Station and close to one of the cattle stops, he came in contact with the down train from New Plymouth, due at Normanby at a quarter-past seven p.m. The body was not found until next morning. When the half-past seven a.m. train to New Plymouth had proceeded a short distance, ib was noticed that she had stopped, and those on the platform surmised that the engine had gone wrong, especially so as she was noticed to be putting back to the station again. On arrival, however, ib was found to be an accident of a much more serious nature. The remains had been picked up in a tarpaulin, and were placed in the goods shed awaiting the doctor and Eolice. On the arrival of Constable ister and Dr. Lightburne from Haweia I saw the remains, and they indeed presented a terrible and sickening spectacle to look at, and such - was . the mutilation that recognition by most intimate friends was impossible, and only by portions of the clothes and the w&tch chain was it possible to trace who the unfortunate man was. The head was completely severed from the body, and smashed into a pulp • the left arm torn off at the shoulder, and smashed up, the wrist hanging by a piece of skin only, and both legs hanging ■by portions of skin. The lower part of the abdomen was ? cut, \ and the clothes nearly stripped altogether from the body. The scene of the accident also presented a terrible aspect. About ten feet-;from the cattle stop, and for a further distance of twenty feet), the brains, with portions of the skull and flesh, were strewn between the rails, and the body was. carried and knocked from where ib struck ? first a distance of 82 feet, and then thrown off to the left side of the ' line. Even the jaw was picked up, cut completely away from the rest, with about half the teeth gone, some distance from where the unfortunate man was first struck. McDonald was well known here, having resided in this district for soma years, and was a quiet, harmless} poor follow, who interfered with none.

THE inquest Was held ab the Normanby Hotel* TOM* the body had been removed, on July a half-past two p.m., before Mr. U..L,. Major, J.P., °fSSv s u |.y i—Messrs. Thomas Lloyd (foreman), James Coleman, Thomas Tempero, George Bissett, W. Erwin, and Mcllroy. After lengthy evidence was given in support of the above statement, the jury broughb in the following verdict !-*'* WiVfind that) tho deceased, Kenhfeth McDonald, met his death on the railway line, on July 20th, 1892, and that the evidence shows that n& blame whatever is attachable to the railway authorities." total WRECK of THE edith may. A heavy gale visited the W&tiganui Coast early on Sunday morning, the 24th July. The barquentine Edith May, Captain Joss, From Dunedin, anchored in the roadsted, dragged her anchors, and went ashore at 5.30 m., three and a-half miles north of ; the W&nganui River. A heavy sea was running, and the vessel was right in the midst of the breakers. The signals were not seen at the puob station owing to a fog, and it was not until ten a.m. that her position was known to those on the land. . ... , About this hour the first mate, Alfred ■Reynolds, was washed overboard, and drowned. The men were attempting to launch fit boat when a breaker struck it, carrying it and the mate overboard. The vessel was only 150 yards from land, but it took the men nine hours to get ashore. Finally, a plank was drifted to the beach with a rope attached. The Edith May had been waiting outside for a week to enter the river. She is on a bad place. Her back is broken, and she is a total loss. She belongs to Mr. John Taylor, of Sydney. The hull is valued at £1750, and is insured for £1600 in the J*iew Zealand Insurance Company (Sydney branch). The cargo is valued at £2500, chiefly flour, and is insured for £600 in the Standard, £500 in the Globe, and £1000 in others. Th» freight is insured for £200. [The Edith May was a fine barquentine, and was well known at this port, having been bere on several occasions. She was built on the Manning River (New South Wales) in ISTS, her dimensions being as follows: —Length, 114ft6in; breadth, 24ft; depth, 10ft oin ; registered tonnage, 213.] Waxganui, July 26. The wrecked schooner Edith May commence*! to part amidships at high water last night. Part of the cargo was washed cut. The total insurance on her is £4400 on hull and cargo. Just before starting on her voyage to Wanganui the Edith May had been overhauled at Fort Chalmers. She bad been thoroughly caulked inside and out, fitted ■with pare of a new main rail, a new topgallant rail and bulwarks, a new hatchway, and repaired her boats. She bad also been supplied with several new sails, and left Dunedin in excellent order.

Judgment was given at Wanganui on Aug. 5 by the Resident Magistrate as the result of the magisterial inquiry on the wreck of the schooner Edith May. Captain Joss was found guilty of great neglect in remaining at anchor after six on Saturday evening, with every prospect of bad weather, and for remaining below from ten o'clock on Saturday night till called at half-past four the following morning; for not patting a spring on the cable to ensure the vessel canting in the right direction if it was found necessary for the ship to pat to sea. The Court ordered the captain's certificate to be suspended for six months, and Joss to pay the costs of the inquiry, £5 10s. The Conrt recommended that a mortar rocket apparatus for throwing a line to stranded vessels should be kept at the pilot station, and that Captain Edwin's storm warnings be hoistei at the pilot station for the information of masters of vessels.

On the 19th July a man named Harry Wickman, who resides at Campbell Terrace, Parnell, reported to Constable Hobson that he had found the body of a man on the beach in Judge's Bay, near Fort Resolution. The body had evidently been washed ashore during the night, and when discovered was lying face downwards, with the arms stretched out. It had evidently been in th 9 water for a considerable time, as it was in a very advanced state of decomposition, and the features were completely destroyed by the action of the water, and the attacks of fishes. In fact, every part of the body not protected by the clothing has been eaten away, nothing but the bare bones being left. The water police went down in their boat, and brought the body to the morgue. An inquest was held by Dr. Philson, coroner, and- a jury of six. Ellen Teshera proved that the clothes on deceased belonged to one John Sandeman, whom she last saw over three weeks ago. He was a ship's cook on board the brigantine Aratapu. He was about forty years of age. The jury brought in an open verdict, " Found dead, and cast up on the beach in a state of decomposition." An inquest was held at the Carlton Clnb Hotel on the 2nd August, by Dr. Philson, concerning the death of William Reuben Holben, a labourer residing at Newmarket. According to the evidence of Mrs. Holben, widow of the deceased, Holben was 45 years of age, and until about 2£ years ago, when he was kicked by a horse in the back, he was a strong healthy man. He was then laid up for five weeks, and after that resumed his ordinary occupation. On the Ist August he came home from his work in his usual health, and after tea went out. When be came back at about half-past nine he was somewhat the worse for drink. Mrs. Holben went to bed, leaving him up, as he did not want to be disturbed, and she fell asleep. On awaking and finding he had nob come to bed, she got up to ascertain the reason, and to her horror found him lying on the floor dead. Constable Dunne gave evidence and John Johnston, licensee of the Carlton Club Hotel, stated that deceased had had two or three glasses of rum at his house on Monday night, August 1. Dr. Lewis, who made a post mortem examination of the body, deposed that in his opinion death resulted from suffocation. Deceased had apparently choked himself in endeavouring to vomit. A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence.

At five a.m. on the 3rd Auguab a man named William Rainbow, a carter, residing in James-street, Archhill, reported to Constable Walker that his infant son, William Henry Rainbow, had died in bed during the night, and had not been attended by any medical man. An inquest was held by the coroner in the afternoon at the Police Station, Surrey Hills, before a jury of six, of whom Joseph Connelly was ■ chosen foreman. Evidence having been given, the jury returned a verdict that the child had been accidentally smothered. A young lad namedCuthbertson, employed as a newspaper runner, met with a very serious accident on July 16, by falling I through a skylight in Fort-street. His right leg was cut to the bone at the knee, the wound extending round the knee, the bone being laid bare. He was also very much cut about the head and body. Dr. F. W. King was promptly on the spot, having been telephoned for, and after bandaging the boy's wounds, ordered his removal to the Hospital, where he was at once taken. On July 20 a melancholy accident befel a son of Mr. B. Harrison, Opunake. He was aged between three and four years. While standing on the wharf he fell into the sea. Lionel Tuke, son of Major Tuke, was there, and, with presence of mind, jumped into the water to the child's rescue, bub, from the roughness of the sea, he was unable to save him. Too much praise cannot be bestowed on young Tuke for the pluck he displayed in hia noble act. This is a case which deserves the consideration of the Humane Society, he being twenty minutes in the sea. An inquest was held on July 21, and a verdict of "Accidental death" returned. The funeral took place on July 22. A. man named Baillie was found dead in his tent at Waihou on July 25. He is supposed to have died from natural causes. A native named Te Rangihau Taurua has been drowned in the Rangitaiki River, ten miles above Teteko. He and three others started to swim across the river to save a cart and some sheep from being carried away by a fresh. They all gob swept down the stream, and Te Rangihaa, who was caught in some branches of a tree that was going down the stream, was drowned. Our Bombay correspondent writes :—A rather serious accident befel Mrs. Sturgeon, one of our oldest settlers, on July 12. She fell off the granary steps and broke a leg and an arm. The leg was broken just below the knee, and the arm at the wrist. Dr. Carolan set the injured limbs, and advised her sons to take her to the Hospital. She was conveyed there oa July 14. .

A vdry serious and painful accident) happenfid to a boy framed John Plescher, son of Mh P. Plescher, at Cambridge Wefib, on July 29. The lad was engaged ab Cooper's flax mill, taking away the dressed flax from the machine, when soma of the flax caught, and instead of leaving g*o the boy held on,"the result being that his arm was drawn in between the rollers and broken In two places. He was immediately conveyed to Dr. Cushney'a pharmacy, where his injuries were promptly arid skilfully attended to* On Sunday afternoon, August 6, It niaii named Charles Lyons was riding a young horse at Whangarei, When the animal plunged terribly, and eventually threw him on to his head. Ho was unconscious, and the doctor gives very little hope of hie recovery. Hi? skull is much fractured. Our Mareretu correspondent writes On Thursday, the 4th August, a boy, aged f eight: years, son of Mr. John de Ernesto, of Mareretu, was seriously burned oh the face and chest through igniting a canister of gunpowder. It is surprising that the boys sight was not injured for life. At present he appears to be progressing favourably, Mrs. Wayland, of Onehunga, accidentally broke her thigh on the 3rd August* Drs. Lewis and Snarmafi set the limb, but owing to her ago, some anxiety is felt. A telegram from Tautanga gives particulars of an extraordinary accident to a native named Pukepuke, who tried to extract a charge from a shot gun by sucking it out of the barrel, wheu it exploded. His cheeks were blown away, and his condition is considered precarious. On the 17th March, the barque Victoria Nyanza, which arrived at Wellington from Liverpool on Monday, the 18th July, camo ihto collision with an unknown barque, aboub 7 p.m. The Victoria Myanma was then on the starboard tack, and the officer on watch observed the vessel on the port tack bearing down towards him. He called the captain, who immediately ordered the main yard to bo thrown aback. The stranger, however, still kept on her course, apparently making no effort to stand off. The Victoria Nyanza's foreyard fouled the barque's mizzen rigging, with the result that the weather side of the former vessel's foresail, her lower topsail, and fore brace bumpkin were carried away. The damage done to the other vessel Could nob be ascertained, nor could her name be seen, though Captain Follows used every possible means to discover it. He has reported the matter to the Customs. A newspaper runner named Wm. White, aged 15 years, was killed on the railway at Addington, Canterbury, on July 18. He was travelling on the five p.m. North train, and shortly after it had passed one of the foremen at the railway workshops found him lying on the line with his logs cut of. He is supposed to have fallen while passing between the carriages. He was alivo when found, but died bait an hour afterwards.

John Boyle, farmer at Valetta, Canterbury, and a very old settler, was crushed between a drag and a gate-post on the 14th July, and died in & few minutes. An old miner named Robert Kidd, formerly well known as one of the Ross pioneers, was going home on Sunday night, July 17, to his hut in Dillman's, when in the darkness he must have stumbled crossing the Government race and fallen in, for his dead body was discovered there next morning. It is conjectured that he fell and struck his head against one of the stays of the race, because there were only three inches of water in the race at the time. 1

A man named William Wilson, alias Bilton, Boulton, and Mountjoy, fell down tie steps of an hotel at Give, Canterbury, on July IS. He was taken to the hospital, where he died on July 19. The body of a teamster, named Quaid, drowned while crossing the Waipaoa River, at Rangitira Ford, on May 16, was found on July 21 by a native girl at Pakowai, near Waerangaahika. The body was imbedded in sand, and in a good state of preservation. An inquest was held at Gisborne on July 22. The remains of the unfortunate man were forwarded by steamer on July 23 to his friends at Temuka. Particulars of a drowning accident at 'Mungaroa show that Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Burrell, recent arrivals from India, with their two children, George, three and a-half years, and Joseph, six years,-were crossing the ford when the trap was washed away. Mr. Burrell reached the river bank safely, and Mrs. Burrell clutched a log, after being driven two chains down the river. Nothing has been seen of the children since. -

A man named John Berry, 40 years of age, single, was drowned on July 20 in the Taieri River, near Otakaia. The body has been recovered.

A Waipawa man known as " Tommy Dodd," while driving a team of bullocks up Hampden Hill, near Wellington, on July 29, fell off the cart. The wheel passed over him, crushing his shoulder, ribs, hip, thigh, and leg. Although he was much injured and conveyed to the hospital he did not lose consciousness. He stated that one of the bullocks kicked at him, causing him to fall off the dray. He died in the hospital on the 31st July. His name proves to be William Henry Harwood. He leaves a wife and five children in Auckland.

On July 29 Mrs. Power, widow of Michael Power, Ohoka, Canterbury, was drowned in a well at her house. She had been in low spirits for some time, and went out about eleven p.m. Her daughter went to look for her, but could not find her. After a search, her body was found in the well about midnight. At Greytown, on July 29, Mr. Papworth, proprietor of a flour mill, was caught in a belt, and before he was extricated had bis arm and leg broken, and one of the thumbs also severed from the hand.

A man named Carl Kienast was killed on Mr. Booth's estate, at Belvidere, near Carterton, on August 1, while engaged bush falling. At Marton, a child of Mr. A. Fredericks was drowned on July 31 in the Tutuonui stream.

An inquest was held at Napier on Monday, the Ist August, on the body of Henry Galvin, aged 23, who was found dead on Petane Bridge. He had evidently fallen off his horse, and been dragged a considerable distance. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

A young man named James Simmonds, aged 21 years and single, was killed while bush-felling on July 27 on the Harbour Board block, near Feilding. At Dunedin a girl 14 years of age fell into a dam. She had been in the water about ten minutes, when a gentleman plunged into the dam with all his clothes on, and after a few minutes brought her out, apparently lifeless. Without removing his soaking cloches he at once set to work to endeavour to bring back respiration. After three-quarters of an hour he was successful, and the girl is now as well as ever.

A man named James Smith, lately from Christchurch, was killed at) Makuri, near Pahiatua, on August 8, while bush-falling. William Smith has been killed by a falling tree at Makuri. He was a married man. His wife and family are at Sydenham.

Samuel Lamer, aged 50, manager of the Scandinavian water-race at St. Bathans, Otago, was found drowned in a dam. He leaves a widow and six children.

John Sugewood, 50 years of age, a shepherd at Lynwood. was drowned in the Mararoa River.