ACCIDENTS, ETC

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10417, 15 April 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

ACCIDENTS, ETC

SHOCKING FATALITt. Mrs. Hope (wife of Mr. Joseph VV. Hope, a settler in Stokes Valley), her stepdaughter, and a little child, were found drowned in the Hutt River on April 1. Mr?. Hope had driven her husbarid to the railway station , , on his way to Wellington, and was returning, home with her stepdaughter and child, when, it is supposed, the horse jibbed and backed the cart into the river. Ab tho inquest on the bodies of Mrs, Hope, her step-daughter, Lilian (aged 20), and an infant, a verdict of accidental death was returned. Further particulars of the accident show that a passer-by noticed signs as if something had gone over the baud, and went down to look there. He saw the cart overturned, and all three bodies pinned down by one wheel in about four feet of water. The hOrse was unhurt, and was lying with his head out of the water against the bank. The cart had scarcely a ecratchj and the fatality is inexplioable, except on the supposition that the victims were stunned by the fall of about 20 feet. All wore quite dead, and probably had been there an hour before they were found. It is understood Mrs. Hope did not know much about driving, and, though thero was evidently plenty of time to have jumped out of the cart, ib is supposed that in fright she clung tighter to the reins. Siie was driving homo at the time. The place where the accident occurred is on an incline in the gorge. The horso must have jibbed going up the hill, and backed over a steep bank. The husband, who had come to Wellington, knew nothing of what occurred till he opened the evening papor. ———————— On March 31 it was reported to the police authorities that a man named Joseph Sourby, a gardener, had been found dead in Mr. Parker's vinery, Uomuera. It appears that Mr. Parker, in company with Scurby, had used a solution of oyanide of potiiesiuin in water for vinery purposes, and showed Scurby how to use it. On the 31st of March, a little before 5 o'clock, Scurby told tho servant girl he was going into the vinory to attend to something or other. As he did not oome back again in a reasonable time to the house she was senb to look for him ab the vinory. On opening tho door of the vinery she found him lying there dead, and informed Mr, Parker, who communicated with the police. Ib is supposed he was using tho acid, and having closed tho doors of cho vinery behind him, that he had been overpowered by the fumos and suffocated. Deceased was about 40 years of ago, and has relatives in the Hawke's Bay district. On Thursday, tho Ist of April, Dr. Philaon and a jury, held nn inquest on the body at the Newmarket Hotel, whon tho jury returned a verdict of " Died from inhaling the fumes of hydrocyanic acid." A shocking accident occurred at bhe Woodstock Gold Mining Co.V mine on April 10, us the result of which a young man named Pntriok Wall, about 20 years of age, was so terribly injured that he miccuinbod about a couple of hours after tho ocuurrenoo. It appears that deceased was working with iinolrhor man tiainud Phelan in a stopo at tho back of No. 3 level, whilst about 20 or 25 foet further on two other miners werd working at another face. Both parties had simultaneously charged holes in their reapeotivo works, and having fired them they retired to a safo place till the explosion occurred. Wall, however, seemed to be under the impression that ho had not spitted his fuso effentivoly, anil nftor one charge had gone off he waited some time for ihis to explode, but as there sooined to be a great delay ho said to his mate that he had noli spitted the charge, but would then go and do so. Hβ then proceeded to carry his intention into effect, but apparently just as he ruached tho faoe an explosion took place, tho full force of which the poor fellow received in the faco and chest. A roscuo pirty was immediately forth-coming, and the unfortunate young mini was conveyed to Mr. Bunyard's Hotel, whilst the medical services of both Dγ, Forbos and Dr. Buckby, of Paeroa, wore promptly called into requisition. Both gentlemen, however, agreed upon examination that nothing could bo done for him, as tho fnoo was shockingly mutilated, one eyo being blown out, whilst both arms woro reduced almost to a pulp. A stone hud ulio entered tho chost and pftssod into tho loft lung. Tho poor fellow con«equeiitly only lusted about two hours nftor the occurrence, and ho passed away about two o'clock in the afternoon, uftor having suffered intense agony, An inquest was hold on the 12th of April. The jury brought in a verdict to bho elTeot that deceased met his death by going back to the face of the stopo under the supposition that his fuse had not baleen fire. Tho remains of were couveyed to the Thames for interment.

On March 24 William Glenn, while undergoing nn operation on Che oyo at I lie Wellington Hospital, died under chloroform.

The wife of 1). McPhor»on, a settler, of West \Vawu, when taking home the cows on March 23, wan attacked by a bull, and gored to death before assistance arrived. The unfortunate woman was frightfully cub about the head and neck. D. H. Robertson, manager of the Milton branch of the Bank of New Zealand, died on March 26 from the effects of injuries received on the lOch March, He was " coasting" down a hill on a bicycle when the machine swerved, and he wai carried to the bottom, striking against a bank with his head, Hβ sustained concussion of the brain. A young man, named W. Barnes, waa drownod at the Nine Mile Pont, Westport, on Friday afternoon, the 26th of March. He was engaged in pulling a punt over the river, and when Hearing the bank the pole slipped. Barnes fell into the river, an eddy taking him under the punt. The body has not yet been recovered, Deceased was about 35 years of age. He was a Single man, and belonged to Chrlstchuroh, where his father at one time kept a foundry. He has relatives in Canterbury. Annie Gillies, aged 24, daughter of a shoop farmer at Tehoro, was drowned in the Otski River by her horse falling, A telegram was received on March 23 from Pahi, from Constable Joyce, to the effect tljab a child belonging to a sokblor numed Garland was drowned in the Northern Wftlroa. Our Pahi correspondent states that) news arrived on March 23rd of the drowning of a child, aged three years, in the \Vairoa River, named Adelaide Reylands. On April 3rd Mr. W. Smith, aged 34, a hawker, who resided ad Clovndon, was found drowned in a well at Rainarama. An inquest was held oil the sth of April. The evidenoe disclosed that on the body was found cash amounting to £7 10s 7d, and a pocket knife and pipe. There Were no papers of any description found either on the body or in the cart. The evidence of Constable Foreman and Mri, Smith, wife of deceased, showed that for the last two or three months the mind of deceased had boon partly unhinged, and that deceased's sister ii at present of unsound mind and confined in the Aron'lale Asylum. The verdict of the jury was that deceased committed suicide while temporarily insane. The body of a labouring man named 0. Collins was found in a water-hole, 18 inches deep, near the contractors' camp ab Waimuta, Ib is surmised that he had a fit, fell in, and was drowned. A verdict of "Accidental Drowning" was returned. On Thursday night), the Ist of April, several children were examining a tin of gunpowder at lilverearglll. They got it near a light and it exploded, seriously burning four of them— boys and one girl. One was very seriously injured. A sad fatal accident occurred to Michael Williams,at Masterton, on Saturday, April 3rd, a well-known and highly respected contractor, Deceased was engaged on the Wairar»pa Farmers' Association's new premises, when the scaffold gave way. Ho was thrown 12 feet, and sustained slight concussion of the brain. Shortly afterWards a blood-vessel on the brain broke, and deceased rapidly sank. Mr. Donald Urquharb, inspector of railway bridges, Waipawa, met with a fatal accident on Saturday, the 3rd of April. He wai riding on a trolly ab the rear of the Ormondville ballast engine, which collided with the trolly end inflicted severe injuries oh Mr. Urquhart. He Was taken to the District Hospital,: where he died. Mr, Urquhaf came j from Cunadlti recently. He was married, and Icarea six children. .-, . .-.> l i'..r<,\-'i^,.-''-; : ,- ..?" On April 6, ft girl of 16, the daughter of, Mr. Corliss, : of /. Mm t Telegraph .' office, Chris tchurch, died under chloroform at the beipiW duitg n ofwiiiQjtfgr, goibe. ■ -

Alfred Seldon Buck, aged about 3S, a farmer at Taitu, Wellington, was killed on his farm by one of his own bulla. Deceased was very highly respected in the district.

Mra. Jnlia fireig, 77 years of age, died ab Dunedin on April 5 from the effects of an accident which occurred three weeks before, when sho wa? knocked down by a horse and trap. A boy named William Davidson, aged 15 years, accidentally shot himself at Dunedin on Wednesday afternoon, the 7th of April. Peter Lassen (aged 18), of Bunnythorpe, was on April 12 driving two horse? attached to a dray up the bank of the Oroun river, whon the dray upset, l.assen's neck was broken, and he Was killed instantaneously.