ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5347, 9 April 1879, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCEES.

An accident attended with fatal results occurred at Maheno on the 27th ult. A man named George O'Brien was engaged, in company with a number of other labourers, excavating, when a nuns of earth — sorrni 50 tons weight--felt, entirely burying bins. After considerable labour O'Brien was released, and brought into town l<y train. He was lakea to the Hospital, but Dr Wait, finding that the man was dying, did tot deem it neje sary to inscribe for him in any way. The poor fellow, in addition to serious but unknown internal injmies, had bi* left thigh, right le.;, and left arm broken. He expired wifi.in a short time after reaching the Hospital. The other men eacap-d uninjnreJ, but. a h> rse. and dray were considerably damaged by the fall of ea-th.

Mr Walter L. Miller, accountant of the Bank of JS r «w South Walea at Greymouth, committed sui.;ide on the afternoon of the 27th ult, in an outhouse of the bank, by blowing out his ! r^ins with a revolver. The deceased had beea in Greymouth for seven or eight years, and was well liked, but had been under medical attendance during the last month, his wife's illue'B having affected him. He called at the ba'ik yesterday and quietly retired to the back, taking 'he revolver with him, withoit being observed. He leaves a wife and two children, the youngest about a month old. His d^ath is much regretted, as he was a kind-hearted little fellow, about 29 years of age ; and except the anxiety about his wife's health, no other causie is known for his suicide. At the inquest a ver.lict of temporary insanity was returned. A aerioua accident occurred the other day to a youug man named Edward Bunting, in the employ of Mr Snowden, bush contractor, Kaipara. He wai fearfully cut by on axe on the small of the back just below the belt. The cut is six iuches long by three in depth. Had he not been a most powerful young man the accident might have proved fatal on the Bpot. As it is, Dr Moiton has some hopes of his recovery. He still remains in the bush, not being sufficiently strong to be removed. The accident occurred through his mate's axe slipping off a log when making a blow. No blame whatever is attached to anyone. An inquest was held at Tiiraru on the 27th vl f. on the body oE Jeffrey a, who was severely scalded at tho Meat-Preserving Works on Tuesday, aud who died yesterday. A verdict of " accidental deuth was returned."

A fire occurred at daylieht on March 28th at Mansford's Bay, by which a cottage occupied by Mr Griffith Jones was burnt down. The P.'rt Chalmers Fire Brigade were promptly on the spot, and rendered all the assistance in their power. The property was, we hear, insured in tbe Norwich Union Insurance Company for L 125 on house, furniture, and effects. Mr Jones was absent at the time of the lire. His wife was in the house, and ret'red to rest about midnight. She supposes the wind blovring down the chimney ignited the embeis and scattered them about the placn, which took fire about a quarter-past 5 o'clock in the morning. Mr VV. Pitt, solicitor, o£ Reeftm, was drowned reeen'ly while crossing the Arahura River. On the coach arriving at the lower lord the horses became reitive, and »ere taken out of the coach. The passengers—Mrs Evans and Messrs Kerr and Pitt—alighted, and each mounted a horse. Whilst crossing, the horae Pitt was on bucked, and threw him into the water. A rope was thrown to him which be missed. As he was floating under the bridge seaward, ha was heard to call out, " Which is the best side to get out ?" Nothing was seen of him afterwards, though both banks of tbe river were well searched by residents and Maoris with lanterns.

An inquest was held at Akaroa on March 31st on the body of William JBlack, engineer to tho Akaroa lighthouse. He left .Akaroa on Thursday to ride to the Heads, not being sober at the time, and was found dead yesterday. It is supposed he perished in the storm that swept over the district that day. His saddle was found nearly a mile nearer Akaroa than the body, and it is supposed he must have got off his horse and attempted to walk into camp. A verdict of " Found dead " was returned.

Three men, named Duncan, Lee, and Smith, were charged at tho Polic* Court on April Ist with wilfully and maliciously setting fire to a gorse hedge in the Forbury Park on Sunday afternoon last, and committed for trial at tbe next Criminal Sessions. One of the prisoners, we believe, is a candidate for tbe police force. At 10 o'clock on the night b/April Ist a fire broke oat In a boarding-house in View street, occupied by Mr McCarthy. The alarm was given immediately, bat

before the water could be got to play on tha building tho fire had a .firm hold, it, and it was impossible to aave it. The members of the Brigade were occupied for fully three-quarters of an.hour in extinguishing the fire, but with the water supply at command there was no danger of it spreading. No one was in the house when tho fire broke out. Mrs M'Carthy left the house at about 9pm, and there was then a fire in the kitchen, and a lamp burning in the sitting-room. Tho building was the property of Mm T. B. Muir, and was insured in the New Zaaland Insurance Company for tho sum of Ll5O. Tho furniture wai insured for LG3 by Mr Benjau.in, who had a lien upon the household goods. Mr M'Catthy estimates his loss at about L3O, the housohold effects being valued at LOO. Very littlo was saved from the fire, and the house was completely destroyed. The origin of the fire has not been ascertained. Tho firo alarm rang twice between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m., but in neither case wera the services of the firennrj, who turned out promptly, required. Two chimneys had taken fire—one in Staff urd street, tho other in Rattr&y street. The Rev. A. P.. Fitchett met with rather a severe accident on March 29 th, which resulted in the breaking of a rib. The acci tent occurred in the bedroom, the rev. gentleman tripping and falling heavily over a chair. Dr Borrows attended him, and he is doing well, but will be disabled for a w«ek or two from duty. The Eov. Lorenzo Moore took tho services on Sunday at All Saints'. A four-roomed two-storey wooden house at Caversham was destroyed by fins between the hours of 3 and 4 a.m. on March 26th. The top room of the house was used as a cabinetmaker's shop, and in this it is believed the fire originated, but in what manner is unknown. The occupants— Samuel and William Holmeß— were roused by the fire, and had hardly time to escape with their clothes. The house, which was the property of Mr James Fulton, was insured forLlOO in the New Zealand Insurance Company ; and the furniture and tools of tii« teo.ints for LIOO in the Northern Insurance Company. Mr Holmis estimates Ms lo?s at L2OO, half of whfcb is covered by inburance. The Caversham F.re Brigade atendeO, nnd prevented the flames from hprejdmg to the adjacent cottages. An inquest was held at the Lunatic Asylum on Tuesday by Dr Hocken, the coroner, on the body of George Webb, who was admitted to the Asylum on the Ist of the present month from Oamaru. Deceased was 27 yesrj of age at the time of his death, a native of Gloucestershire, and a bla< ksmith by occupation. He leaves a wife and tbreo children, who are in a destitute condition. Deceased had be.-n three years in tun Colony. A fire broke out at Graymouth on March. 24th in the Union Bank of Australasia. When the alarm was givtn tbe fire had a firm holJ, and great difficulty was experienced in saving the Rervant. The fire spread up the street to Badger, the painter's shop, and the old Bank of Australasia, which were destroyed. The National Bank had the side of the building burned out, and was gutted. The stocks of Smith and Barkley, drapers, and Forsyth and Masters, ironmongers, were removed, aud seriously damaged. Tbe insurances are:—On the Bank of Australas'a, L4OO in the Imperial; Union Bank, LSOO in the Standard and L2OO in the New Zealand; manager's furniture, LCOO in the Uci^n; National Bank building, L 27 5; furniture, L 25 in tbe National and L 325 in the Standi-.r i; manager's furniture, L3OO in the South Briti-h; Smith and Barkley's stock, L 550 in tha New Zealand, LSOO in the Victoria, L2OO in tbe South British, L4OO in the Standard, L3OO in the Union, LSOO ia the Phcenix, L7OO in the Imperial, LIOOO in the Transatlantic; Forsyth and Masters' stock, L 250 in tbe National, LSOO in the New Zealand, LSOO in tha Standard, LSOO in the Victoria, L 750 in tho Suith British, and L 750 in the Imperial. The Fire Brigade men worked like heroes, and saved tbe most important part of the town from being destroyed. A sailor named Isaac Woods, belonging to the steamer Waipara, was washed overboard whilst entering the river at Hokitika. He was shutting down the batches over the engineroom, when a sea struck the vessel, washing him over the side. The body ia not yet discovered. He leaves a wife and two children.

Fraser's accommodation-hove, 20 miles frvm Elbow, was burned to the ground onMarchl4th. The occupants were absent at the time in a neighbourir g paddock, and couM do nothing to save the building. It was lDSure.l for L4OO. All the furniture was burned.

The p.s. Geclong, Keane, master, has become a total wreck on the inner bank of the fonthwest entrance to Wbangapoa Heals, a- little north of Hokianga. The crew were savej, but two Native passengers were drowned. About3o'cl>ckon March 20th a fire broke out, through tome quicklma igniting, in a stable belonging to Messrs Griffiths and Wix, butchers, at Cavershaoi. The Cavereham Fire Brigade inu&tered, and confined the fire to the stable, which was burnt down. Its value was trifling, and there was little or no other damage.

By a fortunate circumstaace a serious accident on the Port Chalmers line of railway wia averted a few days ago. One of the Bur-faoe-men happened to walk along the line near ltavensbourne just before tho 5 o'clock train from Dunedin passed, and found three heap 3 of stones on the rails. It has since transpired that the placing of the stones there was the act of two little boys. A disastrous fire occurred in Deyaron street, Invercargill, on March 23rd, ;in the prenvses occupied by Mr D. Smith, cabinetmaker. The brigade wore speedily on che ground, but their efforts were to a great extent paralysed by the want of water. Mr Smith's buildiog, together with the hocse he liv. d in. were speedily levelled to the ground, and the adjoining houses of Mr Falconer ani Mr Sauuders were only saved by almost superhuman exertions on the part of the brigade. The buildings on the other side of the street were alno in considerable danger, but through the aid of wet blankets and other appliances the fire did not spread to them. Mr Smith was only itsured in the New Zealand for L2OO. His loss, over and above the insurance, i* estimated at something like LlflOO.

Tie schooner Cynthia, which was beached at Roas, on the West Coast, has completely broken up. The fol'owing are the particulars of the wreck :— Captain Tbos. Swede left Wansanui on the 15th, with a crew of five. On the 17th hi found the vefsel making watn\ Tho weather was thick and foggy. While all bands were at the pump*, the vetsel drifted with tbe current 20 miles south of Hokitika. The cpw geitiug exhausted, the ccp'ain thought it a ivitabld to run ashcre, tbe vessel being then full of water to within liva feet of the hatch. The vessel was injured in the South British—tbe captain does not know f<-r what smount. The wreck was sold by auction for L2O. A cottage at Saddla Hill, occupied by W. BarloU, shoemaker, and owned by Mrs Steadman, was tot'illy dibtroyed by fire about 1 o'clock on the morning of the 20th. The occupier, wh > is unmarried, sta'es tha^ he left home übout 6 the preceding evening, and proceeded to Brighton, which he reached about 11 pm. Sh'irtly after he started, and when nos more than a quarter of a mile from his house, he met a mnu on horseback, with his face muffled so as to hide his features. BarteU remarked that it wat a fine evening, and the rider rejoined, " Yes, you ; you will lose nrcoretban « little before you sleep," striking Bartels at the same time with his whip. Barrels fays tlat shortly afterwards he saw smoka rising from his sbop, which he hai securely locked before leaving. The stock was innuivd in the New Zealand Office for LIOO. Bartels has since been committed for (rial on a charge of arson. At the Timaru Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday, a lad, 16 years of age, was sentenced to six months' hard labour for indecent conduct.

The ketch Unity, bound from Lyttelton to Wellington, with a cargo of flour and bacMn, was wrecked off Cape Campbell on March the 20 th, at Bp. m., when making for North Reef. A squall came on, Mowing heavily from south to west. The vessel was driven on a sandstone rock, and shortly afterwards struck on the main reef. She broks u\> in 20 minutfs. Tho men took to the boat, and in three hours reached the lighthouse, where they received every attention from the keeper. They came into Blenheim on foot next night. Nothing whatever was saved fr jm the vefsel. She was partly owned by Captain Thomas, Wellington.

A man named Duncan M'Rae, about a month since, fell while running at Cromwell and dislocated his right shoulder. Nothing effective was done to remedy the injury, and on March 21st M'Rae arrived in Dunedin and went to the Hospital to have his shoulder attended to; but the injury waß of a cbaractor not easily dealt with, and it was found necessary that he should remain in the Hospital for treatment.

hour ere the men could extricate him from this painful position, during which time he Buffered great pain and loss of blood. Dr Douulas was promptly in attendance, and successfully amputated the limb just below the knee. Mr Henderson is now in a very precarious condition, and still lies at Mr Kirkpatrick's, where tbe accident occurred. Great sympathy is felt for tbe unfortunate sufferer, who is widely arid deeply respected by all who know him for his honost, upright character and obliging disposition. Every attention that kind friends can Bestow is being shown him."

Mr W. Hanlon, the Bert-cant in charge of the police force at Port Chalmers, was the means of saving life about a fortnight ago. Ha was walking down the Railway Pier, and hearing a splash in the water, at once ran to ascertain the cause. He found a man named Robert Miles, a seaman b< longing to the barque Frederick Bassil, floundering about, and procuring assistance he at once relieved him from his Eerilous position, and had him conveyed aboard is vessel.

A boy seven yea's old, named Peter Kettall, met with a painful accident at Logan's Point on March 25th. Along with several others, the boy was pulling a truck along the rails, when he fell, and the wheel of the truck passed over Mb left leg, inflicting a severe lacerated wound from the ankla to the knee. The boy, whose parents live in Pitt street, was removed to the Hospital, -where he now remains under treatment.

A sad occurrenoe tcok place on March 24th. Andrew iPainley, a young man 18 jears of age, and the eldest son of Mr Robert Paisley, a farmer at tho Upper Junction, went "ut about 7 o'clock in the evening to shoot rabbits with a double-barrelled pi-tol. Next morning he was found dead, with his brains blown out, in a paddock not far from hi* fatbir's house, by a young woman named Eliza Leinond. In the deceased's light hand tbere remained the piatol, and tho left side of his face was blown in. The place in which he was found favour.) an opinion that he was stepping back to take aim when his foot tripped on an incline, cau-ing the firearm to go off. A man name-1 Brown fell into a boiling vat at the New Zealand Meat Pre-erving Works at Wiißhdyke recently and was horribly scalded, tha flesh hanging in sbv ds. He waa removed to the Hospital, where he died. Our Lower Shotover correspondent writes : —" It is my painful duty to chronicle a very snrious accident which happened to Mr John Henderson, threshing-machine proprietor. It appears that Mr Henderson, who feeds the machine himself, was, looking orer the side of tho feeling-board to see that the belta were workiDg well, when, on stepping back into his place, his foot was caught by the revolving drum of the machine and fearfully lacerated, tho bone of tha ankle and lower part of the lag beiag smashed to atoms. It was half an

A. man named Charles Bolton, in the employment of the City Butchery Company, met with a painful accident on March 14th. He was stepping out o£ o cart, when hiß foot slipped, and he fell, breaking his leg. A man named George Bean, employed by Mr David Proudfnot in the work of laying tha mains for the Silveratream Water Supply through the Cavershain tunnel, sustained severe injuries through an accident on March 13th. The furnaea at which the lead for soldering the pipes is moiled is erected outside tha tunnel, and when lead is reqnirej the pot is placed over a small fire and run in on a trolly. At about 4 o'chclc this morning the trolly, with several workmen on it, wes beiug ruu in, when, from some unexplained reason, the wheels came off, oiptizing it, throwing the men to tho ground, and upsetting soaie of the tnoltea lead over George Bean, who received tome severe bums on neck, back, aud one of his sides. Tne unfortunate man, who resides at Oavershara, wai immediately taken home, where he received me lical tieatnent. Another matt was J -ghtly scolded on one of his feet. A boy nam-d Willism Keogh, while ab work at the Kaikorai Woo'.lan Mills on March 14th had the second finger of Ma left hand crushed in the machinery. Tho boy's finger was ampiito ed at the Hospital. Tne Tuapeka Times is indebted to Mr Inspectir Moore for the following information regarding a human skeleton found oa the banks of tha Molyneux, at Miller's Flat, on March loth:—Prom inform itijn received at the Police Station, Koxburgh, on Sunday la-t, tha constable in charge proceeded to tho river bank at Moa Mat, where hi found the skeleton of a man, having atta h;d to it a pair of boots and a i air of trousers. Mr William Westcott (of Moa Flat), identified the remain* as those oE his lfite brothar-iu-law, Denis Syellacyl who, on tin 2nd July of last year, committei suicide by jumping into the river near the 1 lace where the remains have been found.