PROVINCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1422, 22 February 1879, Page 9

PROVINCIAL.

Cromwell, February 15th. The wife of an accommodation-house keeper mamed Saul, living near Hawea Flat, comanitted suicide by taking poison this morning. ' The husband and wife have been on extremely l>ad terms for some time. X)amaru, February 15th. A farmer named Pryde, of Maerewhenua, burned out last night. Hia house was trained down, and little or nothing was saved. TTheie is no information as to how the fire .originated. The house was not insured. A man named Jacob Jenkins was killed near Duntroon laßt night by a waggon loaded with atone, intended for the bridge at Maerewhenua, passing over him. He was sober when he left Duntroon, but had a bottle of whisky with February 17tb. A man named Sprigg met with a serious accident to-day near the railway station. He •was engaged in unloading some trucks, and got jammed between them and Mr Maude's store. He now lies at the Hospital. Out of a total of 325 arrests made by the police laßt year, 201 were for drunkenness, a crime largely on the increase here, INTERPROVINCTAL. Chsistchurch, February 17tb. A dilapidated three-roomed cottage (uninhabited) in Peterborough street was burned down at a few minutes past 12 on Sunday morning. Tbe last owner (a "cheap Jack") had gone to Wellington. The place was only valued at about Lls. February 181 h A man named Robert Lee was committed for trial yesterday for the forgery of two cheques purporting to be signed by Robert Steel. The forgery appears clear, and the jprisoner reserved his defence. Auckland, February 17th. "George Gow, engineer, narrowly escaped losing his life at the Te Kopuru saw.mills. While placing a bolt on a shaft he got caught and whirled round, his clothing being completely torn from his body. He fell to the ground, severely injured. A fiie occurred at Papatoitoi at half -past ten this morning, at Mr Paton's farm, destroying several stacks of wheat worth from LQOO to L7OO. The cause of the fire is unknown. It may iave been caused by a spark from the threshing machine, or by Borne of the workmen smoking. Mr Paton was insured for L4OO in the New Zealand Office. A boat accident took place yesterday. A party of excursionists, named Mat. Henderson, Jno. Reid, Geo. Fraser, and Goldwater, left Bay in an open boat to proceed to Lncas Creek. A squall struck the boat, which she heeled over and half filled, »nd while tbe crew were trying to bail her out Another squall struck her, and she filled and went down. The men swam to shore, a quarter of a mile distant, in safety. February 18th. The seaman Meaghan, who kicked Captain Richardson, of the ship Endymion, in the face, and knocked down the chief officer, was sentenced to six months for the former, and two months for the latter offence. W. LDng, a man employed by the Auckland Gas Company to light street lamps, met with an accident at Freeman's Bay yesterday evening. One of the lamp-posts had been almost undermined by aome workmen making a culvert. Long had just placed his ladder against ±he post when it gave way, precipitating him into the cutting, which was about six feet deep. A considerable quantity of eaith fell from the embankment, completely burying the lower portion of hiß body. Several persons who were passing at the time went to bis assistance. They quickly removed the earth from his body, and when he got free, although in much pain, he covered a hole from which gas was escaping •with a handful of wet clay. He was conveyed to his home in Hobson street. At the tune of the accident Long had not put his foot on the ' ladder. If the fall had taken place as he was ascending, the accident would probably have terminated fatally. Wellington, February 18tb. On two successive nights the electric wire Jwm the Government Buildings to the Fire

Brigade Station has given the signal of fire, the firebells have been rung, and the brigades have turned out, but in each case it was a false alarm. The bells in the buildings are placed m glass cases, which had not been broken to give tbe signal, and the glass is found intact, lhe affair is a mystery. When the Governor was leaving yesterday, a boy fell off the wharf, and narrowly escaped drowning. Blenheim, February 17th. I Mr P. Dillon's homestead on Seafield Run has been burned down. The origin of the fire is unknown. He is insured in the South British for LSOO, which covers only about a j third of the loss. « n .* ' February 18th. A fire occurred at Clc-udy Bay, Pelorus Sound, on Sunday morning, by which Beauchamp and Godfrey's sawmills were totally destroyed. Ihe I origin of the fire is unknown. The loss is estimated at LISOO. The insurances are— National, j L 50 0; Victoria, LSOO. Napier, February 17th. A destructive fire occurred at Wairoa this morning. Four buildings were destroyed. The insurances are— Lsso in the Colonial, and LSOO in the National. Westpoet, February 17th. A six-room€d house on the Buller road, occupied by Mrs Mincbin, has been burned the occupants barely escaping. It was insured in the Victoria for L3OO. New Plymouth, February 18th._ A tragic occurrence is reported to the police as having occurred at Normanby. Two German Btep-brothers, named Ferdinand Paul and I Carl Grumgall, living at Normanby, had a 1 quarrel on Sunday, 26th January. Paul, who is said to have been under the influence of ! drink, passed from words to blows, finally 1 drawing a knife on Grumgall, who seized a post and struck Paul a severe blow on the ! head, inflicting such injuries that Paul died yesterday. An inquest will be held to-moirow. Inspector Bullen will conduct the inquiry. Grahamstown, February 18th. Fearful bush fires have been raging here for the last three days, and a large amount of property has narrowly escaped destruction. Several houses have been burned, and others are still in danger. WRECK OF THE S.S. TAUPO. Tauranga, February 18th, 11 a.m. An accident occurred this morning to the Union Co/s steamer Taupo. Whilst entering the harbour, she struck upon a rock, where she is now lying. There are two holes in her bottom. The engine-room is full of water, as also another compartment. Hopes are entertained by those competent to judge that temporary repairs can be made here, to enable her to be moved to Auckland. The passengers and mails are landed. There was no confusion or excitement. 2.40 p.m. The steam launch Katikati is tendering to and from the Taupo, a distance of three and a-half miles from the township. On her last trip she brought a number more of the passengers. Many still remain, looking after their luggage and goods. The captain and agent are preparing to discharge her, till which nothing will really be known as to the extent of the damage. (Per Press Association Special Wire.) Mr Walter Bishop, a passenger, supplies the following account of the wreck : — " Left Auckland yesterday at 5 o'cleck p.m., and had a good run and fine weather down the coast. Entered the Tauranga Heads about a quarter to 7 this morning, against a strong ebb tide. When passing Stoay Point Eeef, about 100 yards from Monognui Hill, the vessel struck heavily, and remained fast. The engines were at once stopped, and in a few minutes the fires were extinguished by the influx of water to the engine-room. Anticipating serious injury to the vessel's bottom, immediate preparations were made to land tbe passengers and mails. Boats were quickly lowered, and within 20 minutes all the passengers and mails, and a quantity of luggage, were safely ashore, whence they were taken to Tauranga by the Katikati. From subsequent examination, the vessel has 'apparently struck the reef immediately under the engine-room which, with the middle compartments, is dry. Soundings give two fathoms of water all round at low tide. She is hanging amidships on a shallow patch of big round boulders. Strong hopes are felt that the vessel will float off next tide. In the meantime, lighters are busy relieving her of cargo and coaL The officers and crew are most energetic in their efforts to relieve the vessel. Great praise is especially due to Mr Garrard, chief officer, for his prompt and unremitting exertions in getting boats out and landing passengers, wbich was done without confusion. The accident was caused by the ■ vessel's head suddenly canting shorewards when steaming against a strong tide-rip, and in the most critical point of the cbanneL General sympathy is felt for Captain Cromarty under the circumstances. Tbe affair is considered purely accidental and unavoidable. " (from our own correspondent.) Crristchurch, February 18th. The Globe publishes the following re the Taupo : — The rock is the same on which the Hawea bumped some time ago. A passenger per the Taupo states that he was standing on the forecastle and noticed that as they entered the Heads they seemed to be going rather near the land, also that the tide-rip appeared very strong. Suddenly the steamer struck a sunken rock and appeared to lift under his feet. There was then a general lurch, and as he looked towards the helm, which was forward, he saw that the helmsman had let go the wheel. Both captain and helmsman were on the deck at the time. The engine-room now began to fill with water. All hands were ordered on deck, and the order was instantly obeyed. The boats were rapidly lowered, and save for a little excitement amongst the women, the greatest self-control was exhibited by all who were on deck. Those who were summoned from out of their cabins seemed rather alarmed. The ladies had hardly time to dress, being compelled to go ashore at once. After the women had been carefully landed, the men, some with luggage, some without, followed. The principal danger at this time was that, owing to \ the falling tide, the ship might cant over. The Taupo is about a stones-throw from the beach at Mount Mongonui. Her cargo will be all landed there to-day. The s.s. Katikati has gone from Tauranga to the wreck, with the agent and reporters. No excuse can be made for the accident, as men-of-war and ships of the largest tonnage have come the same way. Some of the ladies were in bed at the time of the accident. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ) Auckland, February 18th. The Star has the following respecting the stranding of the Taupo : — The intelligence received that the Union Company's fine steamer Taupo had run ashore at the entrance to Tauranga harbour excited a

general feeling of regret. The Tauranga trade, 1 from causes which do not arise out of any spe- j cial danger, seems inseparable from disasters. It has proved exceptionally unfortunate to the Union Company. The loss of tbe Taranaki while shaping her course for Tauranga can hardly be charged against our second East Coast harbour, although if that port had not been a calling-place on the line the disaster would not have happened. In like manner the present disaster is hardly attributable to any peculiar danger in the entrance or in the condition of the weather. The Company's steamers and much larger vessels have entered over and over again without accident. Certainly the part of the channel where the accident happened is narrow and dangerous, and on an average of chances in running any special risk misfortune will happen some time ; but it remains for official inquiry to determine whether this is one of those mischances which no care can guard against, or whether it is attributable to something more culpable. THE FATAL BUSH FIRES IN VICTORIA. The Colac Reformer has the following interesting account of the dreadful calamity in the neighbourhood of Colac :—: — Thursday last, the 6th of February, 1879, was tbe twenty-eighth anniversary of that frightful "Black Thursday," when, for a time, the whole colony seemed doomed to destruction. The day was not in itself unlike what that fatal Thursday is said to have been, though, fortunately, the wind was less violenb. The heat was, as it had been for | several days, extremely great, the thermometer standing at 104 in the shade during the forenoon. The sky during the morning was overcast with smoke from forest fires, which were blazing in every direction. That; great conflagration which began in Mr Sharp's paddock at Irrewillipe last week, and at one time threatened to destroy the Corangamite estate of Sir Samuel Wilson, was still raging away ; a second large fire had broken out on the Loutit Bay road, a third was in full career on Mr Hancock's farm at Murroon, while portions of the properties of Messrs W. Sherrin, J. F. Straeban, Timins Brothers, Armstrong, Taylor, and many others were either still in flames or were smoking from the effect of recent fires. About 11 o'cleck news was brought into Colac that a large paddock at Irrewillipe belonging to Mr Andrew Murray, of Wool Wool, which was the scene of a great fire a week Bince, had burst into flames again. This turned out to be perfectly correct, and great damage has been done, not only to Mr Murray's property, but to that of many of the small selectors in the neighbourhood. The most fearful catastrophe of all, however, is one which will long cause the 6th of February to be regarded as a fatal day in this district, for it has resulted in the loss of no lees than five human beings, who have perished almost on their thresholds in broad daylight by the most frightful of all deaths. THE SCENE OF THE MRE. About six miles due south of Colac, on the Apollo Bay road, Mr James Witchell Standley, a gentleman who is very well known in this neighbourhood, has a large paddock of about 320 acres, which joins on one side the land of Mr King, and on another that of Mr Andrew Murray. The two remaining sides are bounded by roads. The land was covered with heavy timber and scrub, and had a dam on it, and a small stream running through it. Mr Standley had just built a house about 300 yards from his fence, and about another 300 yards from the dam, but he had himself been living in a tent while superintending the clearing, and a family named Turnbull, also very well known in Colac, had moved out on Tuesday last to live in the house. On Thursday afternoon, about a quarter of an hour before the fire broke out, several of the men who were working and watching in Mr Andrew Murray's paddrck, visited the house, and found it, as they believed, empty. The Turnbull family, consisting of the father, mother, and five children, ranging in age from five months to 12 years, all appeared to be absent, Mr Standley was probably there at the time, because lie states that he was taking a bath when he heard the cry of fire, and rushed out to help. The paddock was then in flimes, and the fire was burning on and near Mr Murray's land, but the house did not appear to be in danger, and the whole party applied themselves to taking in the tent and other inflammable articles, which they stored in the building. While they were thus engaged a second fire broke out behind them, cutting off their retreat, and hemming them in completely. They then got out the children, and started, by Mr Standley's advice, for the waterhole, he carrying one child and leading another, and Mr Turnbull taking three more. Mrs Turnbull seems to have lost self-possession and turned the wrong way. The others fled through the burning scrub and under the blazing trees to the dam, but just before they reached it a huge limb fell from a burning tree and killed one of the children on the spot, besides inflicting a large and ghastly scalp wound on Mr Turnbull. Mrs Turnbull was never seen alive again, and was not found until many hours afterwards, when her body, frightfully charred and disfigured, was discovered by the searchers. Mr Standley waa brought into Colac, and lies at his usual residence here. His injuries are very severe, but he is doing as well can be expected. Mr ! Turnbull was still alive when discovered, ' and was conveyed to the residence of Mr Doyle, as was one of his children, Charles, who died soon after his arrival. The oldest girl, though so seriously burnt that no hopes were from the first entertained of her recovery, lingered on through the night and day. The other child, an infant, was almost dead when found, and expired directly. Immediate assistance was Igiven to the survivors as coon as the sad occurrence was known. The houses of several neighbours were placed at the disposal of those attending them, and Dr Foster was unremitting in his attention. A large body of men worked at the fire all night, Senior-constable Flabive sticking to his post with unflagging energy until past 4 in the morning, and returning to the scene of the disaster with fresh aid immediately. The fire has since raged on without intermission, and will do so until there is a decided change in the weather. THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE. When the devoted little group first rushed from the house to the waterhole, Messrs

Turnbull and Staudley, with four of the children, reached it iv safety, frightfully burnt about the faces, breasts, fronts of the legs, feet, and hands, but still hopeful. Th«y sat for some time iD the water, probably 20 minutes. All of a sudden Mr Turnbull called out, " Look, Mr Standley, a tree is falliDg." The tree fell almost as he spoke. It dashed out the brains of the second boy, and forced Mr Turnbull and the two children under water. Mr Staudley pulled out the children immediately, but had to clear' away the branches of the tree before he could reach Mr Turnbull, whom he found perfectly inseneible, with a terrible wound <m his head. He crew the body to the bank, procured a log, and, laying him over it, adopted the usual measures for the recovery of the partialiy drowned. By-andbye he succeeded in re storing animation, but the suffeier was then delirious. Presently, however, he Beemed to awake to some comprehension of the situation, and Mr Standley then decided as the fire had passed them, to try and reach Oolac for assistance. He was only clad in shirt and trousers, and the ground waß red hot and covered with flaming embers. After impressing upon Mr Turnbull the necessity of remaining still, he started. A mile or so on his road he met Mr Simon Campbell, to whom he applied for assistance, but Mr Campbell was himself lost in the smoke and darkness, and could not help him. He pursued his way towards the township, and had made nearly three miles on his journey when he was met by a pwty of sevtn residents, among whom was Mr George Stewart. Mr Standley appealed to them to 30 back and help the Turnbulls, saying that he was quite able to walk into Ootau. This, however, they would by no means allow, and Mr Stewart brought him in at once, leaving the remainder of the party to go in search of Mr Turnbull. They found him fully 500 yards from the waterhole with his children about him, and it was evident that in spite of his terrible injuries he, too, had endeavoured to walk into Colao. All he could say was, "Take my child," and he relapsed into a merciful insensibility that at least relieved him from pain. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. At midnight Mr Turnbull still remained in the same terrible state. His body was half- paralysed. He was quite unconscious, but delirious when roused, and his severe injuries almost forbid the chance of his recovery. Little Ellen Miller was sensible, could make known her wants, and seemed to be as well as could be expected in her critical state. An unfavourable change took place in the condition of Mr Standley about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. He will not be able to be examined at the inquest, which will therefore have to be adjourned. THE KELLYS. The following is a telegraphic account, from the Argus, of the latest depredation of the Kelly outlaws : — Jerilderie, N.S.W., Feb. 10th. The Kelly gang stuck-up the Telegraph Office to-day at 2 o'clock, and cut the office connections, and also cut down seven poles. The stationmaster and assistant were covered by revolvers, and marched up to the lock-np, which they had stuck-up, and were locked up, together with two constables. They were released at 7 p.m., and told not to touch the wire till morning ; but the stationmaster did so, and fixed a wire along the fence. They stuck-up the Bank of New South Wales. The gang took nothing from the Telegraph Office, but cut the wires about in a fearful mess. Nothing more was seen of the gang after they left at 4 p.m., but it is supposed they may return. They were drinking heavily, and were reckless. They locked the stationmaster up, and made him promise not to mend the line till morning, but as soon as he was released he got help, and fixed the wires along the fences, so as to work. They took the constable down with them from the barracks, and walked into the bank, and stuck up two clerks, and then found Mr Tarleton in a brith in his room, stuck him up, and then proceeded to take everything. After this they marched the batik officials into the Royal Hotel, where they collected a whole roomjjfull. Then they ordered some me.n to chop down the telegraph poles, and told the telegraph officers to lock up the place and go with them. They said they would take them a few miles with them ; but when they got to the lock-up they put them into the lockup with the two police, and threatened Mrs Devine, the senior constable's wife, with her life if she let them out before 7 o'clock. It is believed they have taken about L2OOO from the bank, besides burning a number of deeds, securities, books, &c. The gang then started towards Wanamnrra station, and nothing has been seen of them since. They had a room-full of people stuck-up at the Eoyal Hotel, where they had a few drinks, and Ned Kelly handed a paper he had written to Mr Leving,of the bank, and made him promise to have it published. He regretted he had not time to finish it, bub wished to have it printed^ and he would write the remainder some other time. The Sydney Evening News writes :— " The Kellys have murdered three or four policemen by open violence, ard if they continue at liberty much longer they will be responsible for the death of a number of harmless people by the fatal influence of fear. We would not insinuate that any of the Victorian policemen will give up the ghost through this cause, but it is quite possible that some of the bank managers will. A case occurred recently at one of the country branches of the Bank of Victoria, which illustrates the extreme danger of the present condition of affairs. A middle-aged gentleman of timid disposition had been sent up from Melbourne to take charge of the branch,' and he was fully resolved to defend his charge with every drop of blood in his body. He was a prudent man, had known something of military tactics as a Volunteer, and therefore he made his dispositions cautiously. Firmly convinced that the Kellys would come, he sat in the bank with two revolvers in his belt, and one fullcocked in his hand. His assistant was also armed with revolvers, and a policeman patrolled the place continually. As an additional measure of precaution, a piece of twine was passed round the arms of the manage^ and the clerk, that they might communicate instantaneously and silently. The Saturday after the bank was closed a loud rap was heard at the door. The twine was twitched, and the manager made sure the hour was "come. He made the policeman cover the door with his rifle. The clerk stood on the counter with two revolvers pointed to the door, and the manager, with a revolver in one hand, opened the door an inch and a-half with the other. "Who's there?" he asked, in a loud voice, bat not without a quiver of emotion. Instead of the reply of NedKelly and four comrades, a shrill squeaky voice replied, "Missus says the dinner is ready."

Such shocks would soon undermine even a> strong constitution, and we learn with satisfaction that the worthy manager has been removed to the safer precincts of the bank in Melbourne.