THE ARMENIAN ATROCITIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 31

THE ARMENIAN ATROCITIES.

The Anglican Bishop of Dcmedin, who '• >•« taken for a considerable time past a wtwui interest; in the Armenian question, has received a goqd deal of correspjudriuce and literature bsaring on the question. By laßt mail he received from the Armenian Information Bureau, London, a copy of the following " Call to Prayer " which has been circulated by the . Anglican body. In view of a movemant which ' is at present being made in this district to | enlist sympathy and support on behalf of the ' stiff drers, the publication of the leaflet may be of service :— Christmas has gone, the New Year has come, and still the dreadful tragedy proceeds. An anoiout Christian people is being plundered, starved, murdered, and martyred. This, is happening in the right of all Christendom ; " With its full knowledge ; "Within..the ranKft of its publio responsibility. Man are torture i, women ara outraged, children are violated, homes are burnt ; No one can doubt it; Consuls have reported it ; * Ambassadors have known it ; Eye-witnesses have placarded it ; Photographers have recorded the terrible proofs. These unhappy people for the mo it part are without' arms, and it has only been in two or three exceptional cases that, after years of despairing appeals, they have turned on their oppressors. These outrages, barbarities, massacres still continue. The protest of the European Powers has, hitherto, served only to inteasify the horror or multiply the death. Thousands of men, women, children, homele3B and foodless, are awaiting the terrors of an iron Asian winter. It is incredible, it is intolerable that Christendom should continue to look on in apathy and impotence at a sight so appalling. We most humbly and earnestly implore all those who influence the mind and direct the efforts of the Church of Christ scattered throughout the world to draw the whole force of the Church's Corporate Prayer into an entreaty to God the Father, and Christ our King, and the Holy Ghoit the Comforter, that this shame may cease ; . that this crime may be stayed ; and that we may no longer, by our selßsh indifference, our hindering jealousies, withhold the righteousness and compassion of God fi om coming to the succour of His people wbo are keeping fast their faith to the death. George Southwell, Bishop of Southwell and

Notts. J. Hereford, Bishop of Hereford. E. Ropfen, Bishop of Rochester. H. W. Webb-Peploe, Prebendary of St. Paul's. H. Scott Holland, Canon of St. Paul's. Charles Gore, Canon of Westminster. Basil Wilberfokce, Canon of Westminster. W H Fremantlb, Dean of Ripon. Malcolm Mao Coll, Canon of Ripon. ABTHTja T. Waugh, Archdeacon and Canon of

Ripoo A. M. Fa.irba.irn, D.D., Mansfield College,

Oxford. Alexander Mackfnnal, D.D., Bowdon. Joseph Parkkr, D.D., City Temple. , J. B Paton, D.D , Nottingham". W i? Moulton, D.D., Cambridge. Hugh Price Hughes, West London Mission. J. Oswald Dykes, D.D., Principal, English Presbyterian College. J. Monro Gibson, D.D. J. Clifford, D.D.>, Westbourne Park Chapel, W. F. B. Me?bh, Christ Church, S.E. ARMENIAN RELIEF FUND.

FATAL BUXLIHNG ACCIDENT. Ad accident, unfortunately attended with fatal remits, happened on Monday morning at the buildings which are being erected for Messrs Herbert^ Hayaes, and Co., in Princes street.. Four carpenters named Robert Kirkwood (of Arthur street), Thomas Cole (of Caversham), James Johnston (of Roslyn), and William Lodge (of Kaikorai), were engaged at the back of the building putting up a pendant stay for the support of the iron cross cod conneoted with the roof. They were working on a scaffolding which to all appearances wa» securely fixed and well supported, one of the supports of the plank on which they were standing being a short stud, while the plank itself was a piece of Oregon pine llin by 3in. When the men were at work this plank suddenly broke not far from one of the supports, and the scaffolding fell with a great orash. Lodge managed to save himself by catching hold of a, crossbeam and hanging there till someone went to his assistance with a ladder. „ Eirkwood, Cole, and Johnston, however, came down with the scaffolding, falling a distance of 16ft i heavily on the floor, about which some beams and studs were scattered. Kirkwood was j picked up in an unconsoious state, asd appeared to be suffering from a severe injury to the back of his head. As Cole fell the lower portion of bis chest struck some timber, the result being that some of his ribs were broken. Johnston escaped with an injury to his foot. The two first-named men were removed to the hospital, but Johnston declined to go there, and wae taken home in a cab. Kirkwood died about an hour and a-half after his admission into the hospital, death being apparently due to shock and concussion of the brain. Cole, however, is getting on as well as can be expected under the oircum§t»nces, The beam which, broke was composed of old timber, but was apparently sound, even at the break, wjth the exception that there was a targe knot at that particular place. The beam had been used as a plank for a platform before, and had withstood a much greater weight than it was required to sustain at the time of the accident. We are informed that the work at the building is being oarried on by day labour, that only competent men have been employed under competent) supervision, and that the instructions given by Mr Haynes were that all care was to be taken and no reasonable expense spared in regard to providing for the safety of the men in carrying out the work. It is therefore difficult to account for the accident. It was rumoured in town' that a piece of red pine planking Was used for the platform, and that the wood scaffolding was rotten, but this is entirely incorrect As has already been stated, the plank was a stout piece of Oregon pine, and was to all appearances perfectly oound, with the exception previously alluded to. Kirkwood was 50 years of age, and leaves a wife and six children to mourn their loss. Nimmo & Btjub's " Laxton's Noble " Btrawbehhies are considered by growers the finest &pd largest ever introduced. Grow them, At «•* - (Wa&o4 Wi»«j WO.

obevfc Pearson, jun., Waikouaiu :. m. ... 9 :c W. M'Fie, Wsykouaiti ... ... J £10 0 10 0 0 10 0