ACCIDENT TO RACE HORSES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 631, 20 February 1879, Page 2

ACCIDENT TO RACE HORSES.

On Friday last Mr. McGee met with some serious accidents to several race horses he was bringing . from Katikati to the Thames. He was crossing the Waihi Plains, between Katikati and Ohinemuri, and became enveloped in a bush fire. On the Waihi Plains there is a swamp, across which are bridge approaches to the bridge at both ends made by titree jascines. Approaching the bridge, Mr. McGee saw he would have to rush through the fire, or return at his utmost speed to Katikati. He decided on the former course, and in doing so, Perfume, a three-year-old filly, by Akeake, Forest Queen, Syklark, and other horses he had in charge at the time, were more or less burned ; some of them so severely that they will have to go out of training for some time. Dr. Payne writes to the Tliames Advertiser, pointing out that the increase of deaths is attributable to defective alteration of water at the reservoir ; but more immediately bad drainage of "the borough. Water in the big pump at the Thames is rising rapidly. The Queen of Beauty mine, at the lower workings, is nearly flooded out. Mr. Roberts, formerly manager of the Branch Bank of New Zealand at Tauranga has disappeared. He had been recalled from Tauranga, and disappeared no one knows where. The cause of hia disappearance is unknown, as his accounts are all correct, and it was known he was not in financial difficulties.