Accidents and Fatalities.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12757, 10 January 1905, Page 7

Accidents and Fatalities.

Per Press Associat.ua, Jauuary : .9. At the inquest on iMr Arthur 'Hobday, (jnv of the viciim.»> of t'>e yachting accident, Captain Post, vho w in charge of the Clo'venvinent steamer r J utanekui. stated that thu Marine Department a fu\» \ ea.rs a^o framed n - g-ulations ' covering" yachts and also boats plying for hire. These regulations did not nieet 'with the approval of harbbur lx>ards or of yachting clubs, and were consequently nover given, effect to Under the pro-cut law the department Inn! no control over yachts ,\mlos« they were ;eporteJ as being unsafe or unpcaworthy. Ita sufficiently large ■steamer had boon sent frotm Wellington on receipt of the m-urfwage, concerning th« disaster last Monday she -wpuld probably haw reached the spot in tiane to ;'ave sotiui of the men. There was no hope of- tho yacht getting out in safety from the position she was in when first seen from the lighthouse.. Her only hope was to come into the harbour or go ashore. Witness thought it would bo a pity to unduly restrict or to ham per yacht's v. ith der.ailmental rules and regulations, but at the same time it would be a -wise provision }i it 'Was made law that all yachts should notify the Marine Department of their in- 1 tention of going outside a certain limit, such as from Wellington across Cook Strait. Such yachts- ::houkl he inspected by responsible oHicurw as to seaworthiness and equipment, as well as restricted as- to crew. Tho jur\ returned the. following verdict : That it be a recommendation to the. Port Nich'ol&on Yacht Cluib to see. t< at its reg - uratioflis with regard to the cflicient equipment of yticlits undcir its control with buoys, with tho addition of lifebelts thereto, is rigidly observed ; also that it. might extend it* influence in this direction to, as far as possible, all owners of yachts and sailing boats ; that the jury is of opinion that some limit of tonivige of privately-oWned yachts should Le fixed, below which they should not be al lowed to go outside restricted limits without a special permit from the Marino Department." Ilokitika, Jan. 10. Mrs Teasdale, of Brunncrton, and Mrs J. W. Thompson, of Groymouth, while proceeding to Rost> to attend the funeral of a relathe, were capsi/cd out of a trap. Mrs Teasdale was killed and Mrs Thompson seriously injured. Hamilton, Jan. 10Two platelayers, John Kyle and Albert Reed, were proceeding to work on a jigger near Morrinsville. when they collided with a goods train. R«'cd wa^ killed and Kyle injured about the head. The deceased was married twehc months, and leaves a widow and infant.