Accidents and Fatalities.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4581, 1 March 1893, Page 1

Accidents and Fatalities.

COLLISION AT LTTTELTON.

I At Lytteiton yesterday a mishap occurred onboard the B.M.S.S. Bimutaka, by which she collided with and did damage t> the E.M.S.S. Coptic. The Bimutaka was being brought to a berth at No. 7 Wharf on the opposite side to that occupied by the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's liner, and when nearing the wharf the pilot in charge, Captain Galbraith, gave the order " half speed astern." The officer in charge of the telegraph on the bridge, which registers in the engine-room, telegraphed the order by moving the handle, but when the hand of the dial pointed to " full . speed ahead," the endless wir*u with which the machine is worked,' broke, and the engineer's orders were therefore "full speed ahead," with the wharf and another huge steamer only a few yards distant. The breakdown was of course at once noticed, for the telegraph has a dial on the bridge which corresponds with that in. the engine-room, and in aninstant there was mild excitement, pilot, officers and others shouting their loudest in the hope of attracting the attention of those in the engine-room. This, however, was not done until the officer who had been in charge of the telegraph, and who left the bridge as soon as it broke down, got to the engine-room. By this time the huge vesßel had responded to the propeller at full speed ahead, and before her speed could be checked she went with a terrific crash into the. bow of the Coptic. The Eimut^aka's anchor caught the forestay of the Co"ptio and srislppeol it like a pieced of string, while the White Star liner also had he? head rails and stanchions carried away, the stem head dented, and the woodwork badly splintered. The Union Steamship Company's coal hulk Lota was lying alongside the Coptio, and her stern was' badly damaged also. The collision gave a terrible shock to a young woman on board the hulk, who was confined to her room with rheumatic fever.

Daring the summer months a number of small boyß are in the habit of congregating on the river bank in front of Pr Nedwill's residence, and amusing themselves by swinging on the willow trees. On Monday several of the boys were indulging in their favourite game,- when ono of their number, named William Graham, aged about fourteen years, while in the aot of swinging on one of the boughs, fell heavily on to the bank, breaking one of his arms. He rolled into the river, but managed to get out without any further mishap. He was taken to the hospital. Dt Murray-Aynsley, house surgeon to the hospital, has on several occasions told the boyß to stop what seems to be a very dangerous game. Shortly after seven o'clock last night Dr Thomas was called to a house in George street, just off Manoheater street south, to attend a woman who had suddenly taken ill, A . few minutes after the dootoV arrived the woman died, and as he could not give a certificate as to the cause of death bu inquest will be held. The woman had been taking some medicine, of which the doctor took ohaige, and he has handed it over to the police.