ACCIDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 340, 10 February 1871, Page 2

ACCIDENTS.

Last evening a man named Israel, who lives in Freeman's Bay, went into the Clanricade Hotel at the corner of Wyndham and Albertstreets, it is thought for the purpose of having a sleep. The deep torpor into which he fell aroused suspicions, and Dr. Lee was sent for, who at once perceived that the man had taken a large dose of laudanum. The stomach pump was applied, and very soon Israel came round, when he admitted taking a quantity of laudanum, but he stated that he did so merely for the purpose of getting sleep, and with no intention of poisoning himself. He, however, took much too large a dose—about an ounce, —and had proper remedies hot been applied in time, his life would probably have paid the forfeit of bis rashness. Israel is a married man, with a large family, and there ia no reason to believe that he meditated self destruction, though his escape was a very narrow one.

Shortly before ten o'clock last evening, a man named Smith, who was standing near tbe edge of the wharf, fell o»er into the water. He at once made for tbe nearest object—the i rudder of a cutter—to which he clung most tenaciously, at the same time calling fur assistance with all his might. The «atsr-polico heard the cry, and Constable Oarrigan promptly went to'his assistance, and succeeded in rescuing him from his perilous position. Smith was very much exhausted, and had tbe assistance been delayed but-a few moments louger, he would in all probability have been sweft away from his hold and drowned. We have on previous occasions called attention to the necessity of having a chain guard along the wharf at night time, from pile to pile. Had this been done long ago, many lives that have been sacrified through men falling off the wharf at night, would probably have been saved. The cost of a light chain would bo but trifling, and something certainly ought tojbe done "in the matter.