Australian Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 765, 28 February 1870, Page 3

Australian Items.

The Maitland Mercury gives the following account of a terrible accident, resulting in the loss of two lives:—The Police Magistrate held an inquiry in the Maitland Hospital, on Saturday, 12th February, into the circumstances connected with the death of Margaret Hutchins. The evidence was to the effect that deceased lived near Avey's public-house, East Mainland On Friday afternoon Mrs Avey was in the cellar of the public-house, mixing spirits, and she asked deceased to hand her a bucket of water down the cellar door. Deceased did so, and Mrs Avey struck a match, as the cellar was dark, and either threw it down or let it fall. An explosion immediately followed, and flames shot up through the door. Deceased, in trying to save Mrs Avey's child, who was also in the cellar, got burnt, and when some of the neighbors came to endeavor to put out the fire that the explosion had caused, she was lying behind the bar bleeding. Deceased was taken to the hospital by direction of her daughter, and died there at 5 o'clock on Saturday morning. She was very severely burnt.—On Saturday, at East Maitland. the Polic Magistrate held another inquiry, concerning the death of Emily Jane Avey, aged 9 years. This little girl also met her death from the above ex'plosion. Neighbors residing in the vicinity of Avey's pub lie house in East Maitland, heard, on Friday afternoon, a noise like the explosion of powder and the cracking of glass, and proceeding to the place, found it on fire, and thick smoke coming up from the cellar. Mrs Avty, who was burning then, had the poor child in her arms in the veranda j deceased was severely scalded and burnt, and died in consequence of the injuries received, on the morning of Saturday. —Another account that we have heard of the cause of the accident is that Mrs Avey, in the absence of her husband, who was up the country, went down into the cellar, accompanied by her little girl, in order to mix some spirits for sale, taking a lighted candle with her. While pouring some rum into a cask through a funnel, the can die by some means came in contact with the spirit which was being poured out, and ignited it. Mrs Avey instantly seized a broom, and endeavored to sweep the burning spirit from the top of the cask, but unfortunately swept some of it through the bung hole. This no sooner happened than the spirit in the cask exploded, and almost simultaneously the cask adjoining, and another cask in the middle of the cellar, both of which contained spirits, ex ploded also with a noise like the discharge of a Cannon. Mrs Avey, with maternal instinct, at once attempted to place her little girl out of the cellar, and Margaret Hutchins, who was waiting at the top of the cellar stairs to pass down a bucket of water, also endeavored to lift the child up. But the body of flame rushing up the entrance to the cellar was such that it was with great difficulty that this could be done, and at this moment the injuries were inflicted that cost the. sufferers their Jives. Margaret Hutchins, who was leaning over the entrance to the cellar, was severe y burnt about the head and face, while the poor little girl was burnt chiefly on the legs and lower part of the body. Mrs Avey was doubtless protected to some extent by her dress, for her principal injuries are on the head, feet, and arms. The cellar was, by the time Mrs Avey got out, a body of flame, but fortunately a number of neighbors, who heard the explosion, rushed in, and set to with vigor and energy to put out the fire. In this they were so far successful that they confined it entirely to the cellar, and no doubt by their prompt efforts preserved the whole premises from destruction. Margaret Hutchins, whose injuries were received through her heroic efforts to save the little girl, was conveyed to the Maitland Hos pital, where, in spite of every care, she died on Saturday morning. The poor little girl, who bore her sufferings with the greatest fortitude, died at her parents' residence almost at the same moment. Mrs Avey, we are happy to hear, under the skilful treatment of Drs- Scott and Jiulmore, is progressing as favorably as could have been anticipated, and may almost be said to be out of danger. A man named Kossuth died on the 3rd inst. in the Waggu Wagga Hospital, under the following somewhat extraordinary circumstances : —On last Sunday week (says the Advertiser) he was drinking at the Koyal, when the landlord of the hotel is said to have made a bet with another publican present that the man would not drink six quarts of colonial a>e within the hour The wager was accepted and won, Kossuth drinking the six quarts (or according to one account eight) in five and twenty minutes. He shortly afterwards became stupiJtied, and finally insensible, and was accommodated according to the usual fate of "incapabies" with quarters on the veran da. There the poor wretch was found b} a lodger next morning, lying on a form with hi > head hanging over the end, and apparently in a dying state. Getting no better during the day, he removed to the hospital, where on Thursday he died, another victim to the "curse of the country." —The deceased is said to have been some years ago at Castleinaine. His wife and children whom he had sent on a visit to England were lost in the ill-fated London, and their loss seems to have preyed deeply on him, as has since been more or less addicted to drink. The discovery of a rich silver mine near Cooma, New South Wales, is reported. A specimen of the ore, weighing Bozs., has been shown at Cooma. The Melbourne Parliament was opened on the 15th with the usual formalities.

The Annidale Express gives (be following particulars of a fatal accident which occurrel to Mr George Cobley, formerly of New Zealand :—lt seems that on Monday last (7th February) Mr Cobley went out with a young man named Reynolds to try a colt round the Glen Innes course. In returning, his horse, Bushranger, threw his bridle over his head, through not having a throat-lash to the headstall. Mr Cobley jumped off, holding on by the reins. By some unforeseen movement, although he retained the reins in his hands, it is supposed he turned round, was thrown down against a stone or log, and was thereby severely cut on the head. Still holding the reins, he was dragged some distance. On beiug conveyed home he was conscious. Dr. Skinner wa' soon in attendance, and at first serious results were not anticipated. Dr Bedford, however, was sent for .by some members of the family, and on his arrival, after a long ride of ten hours, Mr Cobley was unconscious, and remained so till he died, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Mr Cobley was one of the leading men at Glen Innes, and was well known and respected throughout JSTew Zealand. The Border Watch states that a case of alcoholic poisoning occurred near our Southern border. A boy travelling with his parents to Narracombe, whilst at Kirby's Inn, drank a quart of brandy before it was discovered that he was i.i possession of it. He slept til] next morning, and when taken away in the dray he was still in slumber ; but before they had proceeded many miles he died. The Queensland Times states that a man has been apprehended by the police, supposed to be the notorious bushranger Ward, commonly known as " Thunderbolt" ; ana suggests that any one who has happened to make the acquaintance of this ruffian would discharge a public duty by coming forward and communicating with the police. From a Melbourne telegram in the Empire of the 16th we learn that Messrs Gough, Kiddle, & Co., ironmongers, had convened a meeting of their creditors for the 22nd inst. Their liabilities, exclusive of contingent, exceed £12,000, and their assets are considerable.