Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1880,

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 211, 4 September 1880, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1880,

A fatal accident, occurred on Tuesday last near Pakawau to a Maori named Maketu ■who was working for Mr Davidson, who has sent the following account of the accident to 1 Mr A. Mackay:— l regret very much to have to tell you that Maketu fell over a precipice 1 yesterday, and from the height from which he fell he must have been dead before his body touched the rocks. I tried to get down; to him but ciuld not, so I 'came home as fast as my horse could carry me, and three of us returned with ropes, &c, to try and recover his body. After trying in several parts to get. down we found it was impossible to reach the place where he fell owing to the tide, so we had to return.. A small dog must have gone over just before him, and as we could not see any sign of her she must have been killed too, in fact nothing could survive such a fall. The more I think of it the less can I account for poor Maketu's actions. yes-; terday. The dog stuck up a large pig in thd bush near Toi Toi Flat, and when we were two or three yards from it I let the small dog (now missing) go to catch it, and as soon as she went in, the pig threw her and ran to the edge of the sea face. We went after it, ' and on my getting through the manuka I saw; the pig : standing as close, to the cliff as was -possible, the dog having hold of it. I was astonished to see Maketu try to catch the pig, and seeing that he did not succeed I called, but, s'Dpn?t try and catch him, he will pull you. over." This was no sooner Baid than I saw him deliberately take a step onwards. I thought his weight would break the bank, and I shouted to him 'i Come back, or you'll go , over." He heard me, and bad' time to come' , back, (I think ho now realised his danger) , but Btood with his back to the sea. • The pig: got rid of the dog, turned, and ran past him.; He moved slightly, and I was horrified to see) him go over. When I started off^to tryandj recover the body I sent dpwn for if. Flowers, i -who came, arid 5 be and one of'tny -men and I| have been trying to finu it to-day, but, I am}

sorry to say, without success, it will ti ice you some time to read my account o now the accident occurred, but it was all over iv a few seconds, and, as I said before, 1 cannot account for his behavior, A short time before, he was sowing grass seed on tute run, nnd he told his companion two or three times not to go too close to the sea wall, as the earth might give way with him. I presume he became too much excited, and hardly knew what he was doing. We notice that the suggestion thrown out by a correspondent in our columus on Thursday last is to be acted -upon, and that a parade of entire horses is to be held in the grounds adjoining the Red Horse Hotel at Richmond on the 29th instant. Owners wishing to exhibit are requested to communicate with Mr Mabin with as little delay as possible. An attractive programme of an, entertainment of a varied character to bfe given at the All Saints' Institute on Monday evening next appears in our advertising columns. The following are the vital statistics of the Borough of Nelson for the month of August :— Births, 18 ; deaths, 15, numely, 8 miles and 7 females, five being under five years of age ; marriages, 8. Tub Customs duties co'lected at the Port of Nelson for the week (filing this day were £1.")57 133 4d. Those for the month ending August 31st amounted to £4638 16s lOd, distributed as follows!— Spirits, £861 11s; tobacco, £406 3s 6d; wine, £55 ; 8s 4d; beer, £53 16s 8d; tea, £982 Is 3d; sugar, £151 8s 3:1; goods by weight, £238 2s; ad valorem, £135 LBs fid; other duties, £176 163 Od; o,her receipts (including beer duty), £327 16a 9d.