ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4459, 5 July 1875, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

A fire, fortunately not causing much damage, occurred at Mr. Gear’s, butcher, Cuba-street, about half-past six p.m. on Thursday, June 10. The fire broke out in a stable attached to Mr, Gear’s premises, and was caused in this way : A boy was cutting ho .-sefeed, and placed a lighted candle on a partition close to a horse’s head. The horse whilst feeding knocked the candle into a heap of 'straw, which instantly blazed up. The alarm was given, and Mr. Barlovy, manager for Mr. Gear, got two small hose, which are kept on the premises, to play upon the flames, which, with the assistance of some neighbors, were extinguished before they had spread too far, and before'much damage was done. At the very first, indeed, five horse's which were in the stable at the time were quickly got out; so that they would have escaped had more serious consequences ensued. In connection with this we may mention that an attempt was made to ring the Te Aro firebell, but as it is unprovide d with a proper rope, only the feeblest of alarms could be sounded. Constable Purcell has forwarded an official report of the beaching of the William and Mary, at a point about two miles south of the Manawatu Hirer. On Monday, June 21, the .wreck was examined, and the body of 1 man. found in the fore cabin. A case of “lost in the busb” occurred at Carterton the other day. On June Cth two men, named respectively .fames Underhill and George Matthews, went out pigeon and as they did not return within a .reasonable time, seareh parties were organised, the residents turning out in grea . force to assist. . The surmise that the men were lost turned out to be correct, for it was not until Monday afternoon that they were found, two or three miles away from any track, and much exhausted. A man named Charles Neeman was found dead in' the neighborhood of Kaugitikei on Sunday, June 6th, Prom the report which has reached town wo gather that deceased had been at Mr. Abraham’s store on the previous evening, and had left in a state of intoxication. Nothing more was seen of him till found, on Sunday morning lying close to Mr. Abraham’s fence,. which had during the night been blown down by the force of the gale. Dr. Akers was_ sent for, and on his arrival pronoun cod. life to have been extinct for some time. The cause of death will doubtless form the subject of a coronial inquiry; the inference, from present information, is that he was killed by the fence having fallen upon him. A rather singular case came before the City Court on June 4, the particulars of which were interesting for many reasons. In the firsf*-. \ plc.ce, it was singular to find a woman of fifty- f six charging her husband, a decrepit old man of seventy-seven, with refusing to contribute to her support; in the next place, it was lamentable to find a man who had battled honorably with the world since the memorable year ’O9, placed in such a pitiable position ; and lastly, it was more singular still why these a n- e d parties should, only four years ago, enter brio the bonds of wedlock. The-case came before the Court in this way : The defendant, finding himself unable to cope with the troubles of the world, determined to have , whatever ease was obtainable by making over his property to hit: son, upon condition that the latter should maintain him during the remainder of his days. Those terms were^ agreed upon, and the son also agreed to allow his stepmother ss. a week, which was considered sufficient, as she was alleged to be a hale and hearty woman who could work for herself. She, however, took a different view of the matter, hence the proceedings which are reported elsewhere. . , _,, __ An inquest was held at the Golden Fleece Hotel, Pakuratahi, on Friday, June 4th, on the body of Robert Baldin, who was drowned a few days previously. Four witnesses were examined, the only evidence possessed of . any interest heinf that of John Sunnex, who discovered the body whilst pigeon shooting in the neighborhood of the river hank, his attention,having been drawn to it by his dog. According to the evidence of Sunnex the dog made a sudden « stand,” and upon his going to see what was the matter he found the body in about sft. of water, jammed under a tree. Assistance

being speedily procured, the body was removed to the Golden '.Fleece Hotel, and information conveyed to the police. The men in the employ of Messrs. Farrell, Barker, Cooper, and Whiteman immediately subscribed an amount sufficient to bury the body, and indeed these men throughout, together with their employers, have acted in a manner that reflects the highest credit upon them. At the inquest the. jury returned a verdict of “ Accidentally drowned.” A man named Pinford has been missing from Bulls for the past three weeks. He had for some time been in the employ of Captain Fergusson, of the Oroua Downs, but left on account of. ill health, and proceeded to Sandon for medical advice. On the road he called at Mr. T. Sansom’s store, and bought a cap and 11b. of butter ; since which time, he has not been heard of. He is a man about 35 years of age, and was at one time a cabdriver in Wellington, where he his a sister residing. The Taranaki Budget of a recent date says : —“ Only one frying pan and fire-place between two families. In trying to decide who should have first use of it, one woman made a very, good attempt at cutting other woman’s throat. It appears that two German families, new arrivals, are in occupation of the blockhouse at Waitara. There is only one fireplace. Inconveniences arise in regard to cooking. Yesterday a row arose as to-who should hava first go at the fire. Words led to the the knife, and one of the women made an ugly g:ssh just below the ear of the other woman. The respective parties appeared before the Resident Magistrate this morning, but the ease was adjourned till tomorrow'. The woman with the out was sent to the hospital —the cutter and her husband to gaol.”