Accidents, Offences, &c.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 226, 3 September 1884, Page 2

Accidents, Offences, &c.

BOSINA SMITH. A BATCH OF STACK FIRES. (Per Press Association.) New Plymouth, September 3. Frank Howard, alias George Lewis, was charged to-day at the Police Court, on warrant from Wellington, with stealing, on the 13th August, from Mr. O’Donnell, in the Bank Hotel, Wellington, a gold watch and nine £1 notes. Prisoner escaped from Wellington to Greymouth, where he joined the schooner Cora, and sailed for Waitara. He was arrested at Waitara by Constable Day. Wellington, September 3. A young man named Jacob, at the Preserving and Refrigerating Co.’s works, attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself from a steampipe in the factory. When cut down he was nearly strangled. He had been in a despondent state for a day or two. He has been remanded to the Asylum for examination. Henry Todd, formerly in the employ of the Gear Meat Co., was arrested this afternoon on a charge of embezzlement of sums amounting to about £6O. Masterton, September 3. J. Petersen, an elderly man in charge of McAra’s farm at Opaka, was drowned yesterday in the Waipoua, while trying to rescue sheep from the flooded land. The Waipoua river has overflowed its banks near the railway works. There is a heavy flood in the town.

Last night the flood washed away the embankment at the Waingawa railway bridge, and suspending traffic, the passengers having to be sent by coach. The new railway bridge beyond Masterton station blocked the Waipona river, and flooded the northern part of the town, doing considerable damage to roads and fences, the bridge itself being destroyed. Communication between Masterton and the north has been cut off by the embankment of the Waipara bridge giving way. There was two feet of water in the town, but when the railway bridge near the station gave way the water subsided rapidly. Several families residing near the river were imperilled. It is rumoied that the Tenui mailman has been drowned, and the police are making enquiries. Christchurch, September 3.

A boy two years old, son of Mr. Janies Garnett, of Sydneyham, was accidentally drowned in a water-hole to-day. Oamaru, September 3.

A man named Johnson, who was arrested at Christchurch, was committed for trial to-day for forging and uttering cheques for £l2, £lO, £5. A hair-dresser named Robert Gower attempted to poison himself with oxalic acid. A doctor was quickly called, and with the aid of the stomach pump soon got the man out of danger. Westport, September 3. The body of a man was found on the sea beach this morning. It is supposed to be that of Thos. Mahoney, missing from Fern Flat, above Lyell, since the last week in July. The body has floated upwards of sixty miles in the flood at present running in the river. Nelson, September 3. A sailor belonging to the barque Sea Toiler, now lying at the anchorage, with the object of deserting, left his ship on a ladder which had been picked up near the lighthouse. The man, whose name is Watson, has not since been seen. Auckland, September 3. Rosina Smith was further remanded until Friday next on the charge of child murder, after the evidence of Dr. Wright had been taken. Invercargill, September 3. Yesterday a threshing mill on the farm of Mr. L. Fraser, at Wainataka, together with a stack of rye grass, which was being threshed, was destroyed by fire. The mill was insured for £2OO in the South British. The rye grass which was the property of Fraser, was not insured. It was valued at £7O. J. Crow, farmer, Waicola, had two wheat stacks destroyed by fire on Sunday night. There is no reason assigned for the origin. An insurance of £125 was made in the Equitable office, but the loss is estimated at double that amount. Mr. Hogan, of Urey’s bush had four stacks of barley, which were 200 yards apart, burnt on the 26th ult. Incendiarism is more than suspected in this case.