SERIOUS ACCIDENT. Auckland, January 19.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 January 1884, Page 6

SERIOUS ACCIDENT. Auckland, January 19.

As accident of a dangerous character, which by a fortuitous circumstance just escaped hiving an instantly fatal result, occurred at about 0.10 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the North Shore wharf. The ferry steamer Alexandra, irom Auckland, having 1 been ma le fast, was drawing slowly alongside, and a young man named Ward (son of Judge Ward, of Otago) was standing on the near side ot the hurricanedeck with his hand on the rail of the gangway, evidently waiting for the oppoi tunity to spring ashore. Just at that moment some one shouted "Lookout !" and simultaneously the gangway was rapidly pushed foru ard to the wharf. Its sudden moiion outward upset the young man's equilibrium, and he was precipitated head-Hi>t from the deck on to the shoulders of a seaman who was standing upon the aponson making some ropes fast. He struck the sailor to the deck, and then fell oil' his body on to the slippery stringers of the wharf, whence he was promptly rescued. He was found to be intensible, and as Dr. Ke"derdine happened to be over at the North Shore, his services were called into requisition. He gave it as his opinion that the man was not seriously injured. The poor fellow, however, was carried to a private residence at the North Shore, where Dr. Parkinson was called in and examined him. This accident, like many which have preceded it (some ending fatally), serves as a grave warning to those who needlessly indulge in the practice of hastily jumping on and off steamers. It should be sternly put down, for it has become so frequent now as to call loudly for repressive measures. Such accidents as the one under notice show the necessity for action on the part of the authorities. This afternoon the young man had almost quite recovered, his injuries having proved less serious than was Anticipated.

New York suindlers netted i' 23,000 lately by cutting the telegraph wires between the racecourse and the city and sending telegrams of false results of the running ; confederates in the city drawing the money from betting clubs. The police were unable to trace the perpetrators of the swindle,