FATAL LANDSLIPS.

Te Aroha News, Volume 64, Issue II, 23 August 1884, Page 3

FATAL LANDSLIPS.

fl(Froin the Auckland " Star," August IG.) Ax accident which might have occasioned the loss of a number of lives occurred shortly before five o'clock yesterday afternoon at the excavation works in course of progress at the Fort Brilomarfc cliff. As our readers are aware, for some months past a number of men have been engaged removing the cliff on which Fort Britomart formerly stood, with the view to forming a graded road from Princes-street to Customs-street East. Several thousand yards of earth have been removed from the point where Fort-ptreet ends in a cul-de-sac, and a considerable quantity of earth has also been removed from the main face of the cliiF facing the harbour. Shortly before knocking-ofl' time yesterday, a largo mass of debris, loosened by the rain slipped on to the roadway partially burying several of the workmen and doing other damage. Customs-street is completely blocked by the immense mass of earth that has come away— variously estimated at from 10,000 to 20,000 cubic yards— and vehicular traffic between the city and Parnell by that route is entirely suspended. Shortly before the accident, the falling of small masses of clay gave indication that a landslip was imminent, and all the men engaged on the job, with the exception of five men in the employ of Messrs W. and G. Win&tone, were, comparatively speaking, out of danger. These men were engaged filling carts with ballast right at the base of the almost perpendicular cliff, when some of the bystanders raised a cry that the cliff was falling. The imperilled workmen, seizing the heads of two of the horses that were yoked up, ran for dear life, and fortunately escaped the main fall, though they wer« caught by the end of the slip awd swept bodily outwards. Two of the men, named Roso and Nealy, were partially buried — the former wai&t-high and the latter up to his neck, but they escaped with a few bruises. A telegraph boy named Donovan, who was passing at tho time, was struck on the ankle by a piece of stone, and sustained a severe bruise. Forrester, a carter in the employ of Mr B. Keane, also had a narrow escape. He was driving an empty cart Parnellwards, and when passing the cliff heard the warning cry that the slip was coming. Before he had time to put the warning to any practicable purpose, the cart was struck by a moat of clay, tipped over, and he found himself unscathed undei his vehicle. One of his horses had its neai foreleg broken, and was subsequently killed by Mr Halstead, Y.S. Several carts belonging to the Messrs Winstone were buried by the slip, and will cost a consider - BUtn to j-epair. The noise made by the slip was so loud that the sound was heard in Queen-street and. there was soon a large crowd of excited onlookers at the scene of the accident. The city authorities were soon informed of the occurrence, and by their orders watchmen were posted all night at either end of the landslip te warn unwary passers -by of the clanger. From an inspection made this morning it is evident that another slip is imminent. There is a large crack in the cliff, and the next fchower of rain will probably bring down a large mass of earth, Tho landslip will no doubt prove a pecuniary advantage to Mr Maguire, the contractor, though, of course, it will cause considerable temporary inconvenience to drivers of vehicles and others who have been accustomed to use the road.

Blemieim, August 16. A landslip yesterday at Onamatutu, buried a child named Richard .John Cliles, son of a miner, who was working in a tunnel close by. The body of the child was icold when got out after half-an-hour's digging. An inquest will be held. The child's mother was also buried to the waist, but escaped unhurt,