ACCIDENTS, FATALITIES, ETC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2728, 23 October 1894, Page 3

ACCIDENTS, FATALITIES, ETC.

Mr J. Bambridge had a narrow escape from a very serious accident while returning to Temuka from Timaru about halfpast seven o’clock on Saturday evening on a bicycle. He had almost reached the north end of the Temuka bridge when he heard some horsemen galloping up the approach to the bridge, which takes a sharp turn to the left. Ringing his bell he ran close to the left-hand side of the bridge, but on turning the corner on to the approach he saw two horsemen, a few yards away, galloping towards him —one was on the right side of the road and the other on the left directly in front of him. There was no time to get out of the way, and the horse struck the bicycle and hurled it and its rider to the ground. Observing what they had done, and ignoring a call to them to atop, the horsemen rode on at racing speed, almost running over some ladies and cyclists who were on the bridge. Mr Bambridge escaped with nothing worse than some severe bruises, and the bicycle was wrecked. It is hoped that the horsemen who were the cause of the accident by riding on the wrong side,of the road, and apparently were intending to have a race over the bridge, will yet be discovered. Their conduct in riding away after seeing that they had run over a person was cowardly in the extreme. A man named David Marquis fell out of a dray on the 12th inst., at Waihao Downs, while leaning back to pick out some parcels. Marquis was taken to the Waimate Hospital, where he died on Thursday last. At the inquest Dr Barclay said on examination after death found a rupture of the ligaments between the fourth and fifth joints of the neck leading into the spinal column. Such an injury was always fatal. Deceased had told him that no one was to blame for the accident.

Two lads were accidentally knocked down by the Rev. Mr Coates, head master of Newton East School, while he was riding down Queen Btreet, Auckland, on Friday afternoon. They were crossing the street behind some ladies. He did not see them or they him. One lad (Morrison) had his skull fractured.

Dr Richards, for 17 years in practice at Hawera, died on Saturday morning from apoplexy. The Hon. Patrick Dignan, M.L.C., a passenger by the Takapuna, died suddenly sit New Plymouth on Saturday morning. Dr| Leetham was sent for, but the hon. gentleman was dead before he arrived. Mr Diguan's son was with him. At Wellington, Henry Stirling, a sailor on board the steamer Grafton, fell from the small bridge forward on to the main deck, sustaining a rather severe fracture of the skull.

A sad drowning fatality occurred in the river at Hokitika on Saturday afternoon. .1 boat containing four men was seen coming across the bar about 1.30, there being at the time a strong south-west wind blowing, and a fresh in the river, Off the bar the boat was caught in, a cross ourrent, the sail jibed, and sh,e capsized immediately and was swept out to sea. The occupp; ats -vero drowned. Two bodies. *' noß e" of McDonald, sen., and Kennedy were recovered on mo rniug on the beach, five north, but there were no signs of young McDonald and the fourth man, Graham,