ACCIDENTS, OFFENCES, ETC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2813, 9 May 1895, Page 4

ACCIDENTS, OFFENCES, ETC.

A serious accident happened to Major Young of Winchester on Tuesday afternoon. He was driving home from Temuka when by some means he was thrown from his dog-cart by his horse shying, and received a very severe shaking. Dr Hayes was soon in attendance, and found that no bones were broken, but his neck was severely sprained, indeed, it was almost a miracle that it was not broken. Major Young passed a restless night (on Tuesday night), but is not thought to be in any danger. At Auckland Daniel Melly, a plumber, was sentenced to fourteen days’ hard labour*, for using obscene language to a constable on Saturday night. A body, iudoutified as that of Johu Johnstone, a settler at Pougar.ia, was found hanging from a bough of a tree near the township of Pahiaiua. It must have been hanging for five weeks, as when Johnstone was last seen was about six weeks ago. Johnstone was out r f work. A man named William E. Bamford, 40, died suddenly in the Provincial Hotel, Napier, ou Sunday. Deceased had resided with the licensee of the hotel about four years. A medical certificate showed that death resulted through excessive drinking. A sad fatal shooting accident happened to a boy named Alfred Symes, aged 15 years, eldest son of A. Symes, a farmer at Whouuakura, Wellington. The boy attempted to part some gorse with the stock of the gun, having the muzzle towards him, when the gun exploded, the charge entering his side. Death was instantaneous.

Great fears are entertained for the safety of Mr Patrick Gillin aud two other men, who left tho Twelve Mile, Grey Valley, three weeks ago for Gilliu’s station on the Upper Grey. They had only fourteen days’ provisions, and a tierce gale has happened since their departure. Search parties have gone out, Gillin is an old aud respected settler, and has a wife and a grown-up family. A woman has been arrested at Sydney under peculiar circumstances. Her husband, R. C. Laws, is a mechanical engineer at Napier, well respected. He had saved some money, and was also secretary aud treasurer of the Rechabite Lodge, having about £3OO of its funds in hand. He gave his wife deposit notes ou both accounts to relodge the deposits in the Bank of New Zealand. Some time afterwards she said that she was going to nurse a friend at Tomoana, aud went, against the remonstrances of her husband, who was loft with eight young children. As she did not return he made enquiries and found that she had never been at Tomoana, but had gone on to Wellington ;md taken steamer for Sydney en route to England. Her husband then instituted further enquiries, discovering that she had forged his name,withdrawing all his money find that of tho Kechbites, and had forged deposit receipts with the name of the manager of tho bank. She was arrested before she could start for England. A man named John Lew is missing from Wade, Auckland. Tho police are searching for him. He is supposed to have made away with himself. Tiie son (aged 3 years) of Mr Thomas Hamilton, a settler at Drury, Auckland, died of injuries received through his clothes catching fire. The Meauee Hotel, Napier, occupied by P. Doney, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning. Insurances on tho building £BOO, and ou the furniture aud stock £4OO.

Mr James Thompson, a coutractar aud Government overseer, met with a serious accident between Stafford and Goldshorongli. Ho was sitting by the side of 1 ho road, when some firewood was thrown over the face of tho terrace. The pieces struck Thompson, who had a compound fracture of tho right leg aud one of his loft ribs broken. Thompson is an o'd man, over 80, and it is feared that ho cannot recover. The police have made a successful raid at Edendale aud Fortrose for sly grog soiling. Informations will be laid in four cases, mostly ex-liceuaed houses. Daniel Macintosh, John Hunter, and 1 harlotte Gullen, while crossing the railway at lower Stuart street, Dunedin, on Monday night, weie knocked down by tho Fort train. Hunter escaped uninjured; Macintosh was caught by the cowcatcher, receiving a sever© Wow and slight concussion of the brain ; Gullen, aged 21 years, had her left leg severed below the knee by tho engine, aud was carried thirty feet up the rails. Both sufferers are progressing favourably. The railway authorities say that the existence of refreshment rooms are indirectly responsible for the oceurromje, because liquor is obtainable there after the city hotels are closed.

The inquest on the bodies of Isabella Patrick anti William Patrick, mother and ton, who were fatally burned at the fire at Wellington on Friday night, took place *n Monday. Dr Ewart said that the most serious burns ou the woman were ac the top of the thighs aud lower part of tho back. Her legs were burned to a little above the knees. Her face was much burnt, and there were sight burns on the chest. Both arms were extensively burnt. She never recovered from the shock, but became conscious on Sunday. She told him that she felt f Jut, and went to lie down, but did not remember any more. The whole damage might have been done in a minute. The immediate cause of death was shock from burns. With regard to the child, he Slid that the whole of the surface of the body was burned, the deepest burns being on the hips. The face was extensively burnt. Evidence was given that Patrick was evidently drunk on the night of the fire. The coroner declared that if the Jury were of opinion that the man was in such a condition from drink that he was unable to take steps to save his family as a sober man they would bo justified iu returning a verdict tantamount to manslaughter. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and added ft rider that if the man and his wife had been sober, the jury cannot but think the fire won Id have been discovered sooner aud life saved. High praise w;is paid to Maloney and Haughan who got the people out of tho house. J’otrick -till lies at tho hospital in a serious condition, and little hopes are entertained of hia recovery. Patrick, tho third victim of Friday’s Pro at Wellington, is sinking.