INTER-COLONIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 116, 28 April 1870, Page 6

INTER-COLONIAL.

The " Maitland Mercury " gives the following account of a terrible accident, resulting in the loss of two lives, which recently occurred there : — Mrs. Avey, in the absence of her husband, a publican in Maitland, who was up the country, went down into the cellar, accompanied by her little girl, in order to mix some spirits for sale, taking a lighted candle with her. While pouring some rum into a cask through a funnel, the candle by some means came in contact with the spirit which was being poured out, and ignited. Mrs. Avey instantly seized a broom, and endeavoured to sweep the butrning spirit from the top of the cask, but in doing so she unfortunately swept some of it through the bung hole. This no sooner happened than the spirit in the cask exploded, and almost simultaneously the cask adjoining and another cask in the middle of the' cellar, both containing spirits, exploded also with a noise like the report of a cannon. Mrs. Avey, with maternal instinct, attempted to place her little girl out of the cellar, and a girl named Margaret Hutchins, who was waiting at the top of the cellar stairs to pass a bucket of water, endeavoured to lift the child up. But the body of flame rushing up the entrance of the cellar was so strong that it was with great difficulty that this could be done, and at this moment injuries were inflicted that cost two of the sufferers their lives. Margaret Hutchins, who was leaning over the entrance to the cellar, was severely burnt about the head and face, while the poor little girl was burnt chiefly on the legs and lower part of the body. Mrs. Avey was doubtless protected to some extent by her dress, for her principal injuries are on the head, feet, and arms. The cellar was, by the time Mrs. Avey got out, a body of flame ; but fortunately a number of neighbours, who heard the explosion, rushed in, set to work with vigor and energy to put out the fire. In this they were so far successful, that they confined it entirely to the cellar, and no doubt by their prompt efforts preserved the whole of the building from destruction. Margaret Hutchins,whose injuries were received through her heroic efforts to save the little girl, was conveyed to the Maitland hospital, where, in spite of every care, she died on Saturday morning. The poor little girl, who bore her sufferings with great fortitude, died at her parents' residence almost at the same moment. Mrs. Avey, we are happy to hear, is progressing as favourably as might have been anticipated, and may almost be said to be out of danger. The Melbourne " Age " says : — " A disgraceful scene occurred lately in a brothel near Little Bourke-street Melbourne, on the occasion of a wake taking place. It appears that a woman of this town, named Nelly Horrigan, was found dead in her bed in the morning by a man with whom she had been cohabiting, and it was decided by her companions to ( wake ' her in proper style. Accordingly, at night, the coffin containing the body was placed on trestles in the middle of the room, plenty of spirits were placed on a table at the head, with pipes and tobacco in abundance at the foot. The room was lit up with candles, till everything was as light as day, and an old woman seated at the foot of the coffin sent up an unearthly yell throughout the evening. Towards ten o'clock, about sixty thieves and prostitutes of the lowest class assembled in the room, and commenced drinking and smoking, which finally ended in a regular melee, in which the coffin was upset, and black eyes and broken noses were freely distributed ; and it was not until some of the sober neighbours interfered that the orgie was put an end to. The funeral took place on Sunday, and it was evident from the appearance of those following the hearse, that the fight had been of a very sanguinary character, for there was hardly one of the mourners that had not either a black eye or a bandaged head." One of the staff of the " Cornwall Chronicle " (Tasmania), became a victim to the tender passion lately. He thus narrates his experience. We met at the Torquay Bazaar — when first she hove in sight, I thought I ne'er before had seen a maid so fair and bright. Her laughing blue eyes smiled on me — I felt I don't know how, as coaxingly she said to me — " You must buy something now." She placed her little hand on mine and led me to her stall, and never let me stir from thence, till I had spent my all, on things I valued not a rap — a muslin pelerine, a pasteboard cat, an infant's dress made up of bombazine. She pressed me for to purchase more — my visage slightly fell. I said "My dear, you've got my tin — I've lost my heart as well!" A frown stole o'er her lovely brow, like an eclipse o'er the moon, and then, in accents low, she breathed — " Get out of this you spoon !"