FATAL ACCIDENT. Wellington, Feb. 9.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 38, 11 February 1899, Page 3

FATAL ACCIDENT. Wellington, Feb. 9.

A shocking accident happened while the Tarawera was being brought to her berth this aiternoon jupfc before 4 o'clock. The hawser which was being used to warp her into position sprang over the pilehead, and, with a lpud repoi-t, levelled all those who were standing near, about a dozen in all. Andrew Tarmng's skull was fractured, and he died two hours afterwards in the hospital. Sergeant Ha4drell and F. Trornnier received wounds in the temple, and J. Mackay was cat on the chin, wh^oh had to be sewn up, and Mrs C. Eigg got a scalp wound 6-} in. long. The pthers were not hurt to any extent. The principal feature of the apcident was its' appalling suddenness. At one moment the people were crowding on tp the wharf; hi the twinkling of an eye the rope caught and twjsted a number of them with marionette-like contortions in the air for a moment, then flung them to the ground with a thud which could be heard for ' a considerable distance. To the brstanders the thing appeared like a horiible daylight phantasy, but those whq were lucky enough to escape were, only too vividly reminded of its reality by the prostrate forms writhing on the floor of the wharf with blood spurtiiig from their faces. Sergeant HaddreJl, who was severely injured hi tKe temple, was trying to keep the crowd back, when he was violently overthrown. The Harbour Board lias long recognised the necesssity for keeping the public back until vessels are tied up. The fatality which attended the accident will emphasise the danger of present practices, and probably lead to measures being taken to preyent accidents of the Hnd in the future.