FATAL ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2953, 18 July 1888, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A. shocking accident occurred at : . ' Napier on Monday, by which a lad''• ~ ji, named Hedley East, son of the well-" '';■;; known carpenter of:iiat ; name,: lost' :.;;.y bis life. The unfortunate 1 lad, who - %, : was eight years of age, was walking .'.''■•* on top of tho bluff bill with bis sister, an older brother, and another Jaoy , ■;.;:;■;■■ named Fraser, They were ojAkri highest porafc of the bluff, that portion' of;the harbor works ;K ; where the ivreokeX punt .lies on the v rooks, and deceased.went close ; to the; .;.;•■;, edge. 'This alarmed his brother, who -\'; called to deceased to come back. He •' • ■:■ appeared to be' in the adt of turning to;: '■;■ retrace his steps, when he stumbled <,</■■'•'■'■;■ . and fell headlong over the cliff. He ■ '■;',■" struck against several projections as''•'■■.', :./,> he fell, finally pitching upon a kind of jutting ledge, about 200 feet or there-. ■:■}; abouts from the top; and some 50' feet '.':.'. from the beach. The news of the ; ■■;■>•; accident guickly spread, and / father and many other persons were ..;J soon on the beach, endeavoring to .'■" "' reach the' ledge where the lad was lying. Ultimately two long ladders were prooured and lashed together, and reared against the face of the : cliff. Even then it was barely possible to reach the place, asjut waa considerably biglier tbau of the uttermost lddder.' At last Mr ' ■■•.,' East, by dint of immense exertion, . '''• ; andatgreat..porilto.himself, gainecj the ledge, and recovered the bodyjft carry it to the ladder by clambmng down the precipitous cliff was even more dangerous, but this was accomplished at last, and the melancholy burden taken down to the beach. There was no sign of life in the body -: ■ when found, the head' and face being much injured, and his neck broken. Constables Harvey and Shannahan ' removed the body to the Shakespeare > Hotel, where an inquest wa3 held, iGreat sympathy is expressed for. Mr and Mrs East in their sad bereave- : . ment,-H.B. Herald.