GREYTOWN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3385, 13 December 1889, Page 2

GREYTOWN.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Yesterday afternoon a seriouß accident ocpured on the Morrison's Busli lioad. Tho circumstances us furnished are us follows A. party of Natives from tho.Lower Valley arrived In a buggy ut Hodges' Bush Inn, Two.. Ileuii-te-Mihaaud a female, junipea_ out of tho vehicle to get refresh leaving Maggie Gillies and Teresa-in ' tho buggy, when ft few minutes later (ho horses bolted bringing tho buggy violently against a post and precipitating its occupants to tho ground, Teicsa was much sl|aken,while Maggie lay helpless, the girls wero quickly conveyed to Greytown, where Dr Bey was promptly in attendance and foun S that tlio poor girl, Moggie, bad broken a leg and collar bono and was badly bruised. She is receiving overy attention at the house of a friond in Groytown. It is to be hoped that with euro she wili.be well again in a few, Veeks time. 'Tho invalid is well known throughout the Lower Valley, a halfcasto of good social position aud held iu high respect by both races throughout the District. To-morrow, visitors to our local Post Oflice will miss a familiar face with its pleasant smilo and cheerful voice, George Hawkc, a son of our " oldest New Zealand settler" of that name, who, for a long timeijast has served in tho local I'ost assistant, is to bo promoted to tlio Pc6t Ofiice at Foxton, The young man is quite a favorito iu tho town, and as a consequonco goes away wijjr hearty wishes for his future welfare.'

How'' Slnps Go Down at Sea."

The official inquiry in connection with the stranding of tlio s.s. Rockcliff, in tlio Gulf of Suez, in May last, lias disclosed, rai Fair Play, same extremely unpleasant facts. Shortly beforo the stranding, tho master was reposing in au intoxicated condition on the sofa in his cabin. The second mate, finding th» vessel close to land, and rapidly approaching the Ashrafi light, went twice below, unsuccessfully, to bring up tlio captain to tlio bridge, On the second visit ho told tho captain that by the mate's orders he was steering S. by E, i E„ and keeping the light on tho port bow, At first tho master told him the course should have been S.S.E., but sply after lio said," keep lier-S. byE. J E.; that's all right." Very shortly afterwards the vossel stranded on tho Ashrafi reef. The fact of the strand-, ing was with much difficulty conveyed to the understanding of the intoxicated master. When he .finally grasped the situation he went up on to the bridge, and in a wild and excited manner shouted orders to an imaginery helmsman, and at tha same timo rang contradictory ordgpP' on tho tolegrapli. Not being satisfied. with' the reply "Stop,"'he made enquiry as to tl» reason wby'tbi

engines wero stopped. Then tliu master actually fell asleep on the bridge—the chief male keeping hiiu company by snoozing on the ilet-li with his back against tin chart room. Tlfj evidence showed that ft lamentable stale of aftiiirs had existed on board the steamer after her departure from Port Said (sho was bound to Madras), the master and mate having been constantly under thoinfluenco of drink," which" states the Court," was undoubtedly the primary cause of the disaster," The following extract from iiie iinding of the Court would appear, judging by the evidence, to be none too strongly worded"This is a very serious case, A large ship, newly built, is through the gross and unscamimkc navigation of her master, stranded and seriously damaged, l'or days the muster and mate were in a stato of intoxication, and thus prevented from a proper discharge of their respective diities,

.A, The Court feels bound to mark its senso of their unseamanliku conduct ' in tho navigation of the vessel, by suspending their respective certificates for twelve months from this date."