NORTH ISLAND FLOODS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 147, 16 March 1908, Page 5

NORTH ISLAND FLOODS.

: . ? ■'.. . . : ;- . COACHING DANCERS.

, A NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH. BY 1 TELEGRAPn —SPECIAL ' CORRESPONDENT. Auckland, March .14. Passengers by tho mail coach from Ohaeawai 1 have experienced a' perilous; journey , through the flooded districts in North . Auckland., • Tho ; Whanga;'ei .correspondent» of tho- "Herald" says that on approaching: Eawakawa-' it was found that- .a -long stretch of country was deoply subniorged, and the water was rapidly rising,. It jwas. decided -to make, a dash,for it, though in some places ; the water was fully four feet deop.' Tho coach reached' Kawakawa without'mishap, and here a halt was, made for the night. Next jnorning a start was made fpr, Hukerenui, to connect .with tho train at Towai, Flats. Tho water was so deep that it washed !into .the coach, and the passengers' luggago and the mail bags 'were afloat. 1 , : - ' : : ' '' Two of. the horses suddenly disappeared into-a, sunken culvert,-.,but managed' to recover! their- footing, and : the. 'driver- 1 liter ally'jlasherl. the .whole'-turn-out into' safety. On iarrival Hukerenui it was . found that the travellers'wciuld.have-to'go to Waiot'u, as .the: intervening railway was, mostly underwater, .and not available for train-traf-fic: 'The. journey, .thoreforo,; -was continued,'; but, a; complete block was ' found at AVaiotu bridge, whero there- was a great .depth of water' in ?.a ; dip. with.- a. strong current 1 run»ing. -. . -; . . As the, only..resource, Mr. Christio,. sen., who ,-wiis, driving, attempted to ride.'.one-of the 'horses! through- in order to discover if i it: were 'possible, to , get a'-passage-for the ; cbach. When lie-had reached midway, the current'proved tool strong,vand "-rolled- both .horse "and rider; over. Mr.r Christie,; however; -stuck -to ' tho-horse's':head,-,and mari'aged,- after ..a • desperate struggle, to roach a telegraph pole, to which -he clung; with one Hand, vretainidg his,-grip on tho.'.'horse with the other. v -' '' Seeing'" ' his' '• dangerous - plight, -"three; Maoris' working r on tho' line prooared a long' rope and f iiiade ono end; fast. ' Two of them let' themselves drift- with the, current,' and went' toVMr.,'Christie's assistance',: and.',after' getting iiiiii 'safely' to''terra firnia'' thcy| rescued the horse. ' ■.' " ' There being no hope of taking the coach through; tho "mails, and luggage were carried to Waiotu station. V /