KAIKOURA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 106, 3 May 1909, Page 7

KAIKOURA.

(From The Sun.)

Thursday

There was a large attendance at the social which was held in the Town Hall on Tuesday night to officially Avelcome the Rev. N. Friberg, who was lately appointed as vicar in charge of the parochial district of Kaikoura. The hall was tastefully draped for the occasion, and j^he proceedings throughout were most hearty. After a few musical items had been rendered the various clergymen of the town made speeches of welcome, to which Mr Friberg appropriately replied. A musical programme was gone through and refreshments provided, the whole proceedings being of an enjoyable character.

An accident occurred at the Ohau bluff, the most dangerous part of the North Road, yesterday. It appears that Mr R. F. Spensley, accompanied by one of his daughters, was driving down from Flaxbourne and overtook Mr R. Doyle, who was riding into Kaikoura. Mr Doyle accepted a drive for the remainder of the journey, leading his horse. The animal pulled back on two or three occasions, causing Mr Doyle to take a secure hold of the reins by twisting them round his hand. The party were driving along, talking, but when at Ohau Mr Spensley, not receiving a reply from Mr Doyle, looked round, and just saw the horse's head disappearing over the bluff. Mr Doyle was lying on the road with the broken reins still twisted round his hand—he having severed them by a sudden jerk when he found his steed going., The horse was killed, stone dead, but Mr Doyle was fortunate enough to escape uninjured—a truly marvellous escape. Early yesterday morning Kaikoura became excited over the news that a young fisherman was afloat on a capsized boat near the rock off Riley's, south of Kahutara bluff. The launch Spec went out to the rescue, and on the return of the vessel, before 3 p.m., the sad news was told that the poor fellow disappeared a few minutes before the. Spec reached the upturned fishing boat, and was not seen again. From a conversation with Mr Andrew Chirnside, we learn that the deceased's name was William Henry Johnston, a native of Victoria, aged 22, a very quiet, steady and industrious man, unmarried. He came to Kaikoura about two years "ago, and worked at Smith's flaxmill for about eighteen months, then went wool-pressing at Qaverley, Ludstone and Swyncombe. About two months since deceased and Mr Chirnside started fishing as partners. On Monday they made a good catch, but as the steamer did not arrive on Tuesday Mr Chirnside decided to hawk the fish. Johnston, therefore, Avent out by himself that day, leaving South Bay about 8 a.m. in their boat, the Gentle Annie, intending to fish off the Kahutara in the locality known as "The Hole.'' A strong northerly breeze sprang up and caused a nasty sea for a small boat. Johnston went under the lee of Riley's Rock for shelter about noon, when he was seen, late in the afternoon, snugly anchored. It is j surmised that during the night he, ! got sail on the boat, when a change of wind occurred, and that she turned turtle with him, the anchor falling out of her and so prevented her drifting. A heavy breeze is known J to have sprung up between 10 p.m. and midnight. Had the anchor line not held the boat she would have, m all probability, drifted ashore somej where. The boat washed ashore in a bight just north of the second j tunnel late in the afternoon, the : anchor line having chaffed through. The body has not yet been recovered.