ACCIDENTS AT MURCHISON
A NARROW ESCAPE. A sensational incident is reported from Murcliison. While the Motueka river was in flood, Dr Warneford and .Mr Bathe, Government road overseer, were crossing it in a canoe, when a floating log was struck and both the occupants were thrown into the flooded waters. The* were swept down but fortunately they were enabled to catch hold of the top of a tree over which the had washed. The plight of the residents was observed and Messrs C. O'Brien and McNee pluckily swam out on horseback and passed a rope to those in peril and it was not long before the doctor and the overseer were once more on terra fivma. Dr Warneford is unable to swim, and had it not been for the plucky rescue work oE, those in the vicinity the incident mighthave had a more serious termination. BAD DROWNING FATALITY. Early on Wednesday morning, the 9tli inst., Mr McAuliffe, the school teacher at Braeburri, was proceeding to school accompanied by two of his girls, and when crossing the oreek near Mir Derment's place they crossed over a log foot-bridge and the second girl named •JVlary "Ellen, who was the last to cross the log,, in some way.-slipped off into-the creek. Shortly after tile father and sister, not having seen the accident, and missing the girl, went in search.of her; and it appears a recent fresh in the creek had gouged out a deep hole under the foot bridge and the poor girl dropped into this hole and. got entangled and was drowned right under the foot-bridge. The mother, Mrs McAuliffe, noticed some of the clothes of her girl in the creek while she was assisting the others in the search. Unfortunately when the body was recovered, life was extinct. The sad accident cast quite a "gloom over the wholo of the settlement of Braeburn.
An inquiry was held, presided over by Mr Hugh" Eraser, acting coroner, and evidence was taken as detailed above and a verdict of accidentally drowned was returned.
%he remains were interred .in the Murchison Cemetery on. Friday afternoon when a large number from Braeburn attended the funeral.
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLVIII, 16 December 1914, Page 4
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359ACCIDENTS AT MURCHISON Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLVIII, 16 December 1914, Page 4
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