THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT OPOTIKI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9308, 18 September 1893, Page 5

THE FATAL ACCIDENT AT OPOTIKI.

Our correspondent at Opotiki sends us the following particulars of the drowning of Mr. W. M. English, an old settler in the district, who lost his life, as has already been briefly reported by telegraph, while attempting to ford the Waioeka river with a buggy and pair of horses on the 12th inst.:—

The Waioeka bridge being under repair, Mr. English endeavoured to cross by the ford, about half-a-mile below the bridge, it being low water at the time, and a moderate fresh in the river, with swift current. Before entering the water he was seen to pack his parcels on the seat of the buggy and take off his coat. Several people anxiously watched his progress from a distance, and saw the buggy suddenly disappear, and the horses swimming. Messrs. Dellicar and Fagan, who were at work on the bridge, jumped into a canoe, and lost not an instant in attempting a rescue. Messrs. J. M. Butler and C. S. Abbot, who also saw the accident, galloped along the river bank. Mr. Butler saw Mr. English clinging to one of the horses, th% trap being rolled over in the swift current. In another instant, before the canoe could arrive, the horse went under, and Mr. English disappeared, and was nob again seen. Those in the canoe came up with the buggy, bub could find no traces of the drowned man, and they could only cub the drowned horses adrift and haul the buggy on to a shingle bank. Boats immediately went off from tho township, and searched the river as far down as the heads, but so far without result. Mr. English leaves a widow and grown-up family. He had the most implicit confidence in his horses, and they had many a time pulled him through the rivers in a fresh when few would have attempted to cross.