THROWN INTO THE WATER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13093, 5 June 1913, Page 6

THROWN INTO THE WATER.

NARROW ESCAPE AT HUNTLY.

After closing their restaurant at Huntly late on Saturday night, Mr and Mrs George Edwards, together w't'h Mr J. and Miss Eves, who live on the west bank of the river, proceeded homewards iii a flat-bottomed punt. Tho night was intensely cold, while the fog was so thick that the occupants could not see a boat's length ahead. The occupants being misled by the fog, the punt was propelled diagonally up the river instead of straight across, with the result that tho party got a little above the puntrope, some 20 yards from the west bank and at a place where the river is "very deep. The force of the current caused the bow of the boat to foul the rope, and, as the stern was forced round with some violence, the occupants were thrown to one side of the light craft, causing the gunwale ' to sink below the level of the river. The punt was soon filled and immndiately sank, leaving the| four occupants clinging to the rope,| three on the upper and one — Miss Eves — on tho lower side. Being incommoded by overcoats and cloaks, the party could do nothing but hold on and call as loudly as they could for help. Every movement caused the rope to swerve, and tho four, thus afraid to move, could only cling desperately to their hold. Miss Eves lost her grip once, but was fortunately caught by her brother, who held her with one hand, Mrs Edwards being supported with the other. The cries for assistance were heard by Mr Betteridge, lessee of the ferry, who went in his boat to the rescue of the immersed party about iO minutes after the occurrence of the accident. He was inst in time, the intensity of the cold and the severe shock having a terribly exhausting effect upon the ladies, who were inclined to become somewhat hysterical. The party was just being landed when Messrs Hardwick, Stewart, Rollo and Lee arrived in a boat from the east side of tho river. The prompt aid rendered by Mr Betteridge undoubtedly averted the occurrence of a fatality. Though the shock had proved severe, the ladies made an excellent recovery, while the men went to work as usual.