RAKAIA NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1805, 3 April 1888, Page 3

RAKAIA NEWS.

(from our own correspondent,) Bakaia, April 3. The Banal "Raster sorviceß were held at St. Mark'B Church, Son'h Rakaia, on Sunday, and were conducted by the Rev. Hi Coliina, who preached to good congrepaMona both morning and evening The offertories, a? is usual at thia Beason of the year, were devoted to the use of the clergyman m charge. Some attempt had been made at decorating the church, but the endeavor was a complete failure, the appearance of the aacred edifice bein^ most gloomy and mournful, and a very great contrast to the bright and cheery decoration made last year. On Saturday evening Mr Thomaß Lowe, while driving from Rakaia to Southbridge, had a very narrow eecape from drowning m the Rakaia river. He took the road along aide the river after crossing the bridge, and after proceeding about a mile came to a place where some damage had been done by the late flood. something was wrong, and the night being very dark, he got out of the buggy and by f ome meana got into the water and was washed over a considerable otream on to a spit Here ha might have remained till morning had not a Mr Johnson happened to pass the buggy abont 7 o'clock. He at onoß Bhonted out, but receiving no reply concluded there waa Bomathing wrong He made what oearch he could m the dark, and imagined he could hear pomaono groanlnp, bnt ciuld see no « n^. He drove back to Itakaia and reprrted t > the police This was at 10 o'clook, aid Const able Black discovered that the buggy belonged to M 1 Druay, a s f ablekeep?r here, who had let ft out to M> Lowe to go »o Southbridge The c >x\b able wl hMr JohnatoD, Mr Dowling, and oiher asalstaniß at*once proceeded to the scene ( f the accident, and the moon being bright at thia time they discovered Mr Lowo m a very exhaus'ed condition. After getting him acroßs the stream with Borne diffiaalty ho was conveyed to the Rakata township, whera he received the rrquls'te attention, and is now quite recovered from hla accident. He must have been some four houra on iho spit) and ahould be very thankfui that the rsiijht was not a very cold one, and that assistance waa at hand so soonj for the spit ho vr.-a washed on to waß a very amall ono, and iha river rose a foot during the time preparations were being made for getting over the stream. Mrs Jjbnson, who had gone to meet her hußbasd m n conveyance, deeerv6a Roma credit, as pho waited ou the bonk of the river to mark tbo plaoa until assistance arrived. SI eat tea that Bhe heard gLowe crying arout 20 minntee before the police arrived, bo ho must have somewnat recovered and recognised his extreme danger.