OPOTIKI.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 316, 18 September 1875, Page 3

OPOTIKI.

(from our own correspondent.) September 0. Yesterday onr first service was held in the restored church, and a very effective and beautiful service it was. The great height and size of the building is of material advantage to the music —both vocal and instrumental, and our new harmonium has full justice rendered to its really fine tones. The pews, which arc commodious and comfortalde, were every ono taken up immediately they wore offered for selection, mid some applicants wore disappointed in obtaining them. Tim committee have made arrangements for tho immediate erection of six mum pews; these, with, tho free seats, will accommodate over lot) persons, and will answer all tho requirements of the place at present. September 8. An accident occurred at Huntress . Greek yesterday, hy which Mr John Delaney had a narrow escape of his life. Ho was driving from tho beach towards tho township in a dray loaded with pohutukawa logs, and, arriving near the edge of tho crock, tho dray turned completely upside down, , into I tho water. Tim driver was sitting on I the shafts at tho time, hut, luckily, I managed to leap off as the dray turned 1 over. The leading horse kicked and plunged until he broke his harness, j and iiien bolted; the shaft horse, being turned upside down with the dray, was held down under water hy the Hiatt s. Mr Delaney, wading into tho creek, ; succeeded in raising the .horse's head | above water, were ho hold it for nearly ■ three hours, tho tide rising tho whole limit, when ho was discovered hy some ladies who wore riding past. Thoy ! immediately returned and gave tho ; alarm, and assistance was at once pro- : cured, and tho horse, which is one of the most valuable ones in Opotiki, was extricated from his awkward predica- j ment hut slightly injured. j September 0. \ A singular providential escape' from .% drowning occurred Imre to-day, iho | circumstances of which are as follows: —The cutter Leah was heating down * tho coast outside on her- way from ■■ Maketn to Torero. When off iho Opotiki bar a strong easterly gale suddenly sprung up, and the port shrouds carried away at the mast head. Thug master immediately stood in over iho bur, and brought to inside, hut did not come up tho river to tho wharf. ' Scarcely was tho anchor let go than they heard cries for help, and observed a canoo flouting out bottom upperme ! on the strong ebb tide, and rapie _ approaching tho bar, which was breaking across at the time; two men could i also he seen, clinging to the bottom of ; tho canoo and calling-for assistance. J At this time the Leah's dingey was') below in the hold, and the hatches} battened down as a precaution while; crossing tho bar. The work: of hoisting: up the main boom, talcing olf hatches, ‘ hoisting out boat, launching and pull- j mg off to the rescue: was executed in | an incredibly short time, and the men were picked up before they reached tlie bar, where they would inevitably ■ have perished. The two men, whoso names are Maxwell and Holt, had, it appears, been culling firewood on the • beach, and were returning home with : a load when-the canoe was filled hy ’ waves which the sudden breeze had • created in tho river. Besides their cargo they lost their hoots, axes, &c. # Tim greatest credit is duo to the mastei ' and mate of the Leah (James Hay g* Edward Pea rev) for their prompt ' - } in jroimr to the rescue, I