A NARROW ESCAPE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 40, 16 January 1945, Page 5

A NARROW ESCAPE

HOROMANGA STREAM RISES

WELLINGTON VISITORS

EXPERIENCE

When a wave of water suddenly* swept, down the Horomanga Stream on Saturday afternoon, t two Wellington men, Messrs Hall, of the Evening Post, and o'Donovan 4 a solicitor had a narrow escape from drowning in the gorge. One managed to get free however and sent help to his marooned colleague who was eventually rescued uninjured. Details from Te Whaiti las,t evening were meagre, but it under-! i stood that the two men encountered a flow of water like a tidal wave sweeping downstream; this being attributed to a cloudburst higher up. The raging torrent trapped the men but O'Donovan battled his way free and. returned with a horse to rescue his; friend who had been marooned and was in considerable danger. First efforts were not successful, but a party of about 20 # accompanied by Constable L. Bidois, from Te Whaiti subsequently went upstream and reached Mr Hall about midnight. The rescue was effected at considerable risk, but Mr Hall was. brought across dangerous crossings by horse and taken to a hut at the mouth of the gorge } where a had been lit, food prepared, and the relieving District Nurse was avail-* able to give assistance. The party returned to the Murupara lodge about 2 Mr Hall then having recovered from the unenviable experience.