EXCITING SCENE AT THE WHARF

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 877, 25 July 1910, Page 4

EXCITING SCENE AT THE WHARF

CONSTABLE'S GALLANT ACT. The departure of the Mararoa for Lyttelton on Saturday evening . was marked by what came near to being a very serious, If not a fatal, accident. The ship had swung clear of the wharf, the bow pointing inwards, when a belated passenger, a member of the ClarkeMeynell Company for whose convenience the ship had been detained, hurried along a minute of two too late. A rope was throivn to him from the fo's'cle head, which he caught, and while being hauled aboard in this adventurous fashion, his strength gave out, and letting go his hold, fell some distance into the water. Constable Wade, who was busy escorting an uuruly inebriate to the police station, at once let go his quarry, rushed to the scene, and rapidly throwing off his coat, slid over the side fortunately right alongside the struggling man, whom the constable man-aged to drag from the water on to a stringer (a. horizontal wooden support). A rope was then lowered, and tied round the rescued man, who was then pulled to the top of the wharf. Aboard the Mararoa, which put back to receive the passenger in his dripping condition, women screamed, and considerable excitement prevailed.

The constable was warmly congratulated by witnesses to the accident for his presence of mind and quick and plucky action.