COACH ACCIDENT AT WINTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3710, 13 January 1875, Page 3

COACH ACCIDENT AT WINTON.

A report of the accident that befel Flint’s coach, when crossing the Matanra, has been given in one of the Invercargill journals, but we are informed that it does not supply the full particulars of the matter. The accident took place in this way. The coach arrived at the crossing place, Mataura, at noon on Friday. The very heavy rains mentioned by our Arrowtown correspondent had spread so wide as to flood this river from bank to bank, and the passengers refused to cross.. By sis n.ui. the river had fallen some seven inches ; Flint then declared it fordable. The passengers, who comprised Messrs Phillipi, Pearson, Ayme (of the American observation of Venus party), Malaghan, Powell, Haines, and Manders, desired that the ford should first be tested by passing over it on horseback. Flint decided that this precaution was unnecessary, and th" attempt to cross was then made. After getting into the middle of the stream three of thf horses began to swim, but the fourth would not Bwim and proved a great drawback. The opposite ford was missed, and it was now impossible to land on that side of the liver. It was necessary to recross the river, and that with a drowning horse. The rolling stream quickly obtained a, mastery over horses and coach, which were soon in the process of being swept down the stream. Flint then lost all presence of mind. Mr I). Powell, however, was equal to the emergency. He managed to obtain a hold upon the drowning horse’s harness, and with a portions of the reina drew the other horses to the side of the river that had been left. He was fortunate in his attempt, and when down about two hundred yards from the ford jumped into the river. He was enabled to maintain his footing, and seized hold of the horse and brought it nearer the bank ; be was then further enabled to hold both the horse down on its side and bring in the pole of the coach. All this was done by sheer strength. Tho passengers then, one by one, left tho coach, jumping as quietly as possible iqtp the river, and boating to the bank, The

coach, during its passage down and across the stream, had rolled and surged frightfully, but most happily had not upset. When the last passenger had jumped into the river it rolled over. The fore-wheels had parted from it. By the daring efforts of so ne teamsters who had witnessed the whole affair, and who, at the request of Mr Malaghan, had got horses ready for an emergency, and now lent valuable aid, at great risk a rope was attached to the coach, which, after continued exertions, was finally saved, as well as most of its contents. Everyone was wet; no “ Hennessy”; no change of clothes. All looked like white savages in Nature’s own garment. It was hours before relief arrived from Kingston ; but the teamsters, who had also got wet, acted most nobly. Flint lost his footing, and was also saved by Mr Powell, to whom the majority of, if not all, the passengers owe their lives. The transit party were fortunate in securing their instruments and photos without much damage. The coach was over-topping the horses when Powell determined on making the critical jump.