SHOCKING FATALITY AT WOODVILLE.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 35, 4 September 1884, Page 3

SHOCKING FATALITY AT WOODVILLE.

TWO WOMEN DROWNED.

Woodville, Sept. 3

A terrible fatality occurred here last night whereby two women were drowned. lin'm fell yesterday and all last night in torrents, and as the results the Manawatu river rose with gieat rapidity. H. McKenzie, contractor for the Manawatu railway and traffic bridge, four miles from here, lired in a house on a raised piece of ground on the bank of the river. Shortly after midnight it was found that the house was being surroundod by water and a raft was made for the purpose of getting the people away from the house. Shortly after 3 o'clock the attempt was made, the raft being occupied by Mrs McKenzie and her so*, Mrs Feasy and her husband, and a man named McMillan. When crossing, however, it struck a snag and was capsized. All the occupants got safely* on board again, but the steering pole was lost, and the raft swept out into surging current of, the main stream again. It then struck a snag and capsized. The three men somehow got ashore and were picked up pretty well insensible, but the two women were drowned, and there seems little hope of ever recovering their bodies. Mrs McKenzie had been living in Dunedin; and only came to Woodville on Monday last. Traffic has been stopped at' the Gorge and on the Masterton road. 'I he other streams and rivers are very high, and generally flooded, the main road to Masterton being covered with water for nearly' a mile.