CANTERBURY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 5, Issue 281, 21 June 1865, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

Fatal Accident in the Rakaia. —The Lyttelton Times of the Bth inst., saysln addition to the numerous accidents we have lately had to record as haring happened in our southern rivers, we regret that we should now have to mention one, that, while prgviqg a narrow escape to ; several, has caused the death of two most promising young men. Several rumours have been circulated; but from the report of Mr. Charles Flowers and another gentleman, we believe that we have ascertained the correct particulars.- It seems that Mr. Walter Wilson, son of J. Cracroft Wilson, Esq,, C.C., of Cashmere, was on his way south to bring up stock from his father’s run on the Rangitata, accompanied by Mr M’Donald, junr., manager of Mr Wilson’s station bn the Selwyn ; and that in company with several other gentlemen, he remained at the hotel on this side of the Rakaia over Thursday night. About nine yesterday morning, Mr. Flowers sent across the river three horses belonging to the party, and as soon as they were safely across, he came back to act as pilot for- the horsemen. The river had been muddy during Thursday, but yesterday again it was low and clear. Five essayed to cross, viz., Mr Flowers, pilot; Messrs W. Wilson, M’Doaaid, Caton, and J. Kett. All went well for a short distance, when Mr Wilson’s, horse, a well-bred thing, commenced to rear and plunge, whereby Mr Wilson was thrown, landing on his feet, and apparently up to his waist in the current. His horse plunged violently, and in his struggling became entangled with the horse Kett was riding, which also fell, and got away from its rider. Kett was at once in the current, when Charley Flowers (as he is generally known) swam in on horseback, and pulled him out by the-hair of his head. A moment before this occurred, young M’Donald was observed to jump off his horse, whether to render assistance to Mr Wilson, or for other reasons, it is impossible to ascertain, for at the moment he jumped he sank, andwas never seen after. Meanwhile, Mr Wilson, who, when thrown from his horse, must have been washed from his feet, started to swim, and most manfully he is reported to have struggled against (his awful current, Mr Flowers followed him on the well known river horse Roany, who carried him down the stream with a grand stride in close pursuit ot the now struggling young man ; when in almost within two lengths of him Wilson cried but to Flowrs to “come on,” and Flowers cbeeringly replied. “ Hold on, old boy, you are all right.” At this moment the boat was launched, and came down wichin a short distance of the poor drowning lad ; but when within almost boat-hook’s length of him young Wilson sank to rise no more. Flowers followed the stream down for throe miles, but was unable to see any trace of either of their bodies. He picked up the bats of two youths, together with one Wellington boot. Finding further endeavors would be useless, Mr Flowers started to town and met-Mr Alfred Cos, a passenger by the Timaru mail, who returned on horseback with him and broke the melancholy tidings to Mr Cracroft Wilson, at Cashmere, about five o’clock yesterday afternoon. At a late hour last evening, Mr Wilson, accompanied by his eldest son, started off to the Rakai, to render his assistance in every possible search to discover his son’s remains, and those of his companion. Wreck on Sumner Bar. —On Thursday morn ing, about ten o’clock, as the ketch Palinurus, attempted to cross the bar at Sumner, when over the first beakers and under the. land the wind failed, and she became unmanageable, and gradually drifted out to north spit, and became a total wreck. She was loaded with about 25 tons of coal the property of Messrs. Peacockand Co. The pilot, officers stationed at Sumner, took thecaptain and grew from the vessel, and when brought on shore they appeared to be very much exhausted ; this may be accounted for owing to the length of time required to get to them with the aid of a small boat. The excellent whaleboat provided by the Government some time ago, for the use of this station, was, we understand, removed to the West Coast, and has not been replaced by another. —Lyttelton Times.