WIROKINO PUNT CARRIED AWAY.

Manawatu Herald, 29 August 1899, Page 2

WIROKINO PUNT CARRIED AWAY.

Yesterday moping a narrow escape from a fatal accident occurred at the Wirokino Ferry. Mr Joseph Cum*, merfield with a trap loaded with stores, drawn by two horses, and the Rev. De Lach in his trap drawn by one horse, went on to the punt to cross to the other side, and after the punt met the rip in the current it was noticed that it was going down at the forward end. Hearing shouting from the bank it was noticed that the pole on the Foxton bank had broken clean off at the ground and was being dragged towards the river. The position of the occupants of the punt was very dangerous, the end of the punt being lifted nearly straight up, and the men were standing almost up to their middle in water, and one horse was down. The guy ropes attached to the wire threatened to be the means of, overturning the punt, when the ferryman, Mr Tabor, with the assistance of the passengers cut everything away. The punt then righted, but was for a time < drifting at the will of the tide. Mr Tabor, however, jumped into the boat always carried alongside; the punt, and with a line got ashore at MrTos's mill, when with help the punt was brought to the bank and the passengers and loads disembarked. It is most fortunate that nothing worse has to be told, and we congratulate all on their lucky escape. Traffic over the ferry is closed until a new spar, expected to-day, is erected.