THE LATE BOISTEROUS WEATHER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4832, 16 September 1876, Page 3

THE LATE BOISTEROUS WEATHER.

The Wairarapa News gives the following sketch of some of the dangers and difficulties occurring in the country districts of the province : The late boisterous -weather prevailed with particular severity throughout this district. The sad accident which bofel the "Wellington coach in its descent from the Rimutaka ten or twelve days ago was, there can bo no doubt, caused by the force of the gale. The through coach from Palmerston, which ought to have reached Masterton on Friday, tho Ist inst., did not arrive until Saturday evening, being thus a whole eight days behind its proper time. The immediate cause of this delay was the flooded condition of tho Mangatainoko. During his eight days detention the driver —Phillips visited tho ford daily, and found the water at its highest level about sixteen feet above tho ordinary fordable marks. ' At other times it -was a foot or two lower, but at.no time was it less than twelve feet deep, with a nasty turbulent current.. On the motning of Friday last he left

Woodville at daybreak, the coach having in the meantime been ferried over the Manawatu by the Maoris. He pushed on with the coach to the Mangatainoke, taking the Maoris along with him. Being still too high to think of attempting the ford, a temporary raft was constructed, by means of which' the coach and horses were, not without a great deal of difficulty and risk, safely transferred to the opposite side. The other river fords were high, still the coach managed to get through, arriving late at night in Eketahuna, where it remained until the following morning. ; Besides fording the rivers, the coach met with a great many obstacles arising. from fallen timber blown across the road. In some of the more. exposed parts these obstructions were so numerous that the driver had actually to cut his way through amongstthem. We have heard of sundry other mishaps consequent on the flooded state of these crossings. On Sunday week a solitary swagsman making towards Woodville, and who was unacquainted with the dangerous character of the ford, attempted to cross. In doing so he got beyond his depth, and was carried down by the force of the current. Luckily he managed to get himself disengaged from his swag, and being an expert swimmer succeeded in reaching the opposite bank. The swag was lost, and from all we can learn the poor fellow had a very narrow escape from losing his life. By the time he got to the Maori encampment at the Manawatu crossing he was in an exhausted state, having had to travel the intervening distance in his drenched condition. Having kindly relieved his more pressing wants and ferried him across the Manawatu, the Maoris left him to pursue his journey to Woodville, which he reached at a late hour of the evening. Particulars of another mishap, although not quite so serious, have been communicated to us. Mr. Drummond, sheep inspector, and a fellow-traveller on the way to Palmerston, reached the Mangatainoke at an advanced hour of the afternoon. A glance at the crossing showed that it would be utter madness to attempt fording it. The Makakahi, which they had crossed a short time previous, -was so high as to convince them that it would be equally hazardous to attempt to retrace their steps. Their being no human habitation situated between the two rivers, the gentlemen in question were reluctantly compelled to betake themselves for the night to the shelter of the bush. The situation, both as regards position and prospect, must have been rather cheerless. The weather was so tempestuous that personal comfort was not to be thought of. On the other hand, the prospect of being locked up for an indefinite, period between two treacherous streams, with nothing to eat but' what the tempest or torrent might chance to direct that way, was not at all a reasuring state of matters. Happily, they were not driven to the last extremity. By dint of "luck" and good guidance, they managed early next day to stem the current, and once on the off side they were not long in making tracks for the aforesaid Maori encampment. A correspondent who describes himself as having been an eye-witness to the feat, writes:—"The amazing rapidity with which these two now well-nigh famishing travellers despatched a Maori kit of potatoes and a side of wild pork was truly marvellous."