SENSATIONAL COACH ACCIDENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 119, 11 May 1908, Page 2

SENSATIONAL COACH ACCIDENT

ADRIFT ON A FLOODED RIVER, j PUNT ON THE BULLER RIVER CARRIED AWAY. PASSENGERS LANDED SAFELY. Wesfcport, Last Night. A sensational accident occurred n the Jiuller river this morning. As tile mail coach, which had keen detained from yesterday owing to the flooded state of the river, was crossing at the Nine Mile ferry, the line gave way, and the punt dipped at the head, the coach and live horses going overboard. All the horses were quickly drowned. The punt continued to drift down stream at a rapid rate, and hilling a i ■submerged stump had a hole knocked in * the bottom. The driver, Poll!, jumped overboard, j and tried to get a small boat, but was , almost exhausted when tho passengers got out a life-line and pulled him back on to the pant. The latter was now close inshore, and shortly afterwards several "f the pa-ssengers got ashore. Miss Valine being nearly drowned, as she jumped rather late. . The punt went on again, but again got close ashore, and Hie remaining passengers landed. The punt, continuing down stream, crashed into the pier of a Bailor bridge, and finally became stranded on the west training wall, a fyw mindred yards below the bridge. The passengers were Howard Vernon and company, comprising: Mr. Howard Vernon, Misses D. Loite, Iris Banco, Mc* Kenzie, Chatfield, Messrs Roland .Rees, John Howard, Mrs. Howard, and Mr. | .Tosep'h Mead, a'so Claude Groobv, the puntman, Joseph Askew, his assistant, and Nolan Pohl, the driver of the coach. All speak in lliglily eulogistic terms of the courageous conduct of the driver. MAILS RECOVERED. Later. Word just to liaiid states that the mails (only coastal), and most of the luggage on the coach have been recovered, and that the coach is in live feet of water, but undamaged.