NARROW ESCAPE AT THE HAMILTON FERRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 976, 24 September 1878, Page 2

NARROW ESCAPE AT THE HAMILTON FERRY.

An accident occarred on Saturday after noon, on the Hamilton Punt, which was, perhaps, the narrowest escape from loss of life we have yet had to record m connection with that most objectionable mode of river transit. The punt having on board a foot-passenger or two, the saddle horse of Mr Henry Steele and the carriage and pair of Mr Cumming had just reached the east side of the river, when Mr Curaminar's spirited ponies became impatiently restive, waiting for the punt to be secured to the staging, so that they might start off, and commenced rearing and plunging, and then backing. The hind wheels had been chocked, but the blocks got pushed aside, or were passed over, and the horses continued backing till, the rail at the back of the punt not being up, Mr Steele's saddle horse was pushed over the end of the punt into the river. Meanwhile, with admirable presence of mind, Mr Camming kept his foot upon the drag, to hinder the backward motioA of the carriage, and did all he could' to press the horses forward, Mrs Cumming sittiftg quietly beside him, and behaving with remarkable coolness and courage. The position was very critical, the punfcman was busy getting all clear at the staging, to enable the carrage to move on ahead, and had the front bar down just as the hind wheels were within six inches of the edge .of the punt, at the rear. Another minute, and the carriage and horses, with its two occupants, would have turned a summersault over the end of the punt, into the river, and as the apron was tightly fastend down over their knees, it would have been a miracle if either Mrs or Mr Cummings would have reached the surface alive. Mr Steele's horse, when it went overboard, had the bridle fastened to the stirrup, and had considerable difficulty m swimming ashore.