DROWNING OF CAPTAIN HEWSON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10046, 5 February 1896, Page 5

DROWNING OF CAPTAIN HEWSON.

Yesterday intelligence was received in town of the death by drowning of Captain J. Howson, of the stealer VVaitoa, at Wairoa South. Captain Best, agent of the vessel, which trades between Auckland and that district, received a telogram early in the forenoon from Mr. H. Poynter, of Wairoa South, informing him of the sad accident, and requesting a frosh master to be Bent down to take chares of the steamer, and this was accordingly done, and Mr. Hewson (a brothor of Captain Hewson) also accompanied him, in order to take chargo of the body of deceased. The messages sent to Auckland did nob give any clear details of the oxacb circumstances whioh led to the fatality. Our Clevodon correspondent writes that the Waitoa loft Auckland for Wairoa at 4 p.m. on Monday, and that Captain Hewson was drowned at Mr. Barton's landing at 8 p.m., about four miles from the entrance to the Wairoa river. The full particulars had not been then ascertained, but it was stated that a rope gob round the steamer's propeller, and that Captain Howson became exhausted and was drowned while endeavouring to free it. He was gob out of the water and breathed for about half-an-hour and then oxpirod. Another theory is, in the absence of fuller information, that ho may have been accidentally struck by tho propeller. Constable Foreman, of Papakura, wont to Wairoa South, to arrange for an inquest, which was to have been held yesterday afternoon, bub the result is nob as yet known in town.