THE LATE BOATING ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 253, 25 October 1893, Page 2

THE LATE BOATING ACCIDENT.

AN APPEAL.

(To the Editor,)

Sir, —I yesterday visited bhe spot on the shores of tho Waibemata, which has been bhe scene of two tragedies. -

About two years ago, ib will be remembered, a libtlo boy disappeared mysteriously from a cottage near the Brick and Tile Works, and no brace of him has ever been found, and in all probability bhe mystery will remain unsolved till bhe day of doom. Bub the tragedy that occurred last Thursday far surpasses thab — one house ie left übborly desolate — mother, danghter, and son' gone, and only a broken hearted father left, while bhe other has losb its head and support, and a widow and eighb young children are lefb bo battle for their existence. It is hard to believe, while gazing on bbc beautiful bit of coast and lovely seaward view, bhab five lives were rubhlesßly wiped oub there so lately, and it is pitiful bo see the little innocent children running aboub bhe green banks and pointing oub the line where father dragged the dingy over the Band, and where be wenb down in bhe sea. In bhe cottage there sits bhe poor widow of Mr John Baillie, with her twin boys three weeks old, the poor little things, though born strong and healthy, are much upseb since Thursday, because their mother is. The Baillies are well-known and greatly respected by all who know bhem, and are highly credibable coloniata, hardworking, industrious, sober and upright. Mr John Baillie was a general favourite, a young (for he was only thirtythree), genial, friendly man, of keen intellect and prompt) action. On bhab fateful morning he was oub gumdigging, and we know how he would ace, for he always thought of himself last, when his father eaid, "Jack, you'd bebter go and Bee whab is wrong." He ran bo bhe dingy, and had bo drag ib a long distance over the sand. He was seen to resb three times before he gob ib to the water—for no doubt he would bo fatigued afber digging all the morning— and there was his bib of lunch bhab he had taken with him, untouched. His boat was seen by his wifo to go two or three times round tho cutter, and we can only surmise bhab he was trying to geb some of them in.

Many years ago the Baillies- and Shavvs (Mrß John Baillie was Mise* Shaw) came from Christchurcb, bringing with them considerable capital which was invested, in this, to them, fatal place; but when bad times came all was lost, and now poor Mrs John Baillie, and her eight children, tho two eldest of whom are girls, aged a little over ten, and nine years respectively, are lefo destitute, do nob even own the small cottage they live in, nor an acre of land. The children are bright and promising, and though they have to walk every inch of five miles to and from school every day, the three who come take good places, the eldest being in the fourth standard, and the second in the third. 1 believe, sir, bhab no more deserving case has ever been submitted for sympathy, and I now appeal bo a generous public for pecuniary help.—l am, etc., Ellen La Trobe. Head Teacher, Public School, Henderson. [We shall be glad to receive and acknowledge any subscriptions towards this moat deserving objecb.—Ed. E.S.J