WATERSIDE WORKER DROWNED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 230, 27 September 1915, Page 4

WATERSIDE WORKER DROWNED.

JUMPS FROM BURNING LAUTICH VATS ATTEMPT AT SBSCUB. ANOTHER MAX BCR>"ED. Through jumping overboard from % 1 launch which had caught fire. a. vrjter-6-.>ir w-.rker named Thomas Howarth vu drownei in the harbour off Chefce* 01 Saturday afternoon. Another auu, I Robert Alan McMillan, was sevcrtif burned. It appears that Howarth and MsMTlia went out for trip in the fiihing Uultfi Wireless in company with J. P. Motherwell, fcdward White, and Albert Edwird Brown, owner of the launch. VThea oS ' Chelsea. Brown handed the wheel to j W'n.te. and went iortvard to do SOS* I t.ning to the engine. Shortly before this Ihe had told McMillan to light the spirit ; stove and get tea ready. Looking ift, he noticed that the etern of the Uuuti w-a3 ;n flaxnes, and immediately endeavoured to put them out. While be vu thus occupied a aplafih -was heard, Howarth wa_s seen in the water. The bunch was steered ejose to him V Wh;te. and Motherwell, who had beiten out the flam<!s with a wet coat, iasKfd'.ately jumped overboard. He 'Howarth, who wa.- struggling in tin water, and endeavoured to pull hia towards the launch, but they both 6«fc, I and HoA-arth was seen no more, Motii*.*wcil wae hauled aboard in a verr «• hausted &tate. and the launch cruiiei about for some time in the hope of picking up the missing man. McMilUnwhose oloth-ng had caught fire walk !>* was trying to put out the flames, »»• found 10 have be-en badly burned on ost leg. the lower part of the body, ani on* hand. When the fire had been <*■ tingrmhed he had endeivoured to r«W Howa.rth by t.hrowme him a rope, bn* the deceased filled to catch it. Frsa the account supplied to them by the SO on the launch, the waterfront police sr , inchnH to think that Howart. who «• I seen filling the tea kettle, poured hemic* I into it by m;sUake instead of waUr, W I there were two benzine tins aboard, en* containing wa.ter and -one beniine. i? , parenlly the content* of the kettle «'• ignited by a he woe ini6ltia|. and he then jumped overboard to W- Tthimself from be.ing burned. Howarth wa* a majned man, aad liTw in Dominion Road. His wife and t* 3 children live in England.