HARBOUR TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 83, 8 April 1918, Page 6

HARBOUR TRAGEDY.

DINGHY CAPSIZES. i FOUR LIVES LOST. , STORY OF SURVIVOR. i NO TRACE OF MISSING ONES: Four lives were lost as the result of a ! boating accident on the harbour on Sat--1 urday evening. A fishing party, comprising Kenneth Sutherland, boatbuilder i of Devonport, aged 24 years-, Ernest ' Skinner, John Skinner and David Skinner, oi Devonport, aged respectively 11 years 7 months, S years 7 I months, and 7 years 6 months, and a Samoan boy, named Christian Hellesoe, aged 12, went out at about six o'clock in a 12ft. dinghy. They anchored off the Torpedo Yards, and took the precaution to light a hurricane lamp before they commenced to fish. About an hour later they found that they had to cut up some bait, and took the lamp down so that they might see to do it properly. While cutting the bait, one of the party, the Samoan boy, noticed the headlight of an approaching steamer close above them, and called out a warning which was heard on the steamer, the Glenelg, returning from Whangarei with the ketch Coronation in tow. The men on the Glenelg, noticing the dark object in the water, shouted out in return to beware of the tow-line. The boys hurriedly attempted to raise their anchor but before they could do so the ma6t of the dinghy caught in the tow-line and the boat capsized close to the scow. An' effort was made by those on board the scow to catch hold of the struggling figures as they were swept past the scow, but they were unable to do so. Two life belts were thrown out, and boats were lowered with every dispatch, the steamer in the meantime having reversed her engines. "I AM DONE!" In the water the figures were struggling desperately for life. The Samoan, who is a good swimmer, succeeded in righting the dinghy and placing 'one of the boys in it, while Sutherland was endeavouring to help the other. two by holding them up, as apparently they were unable to swim. The task, however, proved too, much for his strength, and Hellesoe heard him call out, " I am done! Save yourself!" Meantime the dinghy had filled again, and the boy who had been placed in it by Hellescoe was onco more thrown out. He drifted to where Sutherland was holding up the other two boys and Hellesoe managed to again climb on the'upturned dinghy, from where he was taken off by one of the rescue boats. Before being taken off he directed those in the boat to search for the others, as he was all i right. They took him off, however, and i continued the search for the others for some considerable time, but no trace of them could be found. When all hope of finding the others was abandoned. Captain Quinn, of the Glenelg, brought the vessels in to the wharf, with Hellesoe on board, and reported the matter to the police. Dragging operations were commenced shortly after, and were continued until late last., night", without result. ' This morning the search was again continued under Sergeant Baskerville, but up to mid-day no trace of the bodies had been found*. Mr. K. Sutherland lived with his mother, Mrs. J. Sutherland, at Domain Street, Devonport, and was very popular with all who knew him. He was an expert swimmer arid a good tennis player. He volunteered for service, but was rejected. Subsequently he was accepted on re-examination, and went into camp, but was rejected again on account of some physical disqualification. One of his brothers has recently returned wounded from the front, and another is ill in Samoa. The three Skinner brothers, none of whom could swim, were the sons of Mr. Ernest Skinner, of Domain Street, Devonport. who is at present away from Auckland on a cable steamer. They were the eldest of a family, of five, the remaining two being girls. Christian Hellesoe, the only survivor, whose father is a storekeeper at Samoa' has been staying with Mrß. Sutherland, in Domain Street, Devonport, for some time. Those who know him state that he is an expert swimmer, and apparently great credit is due to him for his efforts to save John Skinner. ."LOOK AFTER THE OTHERS." : Tho master of the Coronation, Captain W. J. Paine, stated, when interviewed, that he was on the fore part of his vessel with two members of the crew when tho accident happened. When the Glenel" reduced speed they had gone forward, as they thought that she was about to take them alongside of her. He saw the boat l as the Glenelg passed her, and called to the occupants to look out for the tow:line. Just then, however, the mast of the dinghy caught the line, and the boat capsized. They called out a warning and rushed to the side with a view to catching hold of the dinghy or its occupants, but the flow of the "tide and the headway of the boat prevented them from doing so. I A boat was lowered immediately, and ■ they pulled to where the dinghy could be j seen floating bottom upwards. They j picked up Hellesoe, who told them not to bother about him. as he could swim, but to look after the others. A lengthy search failed to find trace of any of the others, and they returned to the vessel, picking up two lifebelts which had been thrown from the Coronation by one of the crew when the accident occurred, and which were found floating alongside the dinghy among some clothing and the caps of the missing boys. Great admiration was expressed by the captain and the crew of the Coronation at the spirit and pluck of Hellesoe in asking that he be left while they endeavoured to rescue the others. The story of the accident, as told by ; Captain Quinn, master of the Glenelg, : corresponds in detail with that told by i the others. He states that he left VVhai ngarei at S a.m. on Saturday with the 'auxiliary ketch Coronation in tow, and . arrived off the North Head at about 7 : p.m.. where the vessel's speed was re- ; duced to three knots preparatory to I taking in the towline, and, as is the ; usual custom, towing the vessel up the harbour alongside the steamer. After rounding the North Head a course was i-e.t which placed the vessel at nearly right angles to the. wind and ebb tide. heading towards the southern shore of i the harbour. As they approached the middle of the harbour a dark object was suddenly sighted oIT the starboard bow, close in to the steamer. It was then quite dark, and difficult to distinguish the nature of the object, tho time being about 7.10 p.m. As they drew closer it was seen that the object was a boat, but ; no light or occupants could be seen. One of the Glenelg's crew, however, thought he heard voices, and a warning ; was called to the boat to keep clear of ithe towline. The Coronation was about

160 yards away, the length of the towline, and in view of the darkness it wag impossible from the deck of the Glenelg, to see what actually happened, but seeing that an accident was inevitable he ordered the engines to be reversed to full speed astern to stop the way of his vessel. He was then hailed by the captain of the Coronation, and told what had happened, and that a boat had beer, iscnt to rescue any survivors. A boat was also dispatched from tlie Glenelg. and the search continued for an hour without result. When all hope was abandoned he brought the vessels into Auckland with Hellesoe on board, and reported the matter to the waterside police.