THE BOATING ACCIDENT AT THE CHATHAMS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10786, 13 October 1900, Page 5

THE BOATING ACCIDENT AT THE CHATHAMS.

NINE MAORIS DROWNED,

With reference to the drowning of nine) Maoris at the Chatham Islands, a Waitangi, correspondent . -writes, under date October sth: —

It is customary for a number of the Chat* • ham Island Maoris to visit some outlying rocky islands once a year, with a view of procuring-,* supply of albatross; which they return to the main island, and prepare for food and forward to Parihaka (Tamnaki) in. the October trip of the mail steamer. This year a large party went out during August,' secured a very large quantity of birds, arid' was returning on August 26th, when the casualty occurred, which is described to mc in detail by a resident. As the 'boats were returning, via Tuapangi Toobung), and , the weather waa anything btifc favourable, the elder Maoris de"cided to-pro-ceed homeward towards Waitangi,.promising to return in order to proceed on the following day to The Sisters, a rocky island, situate to the west of the northernmost portion of the main island, noted for exceitence as a fishing ground, and where albatross abound , at all times. After remaining all night at Mairangi, the three boats that had waited, without waiting as promised for the remainder to return from Waitangi, put off for The Sisters. Their ocupants were Peni, Ropo, Hera, Johnny Walker, Joker, Kohi-Himenoa, HiUa-Rer&ti (Barrett), Long Fred, Ned Kelly, Rangi, Rupiri, and young Reta Brown. As the storm raged no .severely during the day, one boat attempted to return to Mairangi, but eventually made for Maunganui Beach, and landed there. The other two boats, which made for Mairangi, found they could not land there, and then tried to follow down the coast towards Tuapangi. By then it was very dark, and getting into thi breakers, both boats swamped and upset. The first nine of the occupants named were drowned, the only ones rescued being Bangi, Rupiri, and young Beta Brown, who clung to the boats all night, and eventually scrambled ashore more dead than alive in the* morning. Only one of the bodies has since been washed ashore, viz., that of Hika Bar* rett. " The Stipendiary Magistrate, Mr B. S. Florance, made full enquiry into the accident. There were about 400 albatross in the boats, so that the beach near Maunganui is strewn with them. The Maoris refused to touch any of them, and made a bonfire of the two boats, and have been holding tangis ever since, and on the arrival of the steamer on October 4th closed these functions with a haka. The Maori women. are:«aid to hava avenged themselves on Richmond and Himenoa by giving the one three, and the otherone, good, sound whackings for not, having taken better precautions. The affair has created quite a sensation on the island, as the nine men drowned were good, 'hard workers, who each. owned property there, and! Are "much, xeepected. Their usual contribution -of food to Te Whiti not going forward this year will likewise ba a loss to the old preph&fc.