BOATING FATALITY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13645, 31 January 1910, Page 9

BOATING FATALITY.

THE MOUNT WHITE ACCIDENT.

Fuller particulars of the boating accident on the lake at Mount White Station, on Wednesday evening, have come to hand, and go to show that the fataK itv was the result ot a sudden gust of wind capsizing the boat in * blo M re w ]{. \Y. 1 Wilson (shepherd) Andrew Thompson (carpenter), and A\il £« Hewett (blacksmith). The two »_stnamed were drowned. , r<w , frrPt , or On Thursday Constable Macgreeo^ wmm he-Sore Thompson, nfter swimming brtwSn SO .nd 30 *"*/„£s jSr tv Evin Jtait (cooks mate) swam out to him and brought him ashore. Wilson was much exhausted and was unable to walk. Wilson and Hewett knew littla about sailing a boat, in Wilson's opinion the accident was caused by a sudden squall ot wind. The accident was witnessed from tne shore by Robert Jackson, a shearer, who was unable to swim, but who went and got assistance. Jackson saw Hewett clinging to the boat with Wilson for a brief period. When Kait arrived at the, lake after running three-quairters of a mile, he saw Wifeon clinging to tho overturned boat about half a mile from the shore. The boat was level with the water. Wilson told Roit that Thompson when he struck out for the shore asked him to look after Hcrwett as he (Thompson) was all right. The Jake is about half a milo wide by one milo and a lialf in length, with a depth of 40ft or 50ft in the centre. Wlien Constable McGregor despatched his report the dragging operations of tho lake had not resulted in tho-bodies of the unfortunate man being recovered. Tho operations were to be continued. Mr SaviU, of Mount White station, gave tho police every assistance. Thompson was a married man with a wifo and two children, and resided at Belfast. Hewett, who was about M years of age, was unmarried. His parents reside at Annat.

Evin Rait, who so pluckily rescued Wilson, is the same man who rescued tjio boy Shore from drowning at NewBrighton on January Ist, 1807.