SEVEN EERSONS DROWNED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 23, 22 October 1907, Page 5

SEVEN EERSONS DROWNED.

FISHING PARTY'S AWFUL FATE LAUNCH CAPSIZES ON WHANQAPE BAR. , HEARTRENDING SCENES, : [UY TELEORAni.—ritESS ASSOCIATION.] . Auckland, October 21. A terrible boating fatality occurred at Whangapo (about ten miles north of Hoki,anc;a) on, Sunday evening, involving the loss ,' f of seven.lives. i ■,'.';."'•'-;■■,• ■'..-' . A: party of twelve, who bad boon out fish- '■ ing in ' Messrs. W allaco Brothers' launch, were capsized on the bar, and only five wero save! , LIST OF THE DROWNED. The names of those drowned are:— DAVID WALLACE, - Flaxmiller.. HAROLD WALLACE, Flaxmiller. ' :' -.' W.ADAMSON,'CIerk. ' '. • HAWIRI RINI, Millhand. '/ ' THOMAS YORK, Millhand. •<, GEORGE HARRIS,. Saddler. ; ; ARTHUR POPPLEWELL, a boy, . Those who were saved are:— .'.-.. •,.,;' Woclsoy' Allen,-: manager .of Mitchelaon. Bros', mill at ..Whaiigape. v , ; , Newell Irving, bush, contractor. Richard Blundell, engineer of the launch.-, William Hare, a'millhand. ; Ned Tepae, a 'millhand. , , '.:'- r ..... AdamsonV body was recovered this morn- ' ing. Search-parties ere endeavouring to re- .. cover' the bodies of the other unfortunates. ■ Mr. W. Adamson was "a clerk, employed' by the, Mitchelson Timber Company, and a. married man. His wife resides in' Auck- ' land., „,;,,.., "•'■.-•■■.■ Mr. D. T. Wallace was 30 pr 35 years of ago. Ho was'appointed Tido Surveyor for the Customs at Whangapo' a couple of months ; .ago... He is'.also;a flaxmiller.' ■ : ' : ". • The whole inf thosoi drowned, were' well^/ • known, in the district; and their sad fato has pliipged the'place into 1 a condition of the- ■ .deepest grief. . . ...- ,-| , The survivors are, much' prostrated, and it', ! is difficult to got anything- like a detailed', account-.of- the 'casualty; ■ '■-.', ■ ' .;,- J : HOWTHE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I The, party had been' out on a fishing ps- : , cursion, aud were returning over the bar/ wlieri'tho launch.capsized. Tho weather was hot-very stormy, but.thero'was a nasty sea: ■ breaking on tho bar, and it proved too much '.! for tlie small craft with,its numerous party.. ' ■ X.ho',i.disaster;:/-ocourred"spme considerable-, distance, from' the 1 shore, '-ihA the .position of ,' ■ the. .whole party loft/st'ruggliiig. in. the water ■} ; became,.immediately one of -tho utmost poril. : j \ Tho scene that following tho capsizing c.fths launch was heartrending, those wtio were' able, to keep thcmsolv'es afloat being in the ■ • .teiriblo position of'seeing', their companions \ another boneatb thesur- ," face, until only five of. tho twelve remained, '-,' and these wore rescued none'too soon, for several of thonv were l very much distressed. . ;,,;: ' ANOTHER ACCOUNT. ■..■. j. ' ( p : [BT TELEGKATII.—OWN COBEESPONDENT.] ■■* • • I '-,";,'' ; .-;. ■ Auckland, .October i!L , |V An appalling boating disaster, resulting in,' I tho' deaths of .sevbiipeople,' occurred at /.Whangape on. Sunday, evening.' -The parti"culars to' liahd so .farjarp, of a meagro de- ■ ■scription, though tho , faots, appear to bo simplo enough and ; sadenot!gh. , ; i A' party of twelve men and boys crossed " the Whangapo. bar in: Mr., Wallace's oil 'launch''6h' a fishing expedition. When they, were-returning over .the bar towards evening, ait." sneaker 1 ? .ciimo Vright over the launch,: washing.>evc'ry, one,.of the excursion- :. ists;overboard. ,• .' :. :. ::. -.;■/ It'appears that'., when the .boat, capsized on , tho bar, on whitih a.nasty sea was breaking, I.though tlie. weather, was,, not stormy, Hare,, who was a good swimmer, threw a plank to I-Mr;..Allen, thus saving his life. Mr'. Irving was T also' apowerful swimmer. .■■■,-' The- launch, was overturned. some consider-able-distance from land,' and the five ' sur- , : vivorsriiad'.a trying aud perilous experience before they were rescued—how is not' stated. 1 i' 'Tito, 'capsized party /wore'. unable l to go to. '', each-other's;assistance, having much ado to: keep.themselves afloat.- '-,■■.", '■'■'■■ "•,.'-;■

~ SINK ONE. BV ONE. The weakest of them, aiid those unable t« swim, were soon overcome, and sank one bj one beforo the eyes of their helpless and horrified companion's. '"''■/'' '~ :•' The terrible death-struggle in the angry waters is. described as having been a heartrending sight.'.. •■■ '"■. ! ■• - ;';.. On being rescued the five survivors were rapidly approaching the last stlige of exhaustion, and at the time'of the despatch of the nows were still prostrated. '' .''"^ This fact, is given as accounting for the sparscness of information yet available, difficulty being experienced in, getting an account of tho disaster. - ,; All the drowned were exceedingly well known in the . district.. All, work was at-'4. standstill yesterday, , and : almost the entire population .of the place were down 1 t!.e harbour on the lopk-6ut;'for: more bodies. The latest information received is to the effect that'soarch parties'wre. scouring tin side of the river,-':but'thai no more botlip?. have been discovered yet.- •