LAUNCH RAMMED BY FERRY BOAT

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 117, 9 February 1924, Page 7

LAUNCH RAMMED BY FERRY BOAT

« TWO GIRLS LOSE THEIR LIVES DISTRESSING SCENES ON COBAR’S LATE TRIP QUICK RESPONSE BY JAPANESE WARSHIP

The harbour ferry boat Cobar, on her 11.15 trip from Wellington to the Eastern Bays last night, rammed the Wellington launch Mavis (owned by Mr. Williams), which was well-filled with a pleasure party returning to town. .The blow was a glancing one, but the impact and the resulting heel over of the launch threw four people into the water, and two of them, both young girls, were lost, One of the bodies was recovered by the launch’s dinghy, and it was seen that the girl had been struck by a sharp object, probably the propeller of the ferry boat, and death must have , been practically instantaneous. Those on board were: -LOST miss molly mcarthur. MISS DAPHNE TYREE. ( SURVIVORS MRS. DAY. STOKER SMILES. SYDNEY DAY. STOKER BAILEY. RITA DAY. STOKER McELLIGOTT. ' MAVIS DAY. i STOKER SHARROCK. DORIS DAY. (From H.M.S. Chatham.) ’ MR. W. WILLIAMS. . MISS VIOLET MORGAN.

The Cobar was almost cfF the Oriental Bay Kiosk when the -passengers on board were startled by the sudden -ringing of the engine-room telegraph and the immediate stoppage cf the boat, while from the harbour came cries of distress. There was a rush on deck, and at the same time a slight bump was felt, Though the night was very dark, those on board the Cobar could see the white hull of a launch, wh ch by this time had drifted astern, while cries indicated that some people had been thrown into the water. The Cobar circled round the scene of the mishap, and it was shortly seen that a dinghy from the launch rowed by two of the Navy men (Shad-rock and . Badey) was cruising about looking for the missing. Mrs. Day and Miss Mavis Day were picked up after having teen in the water several minutes, and the dinghy then returned to the launch after those on board had called out to the captain of the Cobar tiiat everything was all right. It was only after the return to the launch that the loss of the other two girls was revealed, and a hopeless searen began. By a fortunate chance the watch on the Japanese cruiser Yakumo saw that something was amiss in the harbour, and promptly a welcome beam from the warship’s searchlights swept the harbour and settled steadily upon the scene. It was about this time that someone on the upper deck of the Cobar suddenly perce'ved something in the water close under the starboard quarter. The launch’s dinghy, then only a few yards distant, was pulled quickly over, and tho body of Miss McArthur was lifted carefully out and handed uo to tho lower deck of the Cobar, where willing hands carried her inboard. It was seen very soon that her case was beyond hope. There was a deep wound along one side of the skull, evidently the result of the imnact of the ferrv boat’s propeller. By this time three whaleboats and a steam pinnace from th- Yakumo had been rushed to the spot, and, assisted by a searchlight ray from the Asama, for a lono- time afterwards cruised about in the hope of finding tho body of Miss Tyree. At the time of going to the search had been unsuccessful. SURVIVORS TAKEN TO THE YAKUMO WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LAUNCH While the search was continued by the whaleboats, the launch Mavis was towed by the Yakumo’s steam pinnace to the cruiser, where the survivors were taken aboard. A Dominion- reporter went aboard the Yakumo arid found members of the

launch party being well cared for in the officers’ messroom, the warship’s doctor and assistants doing their utmost for the distressed people. John MoEUigott, tho stoker who was one of the party thrown into the water, was lying on a settee, apparently in a .semi-exhausted condition. Some of the ladies were weeping a little hysterically at times, and all appeared to be suffering from shock. Mr. A. F. Marychurch, of 43 Majoribanks Street, told the Dominion representative that the launch Mavis left the boat harbour about 9.30 p.m. with thirteen people aboard. The launch, which was in charge of the owner, Mr. William Williams, of Barker Street (near the Basin Reserve), proceeded out to the Hinemoa in the stream, and on rounding the vessel was headed for the boat harbour. The night was very dark, but the launch carried a lighted hurricane Lamp visible from all, sides, besides which there was an electrio light in the cabin. When halfway between the Hinemoa buoy and the boat harbour the Cobar was seen coming towards the launch. The launch was turned to port to avoid the Cobar. The ferry steamer still continued towards the -launch, and warnings were called out from the Mavis when the Cobar was still fully a hundred yards away. The speed of the ferry boat rendered escape from her impossible, and she struck tho launch a severe bump, which caused the smaller craft to give such a lurch that four of the occupants were pitched overboard. The Cobar struck the launch another blow and then eased up. Stokers Sharrock and Bailey, of H.M.S. Chatham, members of the launch party, quickly leapt into the dinghy, which was being towed behind the launch, and picked up Doris Day and Stoker John McElligott. The Cobar had run right over Mollie McArthur, whom they found dead floating near the stern of the Cobar. The launch from the Yakumo camo on the scene shortly afterwards and towed the Mavis to the Yakumo. The Japanese cruiser had turned her searchlight on the vicinity of the accident, but then all who were afloat had been lifted out of the water. “It was a quiet family outing.” said Mr. Marychurch, “and the accident came so suddenly.” Both the deceased. Mollie McArthur and Daphne Tyree, were about 16 y ears of age, and lived at the latter’s home at No. 14 Alfred'Street, Newtown, off Adelaide Road, close to the Basin Reserve. They worked together in the employ of Haydon and Lubrausky, clothing manufacturers, Courtenay Place. The launch party included Miss Violet Morgan, who resides With Mrs. Schncideman, 8 Glen Road, Koiburn. Mrs. M. Day resides at ’8 Barker Street, near the Basin Reserve. Iler family with her comprised Doris, aged •22 years. Sid., aged 1.8, Rita, 17, and Mavis, 11. The Cobar returned to town vith the body of Miss McArthur, and shortly before 1 a.m. resumed her voyage to the Bay. No boat was lowered frem the Cobar during the search. _