SERIOUS BOAT ACCIDENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 69, 19 September 1887, Page 2

SERIOUS BOAT ACCIDENT.

NARROW ESCAPE OF A WHOLE FAMILY. Tho greatest exoitemont was caused in tho neighbourhood of tho wharves at noon to-day by tho ocourronoo of a serious boat accident in the harbour. So intense, indood, was the excitement, and so various tho ro ports that were in circulation, that it is a matter of tho most extreme difficulty to gloan an acourate account of tho eiroumßtanoos. Tho persons concerned wore a man named William Collins, his wife, and four children named Harriet, aged 10, Robert, aged 8, Arthur, aged 6, and an infant less than two years. Collins hirod a boat from Mr. T. R. H. Taylor's boatshod, Clydo-quay, at about 11.20, and set out with his family with tho intention of prooooding to Petone beach to gathor cockles. He rowed away from tho shed, and when nearly throequarterß of a mile from shore ho was seen to put up the sail. Within a few minutos afterwards a squall struok tho boat and caused it to heel ovor. Collins was endoavouring to bring her up in the wind, whon the terrified children rushed to ono eido, and she instantly capsized. Collins states that ho managod to right the boat and to got his wife ana ohildren into it, after diving two or threo times, but though it was filloa with water, the squalls again turned it over. While tho party W6re struggling in tho water, boats pnt off to tho rescue from several parts of tho harbour. Several members of the Torpedo corps wore engaged in cleaning tholr boat at Clyde-quay, and ono of thoir number, a young man namod Stewart, started out, with another young man, for the scene of the accident. They wore quiokly followed by other boats, one of whioh was manned by Mr. Paul Coffey and » young man named Whiteman, and another by Mr. Taylor (who, though ill in bed at the timo of the mishap, immediately got np and was very prompt in his efforts to render assistance), tho latter being accompanied by his stepson, a young man named Harry Goddart. Stewart's boat was tho first to reach tho spot. On his arrival, Collins was clinging to his overturned craft, with two of tbo boys hanging on to him, while his wifo and the girl were also doing tifeir best to keep themselves afloat. The youngest child was floating away, and Stowart, with praiseworthy promptitude, dived in after it, and hold it above tho water until Taylor's boat reached him, when he and his littlo burden were taken on board and conveyed ashore, boing landed near Robertson's foundry. Here the child was given into the arms of a bystander, who oarried it to Dr. Hutchinson's residonoe, where it was carefully tended. The little fellow has suffered no serious consequences of his immersion. The threa elder children were helped into Mr. Coffey's boat and taken to Mr. Taylor's residenoe, where they also quickly recovered their wonted oheerfulness. To Collins and his wife, however, the consequences wore more serious. They still stuck to the boat until they were reached by a stevedore namod Francisco Scorengi, lato of Timaru, who had happened to have witnessed tho accident while pulling opposite Te Aro. By this time Mrs. Collins' strength was well-nigh exhausted, but Scorengi and her husband managed to lift her into the former's boat, and, laying her across the gunwale, allowed the water which she had swallowed to ran out of her month. Scorengi then pulled ashore, while Collins attended to his wife, and on landing at the watermen's rteps she was carried to the Pier Hotel. Mrc. Kimbell and her staff administered restoratives and applied hot-water bottles to tho sufferer's feet. Dr. Hutohinson's services were soenred, and after a time Mrs. Collins recovered sufficiently to be conveyed to her residence in Elizabeth-street. She is, however, suffering severely from exhaustion, and from her long oxposure from the cold, and will not readily get over the effect* of the accident. Collins was somewhat bruised about the legs in his struggles while holding on to tho boat, but did not suffer much from his ducking. In reply to enquiries as to why ho was so foolish as to take his whole family with him on such a squally day, Collins says he was averse to such a course, but yieldod to his wife's persuasions.