DEAD ON LAUNCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 4, 5 July 1939, Page 6

DEAD ON LAUNCH

CRAFT FOUND ON ROCKS

LONE AUCKLAND FISHERMAN

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, July 4,

Jammed face downwards against the flywheel of the fishing launch Maunganui as it lay canted to one side on the rocks of Rakiuo Island, the bod> of Cecil Earl, an Australian, aged abou'1. 50, was found early this morning by a young shepherd minding sheep higher up the slope which leads to the shore. The man appeared to have been dead for several hours.

Whn Mr. R. Sanford, a nephew of Mr. Gilbert Sanford, Wi,o owns the island, was walking along the face of the slope at about 8 o'clock he noticed what appeared to be a launch about 25ft long lying on its side on a ledge of rocks. The tide was nearly at the full, and it seemed as though the tide and the speed of the craft had been sufficient to land it ou the ledge.

The shepherd scrambled down the slope and found that there was a gash in the bottom of the hull and inside several inches of water. He could see that the man was dead. He hurried over the hill and told his uncle, and tLeri went across in a launch to Home Bay on Motutapu Island, which lies about a mile or more to the south of Rakino. '

A message was sent to Motutapu to the mainland and ■ a launch carrying two Customs officers and constables left Auckland for Rakino. They arrived back at the launch steps on the city waterfront tonight, with Mr. Earl's body. The launch was left on the island till the Marine Department determin.es what shall be done with it.

Inquiries made showed that Mr. Earl was a single man who lived and worked alone. He had been in this country about 20, years pursuing his occupation as a carpenter, but in more recent years he was a fisherman on his own account. From 1935 till the end of last year he lived in Tauranga, but at the beginning of this year he brought his launch to Auckland and tr jlc out a licence to fi\jh. His letters were addressed care of the post office, since he had no sho>*e address and lived on his launch, which he had fitted with a wireless set, primus stove, and several fitments to make life as comfortable as possible. His nearest relatives, his mother and sister, are, both in Australia, his mother as a permanent resident, his sister on holiday. __