FISHING TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 138, 8 December 1945, Page 9

FISHING TRAGEDY

CORONER'S WARNING

USE OF "COCKLESHELLS"

The inevitability of another tragedy occurring if people persisted in using "cockleshells" for fishing off Moa Point and Palmer Head was stressed by the Coroner (Mr. G. L. Mellish) at an inquest yesterday afternoon into the deaths of Sydney Brooker, aged 55, and John Gordon Lewis, aged 19, whose bodies were recovered from under a capsized dinghy off Moa Point on November 1. The finding was one of accidental drowning.

Mr. Mellish said that he was concerned about the type of boat which was in common and constant use in that locality. "I have seen some of them myself, and they are anything but suitable for fishing in dangerous waters such as are found in the Cook Strait area. Those waters are notorious for the sudden, violent changes of wind that spring up. They are definitely dangerous, even for well-found, properly constructed boats, and some of the boats used there are anything but that. It is only proper that a warning should be given to people using those boats of the risk they are undoubtedly taking in going out in the Strait in them. BOAT LIKE A COFFIN. "I have seen one boat shaped like a coffin —it will be a coffin for someone unless this warning is heeded," Mr. Mellish continued. "Generally, these boats are home-macfe contraptions, which should not be allowed to be taken out to face some of the weather that springs up in Cook Strait. I cannot see that a nine-foot dinghy (the type used by the deceased) would have sufficient freeboard and buoyancy with three men aboard to withstand the wind that was prevailing at the time of the tragedy. There must have been half a gale blowing, and it is almost incredible that experienced men should have gone out and stayed out. ... I can only hope that my warning will be heeded and that people living round there and going out fishing will see that their boats are sound and properly constructed." The evidence showed that a launch party who had gone out for fishing on the afternoon of October 31 had had to put back because of the boisterous conditions. The dinghy .in which the deceased were fishing was watched with some anxiety from the shore, but no signals of distress were seen. Later, what appeared to be an overturned dinghy was sighted near the reef off Palmer Head. The police were informed, but an inspection of the dinghy could not be made because of the rough sea and high wind. There was no sign of anybody on the rocks, on the dinghy, or in the water. Radar equipment was used without success in an effort to locate the bodies. At the time the overturned dinghy was sighted, the small power-boat which had previously been out in the locality had been taken away on a trailer. William, H. K. Bundy, owner of the fishing launch Nancy Lee, described the finding of the two bodies under the dinghy about 8 a.m. on November 1. They were tangled up in fishing lines, several hooks being caught in their clothing. A fair-sized conger eel was hooked on one of the lines. DEFINITELY UNSAFE. The witness said that the boat was definitely unsafe for fishing with three men aboard in a choppy sea. Personally, he would not use it at all. It would not have more than six inches of freeboard. It was possible that the conger eel had been hooked after the accident. Ernest Edward Ranish, owner of the power-boat, said that some of tho boats used oft' Moa Point were absolutely unseaworthy. There was one flat-bottomed boat about 9ft or 10ft long with just over 3ft of beam, which he understood was used by a man and his wife. There was also a 7ft dinghy used by a man of about 17 stone. The Coroner: You think that the use of boats like that will inevitably lead to another tragedy?— Definitely. Police evidence showed that the wind reached 52 miles per hour in gusts on the afternoon of the tragedy. Constable W. J. Fitzsimmons, of Seatoun, said that it was only a matter of good fortune for some boat owners that there had not been more tragedies. Cyril William GatfieJd, father of Cyril George Gatfieid, aged 19, whose body was not recovered, was given permission to make a statement. He said that the dinghy was quite safe for fishing, although three nien might be too big a load. 'He considered that there had been undue delay in investigating the upturned dinghy, but was assured by the Coroner that every- j thing possible had been done. j Mr, Gatfieid suggested that an! organisation should be formed in the Seatoun and Bays district so that any alarm given in the event of a similar accident could be promptly attended to. There were many fishermen at Island Bay who would have been able to get to the scene quickly if they had known about the capsized dinghy. The Coroner agreed that such an organisation, would be useful, but he pointed out that its formation was a matter for the residents themselves. The police would give every assistance.