Honour to the Brave.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 60, 29 October 1887, Page 2

Honour to the Brave.

[To THE EdITOB.)

Sib, —As a reader of your paper, I would like to call the attention of the proper authorities to a case of true merited reward that is likely to be passed over if something is not done before long I allude to the late boat accident at Tologa Bfly, and as the papers and the Commissioner’s report laid before Parliament the other day say that “ Sergeant Stagpoole nearly lost his life in trying to save others,” I would like to lay before your readers the correct account of the lamentable affair, as I happened to be on the spot at the time. The Australia steamed into the Bay at 4.30 pm, on the 11th June and a boat was sent off, manned by H. Glover, S. Gilman and two natives. They reached the steamer, got the passengers into the boat, and succeeded in getting back as far as the bar, where a sea caught the boat and turned it over with all its occupants, viz., Mrs Kirk, three children, and the crew before named. As soon as this was seen from the shore Stagpoole, James, and a native manned a boat and went to the assistance of those who were still in the water, but as soon as they got to the bar their boat met the same fate as the preceding one, Nothing daunted, Stagpoole swam around to look for Mrs Kirk and the children, and while looking for them he saw James away from the boat, where he had placed him before

he went on his search. He again made for James and got him to hold on to the gunwale of the boat, and while away on his second search James had again lost his hold and disappeared. The native in the meantime had hung on to the boat manfully, but was gettlhg very weak. Stagpoole and the native, seeing that there was no possible chance of getting ashore against the strong tide that was

running out, drifted out towards where the steamer was lying, each hanging on to the gunwale of the boat, but before they were recovered by the steamer’s boat the native had got so weak that he lost hold of the boat no less than four times, and he himself says that if Stagpoole had not come to his assistance each time, he would have met the same fate as James and his brother did. Now, Mr Editor, these are the true facts of the affair. Sergeant Stagpoole did not only try to save life, but he did actually save the life of the native, Harry Hautau, as can be borne out by the native himself as well as by Captain Crawshaw, of the Australia, and all who saw the accident from the shore.—l am, &c., Mangahi. Tologa Bay.