A BLACK WEEK-END.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 January 1921, Page 3

A BLACK WEEK-END.

Fourteen Deaths By Drowning

SOME PITIFUL TRAGEDIES

This summer seems to have been more than usually remarkable for the frequency‘of death by drowning, a fate Iliac taro ugh the treacherous nature of her rivers and seas has come to be known as “the New Zealand death.”

The climax was reached yesterday in a grim record of disaster, there being no less than twelve new deaths by water ,while two bodies of victims were recovered. The sad details are given in telegrams which will be found below, and to those bereaved by the events of this tragic Sunday the sincerest sympathy of all will go out.

LOST WITH ALL HANDS. Schooner Hurled On Rocks, IN PIERCE SOUTHERLY. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, Last Night, While entering the Wellington Heads early this morning, the auxiliary schooner, Omaka, trading between this port and Blenheim capsized. The keeper at Pencarrow Lighthouse say she saw the vessel suddenly heel to in a fierce south-easterly squall and turn over. The little vessel was laden with chaff, and the bales and other wreckage was soon swept overboard, j saw at least four men, who were hanging on to the wreckage, maintain their precarious hold until, pounded by 'the fierce seas dashing over them, h y dropped off one by one. The vessel was hurled on the rocks soon, and went to pieces. A portion of the deck cabin was carried to Petone, where it was washed ashore, and the dead body of on© of the crew was found in it. As soon as the news of the disaster was reported, many of the vessels went to the heads and bays in the harbour to render assistance to anyone living, and search for bodies, but not trace of the crew except Weeks could be found. No hope is entertained of any of , the crew being saved. Their names are:— CAPTAIN A. E. HUNTER, aged 38 years, a resident of Island Bay, Wellington, who leaves a wife and two children. JOHN TYRELL WEEKS, engineer, late of Westport, but now of Wellington, who leaves a wife and four children. WM. LEONARD WATSON, acting mate, aged 27 years, of Wellington, unmarried.. HAROLD STAPLETON, aged 22 years, mother residing in Wellington, unmarried. I. MARLOW, cook, 38 years, of Brooklyn, Wellington, who leaves a wife and three children. TOMMY,' the boy, whose surname is not ascertainable, late of the Ron a," whose parents reside in the Taranaki district. The vessel belongs to Eckford and ,'o. , Blenheim. ‘

AN AMOKURA BOY. Wellington, January 31.. The name of the ship’s boy lost was Cyril Thomson, 21, son of Mr F. Thomson, Government grader, New Plymouth. He began his seafaring career on the Amokura. Vivid Narrative. HOW BRAVE MEN DIED. Mr T. B, Smith, the principal keeper at Pencarrow Lighthouse, gave in, simple language a most graphic and pathetic story of the accident, and ol the brave struggle for life of a number of men on the ill-fated schooner. ‘‘Whilst extinguishing the lights at 1.45 this morning, I noticed the schooner Omaka making into the harbour under a foresail and jib. Her mainsail was not set. Lighthousekeeper Hussey downstairs, and when he went outside he saw the vessel capsize. “A strong southerly gale was blowrg at the time., and) the vessel was nmning before the wind. Suddenly she broached to and a big wave struck her at the same time, and over she went. I could make, out the forms of at least two sailors hanging on to the wreckage, and immediately communicated with Wellington. I kept my two assistants, Hussey and) Cocker, on the beach to light fires opposite these men, with the double object of showing them where to land, and letting them know that assistance was available, and there was somebody to receive them if they came ashore. They were, however, drifting np the harbour. “I could then make out three men amongst the wreckage. One was clinging to a tank, hut becoming exhausted he was swept away. I saw him throw up his arms and disappear, yt was then ten minutes past six. The ether two men were clinging to a long plank; one at each end). VESSFTS PASS WITHOUT SEEING. “In the meantime, about twenty minuten past five, the steamer Wairau appeared entering the harbour and parsed some 300 yards away, but apparently did no£ see either the wreckage or the men struggling in the water.

“By this time the wreck had been blown inshore considerably, andi had struck half a. mile further on, where she subsequently broke up. “Later the Baden Powell came in and passed the men about (it seemed) 100 yards away. They again made frantic efforts to attract the attention of those on hoard, but without avail. The man who was on the tank had disappeared some time before, but I kept the other two men in view all the time until they had nearly gone out of eight. “There was about a mile of wreckage in all, benzine tanks ,fodder, timber, etc., drifting with the wind and the current, faster than one could walk. I then took my telescope and ran as hard, as I could to the point, where I saw one of the men on the plank throw up his arms and go down as the second steamer passed. DROWNING MEN’S LAST EFFORT. “I distinctly; saw the men make’ ft

supreme effort to draw themselves to the plank and attract the attention of those on the passing steamer. They drew themselves np almost into a kneeling position on the plank, but apparently they were not seen, nor their cries heard. Before this, when the man on the tank passed the two men on the plank, I saw the two men on the plank wave encouragingly to, and apparently cheer the other. “Vessels came from Wellington, but the gale was blowing so hard that their progress was retarded, to such an extent that when they reached the wreckage, it was 2i hours after the accident, and the men had disappeared. “The assistant lighthouse keeper followed up along the beach the drift of the men 0 n the plank, and about half an hour after he started) he saw one swept from his hold and disappear, then following on as far as Gollan’s Bay, he saw the second man on the plank also disappear. “The schooner was completely broken up and disappeared. The hull ■was smashed to matchwood, and only a mass of spars and debris is left. “When ’"the man on watch came

down to me he stated that he distinctly saw one man, probably the helmsman, swept overboard as the schooner broached to, and he was clambering up the side again when she capsized. “My son also saw a man seated in the ship’s dinghy after the vessel capsized, bat a big wave overwhelmed the dinghy, and all saw the men on the plank making frantic efforts to tear off their clothes, so that they could swim better, and a torn sweater was afterwards found on the beach,

allowing that they had partly succeeded.”

TWO BODIES ASHORE.

The body of Weeks was found right inside the deckhouse, which was but a ealley } when it shoaled on the Petone beach. A rope was stretched round) a part of the deckhouse, and made it appear than one of the crew had endeavoured to lash himself tp it. A second body, not yet identified), has been washed ashore on the Petone beach

Four Men Drowned SEA TRAGEDY AT CASTLEPOINT. (Per Press Association.) Masterton, Last Night, A boating fatality occurred to-day at Castlepoint, a seaside resort 45 miles from Masterton. Four wellknown residents of Masterton set out early in the morning on a fishing expedition near the Lighthouse, in a flatbottomed boat. Tbs members of the party were Ivan O’Connor, Clarence Hopkins, R, Biggs and H, Wooding, all married men. A heavy sea was experienced outside, and the boat swamped and upset. The boat was subsequently seen drifting out to sea with three men clinging to the bottom. Last seen, as it became enveloped in mist, it was going north in the direction of Mataikona. It is feared) all hands have been lost. Parties from Masterton and the district are searching the beach for the bodies.

NO TRACE,

(Per Press Association.) Masterton, This Day. No trace has been found of the men blown out to sea from Castlepoint. Sailing. Boat Capsizes. OTAHUHU RESIDENT CAPSIZES. (Per Press Association.) Auckland, January 31. Edward) Francis Kevey Taylor, 37, a resident of Otahuhu, was drowned in the Tamaki River by the capsizing of a sailing boat. Deceased and five other occupants were thrown into the water. Two men supported three ladies until they were rescued by a boat from the «hore.