WASHED OVERBOARD ON KAIPAEA BAR

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 March 1927, Page 8

WASHED OVERBOARD ON KAIPAEA BAR

THRILLING STORY OF FATAL LAUNCH TRIP. ONE OF CREW LOST AND DROWNED. AUCKLAND, Lant Night. A thrilling story was tol.l to Mr. F K. Hunt, S.M., to-day, when the adjourned inquest on Leonard Wateni (43), master-printer, of Dcvonporf, was continued. Waters lost his life in a disaster which befel the launch “Mercia” or. Kaipara Bar on January 22. The “Mercia” which belongs to Mr. W. H. Olliver, of Devonport, was on a trip from Mercer round North Cape to Auckland, and while off Kaipara Heads on the evening of January 22, engine trouble was experienced. The anchor was dropped seven or eight miles from the Bar, the intention being to remedy the engine defect the following morning. During the night a heavy wind sprang up and the anchor dragged and the launch was driven into the breakers on the Bar. A very heavy breaker wrecked the vessel. Masts, rigging, and deckhouse were washed overboard, and Waters, who had been in the deckhouse was lost. Olliver who was in the deckhouse when it was washed overboard said he managed to cling to a door which had been torn from its hinges and he was swept ashore. He collapsed and evidently lost consciousness, for it was not until about nine o’clock the following morning with the sun shining brightly that ho awoke and found himself on the lonely beach. He walked up and down but could find no traco of Waters. Sergeant Angla.nd said the body was washed up a considerable distance from the scene of the disaster. A verdict of accidental drowning was returned.

There was a very good attendance of farmers at Te lloro on Tuesday night to hear Mr. Bruce Levy give his address on grassland. Some 40 settlers, representing all parts of the district, listened with attention to all Mr. Levy had to say. Mr. McCulloch assisted with the lantern which illustrated the various phases of the address. Mr. Levy devoted the first portion of his address to matters particularly affecting dairy farmers, but the greater part of his talk dealt with the problem of the hill pastures, and there cannot be the slightest doubt the many graziers present will vastly profit by the very practical advice given by the Dominion authority on the subject. Mr. Levy has evidently gone to great trouble in carrying out and recording results of numerous tests in dealing with his pastures, particularly in connection with deteriorated land in the back country. Mr. G. H. Harper was in the chair and the meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer.