DISTRESSING FATALITY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 35, 11 January 1926, Page 6

DISTRESSING FATALITY.

YOUTH DROWNED

THROUGH DINGHY CAPSIZING

A distressing boating accident occurred at taianu Wellington, sliorny alter £> o'clocit # yesterday morning, as a result or wiucli -L'cior JJaley mown, aged 18, of island Bay, uas drowned, and a companion, -albert Jxendiacit, aged 2i, oi iUount i'leasant, iUiteneiltowu, now lies in a seveieiy shaken condition. mendrieii, it is reported, called at his friend’s residence snortly alter 7 a.m. yesterday on a motor-cycle with side-car attached, and the panproceeded to "Slest Beach, island nay, where Brown kept Ins small 14-loot fishing dingliy, purchased about two weeks ago. A strong southerly was blowing, the tide was liowing and heavy seas were breaking on the island, i-lsliernieii warned the lads not to go outside tho channel, but, in spite of this, the two set out. Having se’t a v craynsh pot near the isianu, they proceeded out to the eastern channel to lisli. Here Brown held the boat in the swell with the oars, while his companion set out tho fishing lines. Gradually tho boat drifted out ot the shelter afforded by the hill on the island, and, meeting the full force of the wind, it capsied near Nooky Point. While the lads were struggling in the water, Brown, who was a lair swimmer, shouted to his companion: “Get off your coat and we’ll make.for tho launches.”

In an endeavour to carry out liis companion’s advice, Kendrick, who, it is said, is not a particularly good swimmer, was .carried by tlie waves towards the rocks between Houghton and Island Bays, and did not see Brown again. Kendrick was swung by the waves on to a group of low-lying rocks, and, clinging to them for some minutes, assembled sufficient strength to support a last effort to roach the next clump of rocks—and safety. He accomplished, this holding on to he next rock until one of the Italian fishermen, Antonio Saffiotti, waded out chin deep into tho water and hauled Kendrick to safe ground. On the beach resuscitative measures were applied, and Kendrick was taken by motor-car to the houso of an Island Bay resident. A doctor was summoned and it was found that Kendrick had suffered severe shock and a few minor bruises. Whilst Kendrick was being rescued Rigoa Albrino and his mate, Dixon, launched a dinghy and went out after Brown, but could find no trace of him.

The police maintained a watch throughout the day for Brown’s body, but up to a late hour the search had proved unsuccessful. The battered boat was soon flung far up on the rocks by the waves.

The major part of the dinghy was thrown on to the rocks about "lOOft. from where Kendrick was rescued, and other planks were scattered about almost to tho Island Bay road. Both young men were apprenticed to a timber company as joiners. Deceased was a promising student at the Technical School, and only recently contributed a fine model of a special staircase to tho Dunedin Exhibition.

It was in the locality of yesterday’s fatality that the Collins’s launch was wrecked some two years ago, and a man named McKay' and Mr Collins’s son wore drowned.