FATAL ACCIDENT AT CABLE BAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 145, 19 June 1879, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT AT CABLE BAY.

Last night information was received by Mr Tucker, the officer in charge of the Telegraph Office, to the effect that there was every reason to believe that Mr Shalders, one of the clerks at the Cable Bay Station, waa supposed to have been drowned when out boating, and to-day's news, we regret to say. confirms the fears that were entertained. Mr Shalders joined the service at 0 amaru, where he was clerk when Mr (now Dr) Lemsn waa the local manager. He then went to Hawera, where he married quite a young girl, who is now left a widow with one little child. The pilot boat, and another in charge of Captain Levy started for the Bay this morning, and have since telegraphed to Nelson, at the request of Dr Lemon, for torpedoes to be used in the attempt to raise the body. We are indebted to Mr Tucker for the following report, which was teiegraphed to him by Mr Shapley this afternoon:— " The following are a few particulars connected with the sad accident that befel Thos. W. Shalders yesterday. He weut out fishing about 10 a.m., and soon after noon the boat was seen inside under full soil making towards the shore, and everything was evidently all right. The boat was then about a mile and a half from the landing place. No further notice of it was taken until about 2 p.m , when one of the staff went down to the beach, and upon looking seaward he noticed that she was turned over, and very near the same plpce where she wa9 seen previously. An alarm was at once given, and in less than ten minutes another boat was launched and making for the wreck, and the crew pulled for very life, hoping to find poor Shaldera clinging to the boat, but they were doomed to disappointment, as nothing could be seen of him. The boat had turned over with all saila set, abd the killock falling overboard at the same time had anchored the boat to the very spot where the accident happened Careful search waa made along the seashore, and upon a small beach near the scene of the accident wa3 found one whole and part of a scull and the sprit, which were known to be part of the boat's gear, but not a sign of anyone having got ashore there. Soon afterwards, near the landing plaoe, a cap, which belonged to the missing man, was picked op, and also the tiller of the boat. Nothing farther whatever waa found, although diligent search was made until darkness put a atop to any more boat work. Later in the evening a search party went along the sea shore with lanterns,- end kept up a strict, search till midnight, but with no result. This morning the pilot boat under charge of pilot Lowe, with another boat in attendance under Captain Levy, arrived on the ground with grappling gear, and in company with one boat- manned by Maoris and another ±rom the Cable Station have been busily at work all the day trying to reco/er the body but up to the present time (2-30 p.m.) have met with no success. The pilot boat returns to Nelson this afternoon, but Captain Levy remains with his boat to prosecute the search at the desire of Dr. Lemon. Great praise is due to Messrs A. Lyford, Chas. Frost, and S. Adlington for the indefatigable manner in which they have worked, and the staff at Cable Bay feel much indebted to th«m for their disinterested conduct under such trying circumstances."