AUCKLAND HARBOUR FATALITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 81, 9 April 1918, Page 3

AUCKLAND HARBOUR FATALITY.

THE '.SURVIVOR'S STORY. (United Press Association.) AUCKLAND. April 8. The only survivor of the harbour mishap. a tSainoan boy named Hellesoe, is an expert swimmer. Great praise is due to him for his efforts to save John Skinner. Hellesoe states that he and the four deceased set out at about (• p.m. on Saturday in a 12ft dinghy, with the intention of fishing off North Heat 1 . Oil arrival at the fishing ground tlv lit a hurricane lamp a.s a protection from large vessels. . Shortly after 7 p.m. they took the light into the boat so that they could see to cut up bait. Suddenly he saw the headlight of an approaching vessel. He told the others there was a vessel behind them, and called out to those on the vessel. While thev were trying to pull up the anchor to avoid a collison, the vessel's towline caught the dinghy's mast, and dragged the small craft towards the vessel that was being towed. Tlvdinghy capsized, and all its occupants were thrown into the water.;' Er>ie c ' and David Skinner caught hold of Sutherland, and John Skinner seized Hellesoe. Hellesoe managed, to iy-

the dinghv and place John Skinner inside it. Unfortunately the dinghy filled again, and John Skinner was thrown into the water. He drifted to where Sutherland -was holding up the two other bovs, both of whom were callinr out. Sutherland called out, "I'm done, Christian; save yourself." A boat then arrived. Hellesoe had managed to climb on to the overturned dinghy, and he told the people in the boat to go to Sutherland and the others first. However, they picked him up first, and when he "looked again the others had disappeared.