MELANCHOLY CASE OF DROWNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1434, 22 June 1868, Page 3

MELANCHOLY CASE OF DROWNING.

Astlie s.s. Tauranga was steaming up Auckland harbour on Saturday evening, and whilst between liangitoto and tho North Head, a most lamentablo accident occurred, by which, a young man named Morrison lost his life. It appears that tho unfortunate man, who was a brother-in-law to Mr. McLeod of the Freeman's BayHotel, was a passenger by tho Tauranga on that evening. Ho was a shareholder in the Middle Star claim at Shortland, and being a married man, and anxious to come up to Auckland to see his wife, he had been during the previous two nights superintending the crushing of stone from his claim, so that he would be able to get over to town for a few hours without, losing time. The deceased was, therefore, suffering from lack of sleep. He was sitting on the fore part of the Tauranga's bridge, on the port side, and is supposed to have fallen asleep. Captain Sellars and several of the passsngers who were on the bridge at the time saw Mr. Morrison suddenly roll overboard, and before there vras a chance of making any attempt at a rescue, lie had reached the water and was seen to drift quickly astern. The engines were stopped immediately and a boat was got out, but by the time that this was done the unfortunate man was about half a-niilc astern. All due search was made, and tho Tauranga waited about tho spot for half an hour, but no sign of the missing man could be discovered. When Mr. Morrison went overboard, he had slung over his shoulder a haversack, and a carpet bag _ belonging to him was also oil board with a sealed lock. The latter is now at the Police station, and lias not been opened, and it is not known whether he had an}' gold about his person or not. We understand that deceased has left a wife, to whom he has not long been married, inTreenian's 13ay, to mourn her loss.