THE MATE OF THE CUTTER BERTHA DROWNED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4288, 11 August 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MATE OF THE CUTTER BERTHA DROWNED.

Ocis. Bnhoi correspondent writes :—Last about 11 o'clock a.m., a little -tter high-water, the mate of the cutter Bertha was poling the punt up near our landing-place, in order tolo&d shingles, when a sudden cry for help was .beard, the man having (alien overboard. The master of the cutter (Mr. P. Lenan), who was standing about a hundred yards |dist«at from the punt, ran with all speed to assist hia unfortunate mate, but arrived only in iime to see him sink, scarcely half a minute after his fall. All exertions to Eare him were in vain. Mr. Clark, the proprietor of the hotel, dived several times. Only a few yards from Bhore, in the presence of many trying to give a helping hand, the poor man was J ■drowned. In the afternoon, the tide being out, although the water was still over eight feet deep, the body was found ; and in the evening, before H. Lloyd, Esq., J.P. and Coroner, an inquest on the body was held and a y«rdict of «' accidental death by drowning" The body of the deceased was buned on the Gth instant, in tho Puhoi graveyard, WJ the settlers attending the funeral The deceased was a native ofQerttany, ftßd team* only a few weeks ago over

from Sydney. He was a very sober, steady, and quiet man, and leaves a wife and family in Auckland to mourn his loss. A subscription raised in favour of this family, amounting to £11 13s, this day, speaks highly of the sympathy and the good heart of 'the settlers.