MELANCHOLY BOAT ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7796, 16 November 1886, Page 5

MELANCHOLY BOAT ACCIDENT.

! A FATHER AND SON DROWNED. |BY telegraph,—own CORRESPONDENT.] Tauran OA, -Monday. A lamentable accident occurred in the harbour, near the Mount, yesterday afternoon, about one o'clock, by which Mr. Richard Rhodes, sen., aged 56, and his son, Ernest, 1 aged 11 years, lost their lives. When sailing near the entrance of the harbour the boat capsized, and though the accident was witnessed from the pilot-station assistance could not reach them till after the boat had drifted into the break, where all trace of both boat and the unfortunate occupants was lost. The boat was picked up this morning near the scene of the acoident, but so far neither of the bodies has been recovered, although parties have been out searching all day. Mr. Rhodes was an old and muoh esteemed resident, having come to settle as a shoemaker here from the Thames some twelve or thirteen years ago. The sad event has cast quite a gloom over the town, the deceased gentleman having been well and popularly known through the aotive interest he always took in matters affecting the district. Mr. Rhodes leaVes a widow and family of ten children, the youngest being quite a ohild, whilst the oldest is in business as a storekeeper, and is also proprietor of the Tauranga Evening News. A later telegram from our correspondent says: —Mr. William Kelly, who left for Maketu this afternoon, returned at five o'clock, and reports that about two miles beyond whore the track goes along the beaob, he came across the body of the boy, Ernest Rhodes, lying at low watermark. Mr. Kelly took the body above high watermark, and then returned to inform the police, who have taken steps to bring the body into town.