FARMER DROWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22578, 17 November 1936, Page 8

FARMER DROWNED

CAPSIZE OF A BOAT COMPANION GAINS SHORE NO TRACE OF THE BODY [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] HELKNSVILLjG, Monday A well-known resident of the Kaipara district, Mr. Jack Monk, aged 40, single, a farmer at South Head, was drowned at the Kaipara Heads yesterday afternoon when the boat in which he was fishing capsized in a choppy sea. A schoolboy companion, the son of Mr. G. 'Sinclair, a lighthouse keeper at Pouto, managed to reach the shore in safety after a long swim in the rough sea The pair set out about mid-day in a 14ft. punt with the idea of fishing off Sterling Pock about a mile and ahalf from Pouto on the inside channel, when a sudden squall overturned the boat. Jioth occupants immediately struck out for the shore, the boy Sinclair being ahead of Mr. Monk. 'J he latter, however, decided to return to the boat and when the lad reached the shore some time later, he saw Mr. Monk waving from the upturned punt. A near by farmer, Mr. L. McLeod, was advised of Mr. Monk's plight and a search was commenced by launch. The upturned boat was found later near Midge Pocks some distance away from Sterling Point, but there was no trace of Mr. Monk. In the meantime, several rowing boats put out from Pouto and joined in the search. They were assisted later by fishing launches. The search was continued throughout to-dav under the direction of the Puawai police, but no trace of the body had been discovered late this evening. As the accident occurred on a falling tide it is considered possible that the bodv has been swept out to sea.

Mr. Monk was a returned soldier and recently had been suffering severely from sciatica, which may have caused cramp. He was the son of Mr. P. A. Monk, of Pouto, his mother residing in Auckland.