TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11662, 29 October 1923, Page 7

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

BOAT SINKS IN HARBOUR I'Ol'R MEMBERS OF ONE FAMILY DROWNED. A FEARFUL ORDEAL. TAURANGA, October 28. The worst tragedy recorded of the Tauranga harbour occurred on Saturday afternoon about sis o’clock, in the vicinity of Mount Maunganui, just inside the harbour entrance and about three miles from the town of Tauranga. This resulted in the loss of the lives of four children of one family. Early in the afternoon the aeven children of John Miller, a local plumber, rowed down the harbour to Mount Maunganui in a twelve-foot dinghy. Their names were > Fred, aged 24. Pimella, aged 20. Bruce, aged 17. \ Arnold, aged 12. Linea, aged 11. Hubert, aged 8. Melvin, aged 6. BOAT SHIPS A SEA. The afternoon was spent on the beach, and a start made foi home just after 5.30. A fresh westerly breeze was blowing, with a olioppy sea. When about 500 yards from the shore the boat rolled and shipped a sea, halffilling. The dinghy immediately took more water and sank. The children all grasped the boat, but unfortunately all were on one side, and she rolled over. This was repeated several times, until only Fred was left clinging to the boat. None could swim at all well except Bruce, who was a good swimmer, hut was the only one with his hoots on. He helped his two smaller brothers back to the boat several times. HOW TWO WERE SAVED. It seems that after losing hold of the boat all drifted apart. Fred, still clinging to the boat, saw his little sis ter Linea trying to swim, called to her to float, and gave the same advice to Arnold. Both, with wonderful pre sence of mind, turned on their backs, and floated. They were then about a chain apart, but drifted together, and, interlocking one another’s arms, continued floating. Both were wearing oilskin coats, which apparently saved their lives. Linea says that she saw her eldest sister Pimella, who was unable to swim, holding up the two youngest boys. Bruce, who was a strong swimmer, and had a medal for swimming from Auckland to Northcote when about twelve years of age, was not seen again. AID FROM THE SHORE. No one witnessed the accident, but Freda attracted the attention of Mr Jeffares, railway stationmaster m charge, who rushed to the beach and saw Fred near the shore on the keel of the upturned boat. With Sir Lindell, the public works shops’ foreman, he waded out and assisted him ashore well spent after being about half an hour in the water and drifting half a mile Meantime Messrs Isiherwood and Nathan pushed a boat off the beach and endeavoured, without oars, to reach Linea and Arnold, whom they saw floating together about two chains off the beach. Fortunately they picked up the floating oars from the upturned boat, and rescued the two children who. although then conscious, remembered nothing further till a couple of hours later. A FRUITLESS SEARCH. Lindell and the others meantime righted Miller’s boat, and went in search of the others. A few chains front the shore they saw another body, which proved to be that of the youngest boy, Melvin, who was floating face down.

He was immediately taken ashore, and artificial respiration tried unavailingly for two hours. Constables Skinner and Clifford, with Doctor Cattell, proceeded from here to Maunganui as soon as advised of the accident, and brought the body to town.

The beach was natrolled all night, and drageing was done to-day. but the bodies of Pimella, Bruce, and Hubert are not yet recovered.