HARBOUR TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23648, 4 November 1938, Page 17

HARBOUR TRAGEDY

OVERTURNING OF DINGHY | VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL * DROWNING 5 WARNING BY CORONER “The publication of the particulars of this inquest will probably serve to warn people of the danger of netting on these banks in bad weather unless they are experienced men and have proper material,” said ,the coroner (Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) yesterday when giving his verdict at the inquest on the body of “John Cabrall Bowen, a youth, who was drowned in the harbour on October 3 when the dinghy in which ■ihe and Henry Whiteford Ross were netting fish capsized in a choppy jiea. }*■ “It was a most distressing accident, the coroner added. “ The dinghy was unsuitable for using as a fishing boat, and what was almost hound to happen did happen—it overturned. I do not attach any blame to Ross, except the blame which must attach to ignorance, for jt was ignorance and nothing more.” A verdict was returned that the de-, ceased was accidentally drowned in Otago Harbour on October 3. Sergeant F. W. Johnsen, who conducted the inquest, read a report jfrom Constable Mcßobie, describing the discovery of the body at Lower I’ortobello on October 21.

yi Harry Whiteford Ross, 19 years of ige, a seaman, said he had rented a launch for fishing and had also a small dinghy .which he had purchased. About 10.30 a.m. on October 3 he got into conversation at the fisherman’s steps at Port Chalmers with a young man, then unknown to him, but whom he now knew to be the deceased. This young man accompanied witness to Carey’s Bay and helped him to clean some nets, and after lunch they left Carey’s Bay in the launch, towing the dinghy. When they reached the sandbank known as Moore’s Bank, they anchored the launch and proceeded about 200 yards in the dinghy and then set one lot of nets. They still had about half a net to set. The deceased was rowing, and when witness was standing up shooting out the gear a sudden chop sent the dinghy down and it shipped some water. He told Bowen to come' forward to balance the boat as witness intended to bail it out, but at 'that moment the dinghy went down again and turned over. The deceased commenced swimming towards the launch, and by the time witness got clear of the nets he was about 10 yards ahead of him. Witness caught and passed the deceased who called out something’to him. When witness reached the launch he looked for Bowen but could not see him, so he started the launch and continued to search but found no trace. The water would be over six feet in deoth. After half an hour he gave up the search and notified the police, later assisting them in a further fruitless search. The deceased apneared to be swimming all right when witness passed him. The tide was full at the time and there was no chance of seeing the top of the sandbanks. Witness had been handling boats for approximately a year. Robert Archibald Buck, manager -of . the -National Mortgage-'.- and Agency Company, Ltd., Port Chalmers, said the deceased was employed by his firm in the fish department. Witness had seen the dighy used by Boss. It was in good condition, practically new, with a V-shaped bottom. He considered it was much too light for the purpose for which it had been used. On October 3 the weather conditions were unsuitable for fishing, and it would take an experienced hand to work it in that kind of weather. With two persons and nets in it, he considered it would be overloaded, and if both occupants moved to the rear it would be likely to sink. He believed that Ross had sufficient experience to handle a dinghy, but he did not think the deceased had any previous experience. When they were tipped out of the dinghy they could easilv have reached a sandbank by going towards Port Chalmers or down harbour, but they took the wrong 'direction and, apparently, made for the launch. Thomas Hoskins, a fish curer. employed by the National Mortgage and Agency Company, said that, as an experienced fisherman, he did not think the weather was suitable for fishing on the day of the tragedy. It appeared to him that there would be some risk unless an experienced man were in the boat, as there would be a considerable “ jobble ” in the south-west wind. The dinghy used, he considered, was not big enough for the work.

The coroner then gave the verdict recorded above.