FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT AT HOKITIKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 715, 12 August 1865, Page 4

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT AT HOKITIKA.

An unfortunate accident happened at Hokitika on the morning of the 29th ult, by the upsetting of a boat, in which seven of the iady Darling's passengers had embarked. Five out of the seven were drowned, besides two boatmen belonging to the boat. The accident can in no way reflect upon the Lady Darling's captain, as neither the boat nor the crew belonged to the ship, and the passengeis persisted in going in the boat, in spite of the remonstrances of the captain, who pointed out the danger. The boat was a fine whaleboat, which had just arrived by the Maid of Em, from Nelson. When she left the ship's side, she was manned by a captain and four seamen, who intended to land on the beach. The names of the passengers drowned areJohn M'lntosh, Edward Thomson. Robert Turner, and Henry Hearn, from Dunedin ; and George Hawkins, from Nelson. The boat was commanded by Captain Ogilvie, formerly of the schooner Canterbury, who was saved. The following particulars •with reference to this accident are given by the correspondent of the " Lj'ttelton Times :" — " Twelve persons, tired of waiting for the steamer Lyttelton to take them ashore from the Lady Darling steamship, lying in the roads, put off in a very fine whaleboat to land on the beach, but by come unfortunate contretemps got upset just on the edge oi the sarf, and there seven out of the thirteen sunk before the eyes of some hundreds of persons perfectly unable to aid them. No boat fit to live in the surf was available to go to their rescue. Four managed to reach the beach in a very exhausted state, and the bodies of some of the others have been recovered, thrown on the sands to the northward. It is the opinion of many men here competent to judge, that if proper moorings were laid down off the beach, about a quarter of a mile out, a system of surf boats might be established, something similar to those in use at Taranaki, and do good service in landing cargo and mails."

The correspondent of the " Canterbury Press" wiires :—": — " When she reached the broken water, some indecision was manifested by the crew ; a broken sea first half filled her, she was canted broadside on. capsized, and seven out of the twelve were drowned, in the presence, and within speaking distance, of hundreds of spectators on the beach. As an instance of the individual misery caused by such calamities, I may mention the case of Mr Turner, a cooper here. He sent for his son some time ago, who arrived in the Lady Darling. Wearied of waiting to be landed by the usual method, he found means to ■write to his father, saying he would come on shore in a boat ; when the whale-bi-at was seen making for the shore, the poor old man hurried down to meet his son, and arrived in time to see him perish miseiably before his *yes."

A similar accident had occurred at the Grey River. A correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times" reports :—": — " I regret to report a sad accident by which five men lost their lives, two Maoris and three Europeans. They came Jrom the Teremakau river, and had succeeded in crossing the Grey river bir, when the current, running r.ipidly out, capsized the boat and all were thrown out. One brave fellow. a Maori, swam for more than an hour, but sank at last. It has cast a gloom over all in the township. The accident to the men in the boat is more serious and sad than I at firnt ■was made aware of, for the Haibor Master at the Teremakau rode from th.it river down the beach to the Grey, to pilot the men in, and he told them before starting what signals. he would use on arriving here. They did as he promised, and he signalled for them to make to the beach, but they did not follow his instructions, liny were within hailing distance, and Andrew Kundson and seven other brave fellows volunteered to go out in a boat to them, but they were too late, and all were drowned before aid could be rendered,"