THE DROWNING ACCIDENT AT PATERSON'S INLET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 34

THE DROWNING ACCIDENT AT PATERSON'S INLET.

On the afternoon of the Ist inst. a very sad accident happened at the entrance to Paterson's Inlet, resulting in the death by drowning of three young men — Harry Thomson, A. Morrison, and a Portuguese whose name does not appear to have been ascertained. The boat, a half-decker named the Hawk, belonged to Thomson, and was welUknown at the Inlet as being staunch and seaworthy. Morrison was managing partner ;n; n the flaxmill at Mason's Bay. The Portuguese was understood to .uave been a hand lately employed to work at the mill. Tbe party were en route to the head of the inlet, whence Morrison and the Portuguese intended proceeding overland to Mason's. Leaving Halfmcon Bay and getting round Akers Point, they were seen to shape for the northern- passage between Ringaringa and Native Island. A distance of a mile or so is saved t>v this pass, but, considering the boisterous weather at the time, that trifling saving entailed serious personal risk. The progress towards the pass was anxiously watched from the shore, and those who saw i* could not at first believe that Thomson, who was well acquainted with the danger, would be -rash enough to continue the course. On seeing the alarming character of the break, they fully expected he would have sheered off and made "for the southern passage, which was both safe and accessible. To their dismay he- continued to follow the northern channel, and no sooner was he caught in the rip than the boat broached broadside on and canted over. Thrown out into the boiling surf, two of the three occupants were seen struggling in the water not more than a cable length from the shore. Abraham Moses, an aged Maori living in the vicinity, on witnessing the incident, communicated with his nearest neighbour. The latter at once ran to the beach ; but. seeing that nothing could be done without the aid of a boat, made off to Ringaringa, the residence of Mr Arthur Traill, where he met a party of visitors — young men from Invercarßill on a holiday excursion. With their assistance a boat was speedily srot to the beach, but by this time fully half an hour had elapsed, and it was hopeless to expect anything could be done in the way of saving life. The wrecked boat, however, lying flat amongst the breakers, was righted and towed away to a place of safety. The accident has caused deep flcom — two of the victim*. Thomson and Morrison, having lived nearly all their lives on the island. Morrison was the son of a Presbyterian clergyman, who at one time officiated in southern New Zealand. He was broueht up by his grandfather, the Rev. Mr Connor, many years ago teacher of the Native School at The Neck. The scene of the ace-dent bears a bad reputation for beating. It makes a narrow, tortooue channel with an outside exposure, which sends xvo a tremendors sea from the nor'-east — the direction from which the swell causing the accident came. A few years ago a boat containing two men, a woman, and child upset in the vicinity, only one man being saved. After drifting upon the bottom of the boat for miles he was picked up. The horrors of the situation so preyed on his mind that h-e became) the inmate of a lunatic asylum, where he still remains.