BOATING FATALITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 29

BOATING FATALITY.

MAN DROWNED NEAR^ WAVERLEY. Thomas Smith, a single man, residing with his parents in Harbour terrace, was drowned in the Upper Harbour about midday on Sunday. % With a- companion named Rush, Smith was out in a small yacht, and when opposite Waverley the" craft was struck by a sudden ~ squall, and capsized. Rush_ endeavoured to rescue Smith, j.who, appaafently, could- not swim, -but failed, and was ' himself taken ashore, in a" boat that put out to render assistance. - Constables Djampscy -and \3fazakerley com r menced , dragging operatrons for body eavly ;in the afternoon, v. and at 5 o'clock were successf-ul in"- finding it , in. about sft of water. The body was con- , veyed*to the parents', residence. s _* 1 ' , THE INQUEST. •.On Monday afternoon, before Mr .C. C. Graham, coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Robert -Dickison was chosen foreman, an inquest was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of Thomas Smith, who was drowned in the. Upper Harbour on Sunday. ■,_, Robert Rush, ironmoylder, knew the deceased. He and witness went out sailing on Sunday morning in a 20ft open boat, 6ft beam, and rigged -j as a yachf, carrying a jib and mainsail. Before leaving the moorings two reefs were taken in, the wind blowing fairly strong, but giving indica tions -of' dying away. The boat- made tho »" three-legs," near Waverley, very easily, but after that the wind, becoming gust.y, witness, ..who. was at the helm, told deceased to stand by the jib. The sheet of the mainsail was not fast, bub was held by 'witness's Hand only. The jib was fast. Deceased having reported "all clear," witness put the boat about, but when she came up to the wind the jib*filled again, the lines haying in some manner become entangled. The .boat had thus to come round on the wind again and continue on the old course. During the manoeuvre the boat shipped a little water. After getting some way on the deceased .again renbrted " all cleai', ' but the boat again refused to come, about, and shipped more, water. Witness then told' deoeased .to take the helm and mainsheet -while witness .freed the,- jib. Whilst engaged in clearing the sheet a strong putf I came, and the boat listed right over. Instead of letting off the mainsheet to ease her" deceased held it all the closer. Witness cried -out to -let "go, but deceased did not let go, and witness grabbed the rope from his hand. The boat was then', burying, herfcelf, arid water was pouring in^over the bow and "thwarts. Witness put the helm over, but it w.as too late,' and the boat listed heavily over and sank. j As tho boat sank witness threw his arm around deceased and! dragged him to the " mast, which just protruded from the 'water, and made deceased hold on to it, and told him not to let go on any consideration, and he would be all right. Witness let go the inastf himself ?nd swam round to see if. there was any boa* in sight, but there was not. Witness then turned to swim to the mast again, and saw deceased' drifting about 10 yards from the boat. Deceased was not swimming, so witness went after him' and, caught hold of Mm, and told .him to keep' up as best he could. Seeing, air oar .drifting past, witness let deceased .go * and brought it to him. Deceased took" hold of the oar and witness swam" alongside -and told him to ease himself with it. Deceased, however, turned round and caught hold of witness, and they both t sank. _ When they again reached the surface witness caught hold of the back of deceased's coat and tried to swim. with him. _ After going some wav deceased worked round to witness's back and put his arm lound his neck. They bath sank again. When witness .came to the surface he could see no trace of deI ceased. Witness was nearly" exhausted, so rolled over and floated "on his^ back" for a few minutes. There was no boat in sight, so witness struggled towards the top of the mast, some 30 yards distant, and just 'managed to reach it in»tiie last stages of exhaustion. Witness clung to mast for' some -time,' the waves breaking over him all. the ft while, until at last he saw a .boat coining towards him. The boat took" "witness" aboard. He had often been out in, the boat with the deoeased, and he had instructed deceased as to how to work the jib sheet. Deceased was prone to. taking too many turns round the cleat, and^ tliis was probably what- .hap-,, pened. Deceased w,as a strict teetotaller."

and there, was no drink aboard. They hadt. had no drink that morning. >Both were fully dressed, bust witness managed to dives£ himself of his coat after deceased sankc Deceased never spoke. In reply to a juryman witness said there were no lifebuoys aboard. Witness die not think a lifebuoy would 'have been 01 any use. "Very few-pleasure yachte carrieoj them. '• The Coroner said he thought Rusß deserved every credit jfor the splendid efforts 1 . he had made to succour deceased. ' ' '-iTia^ jury xeiurDed a. ■v-^a^clxofc tHat, deceased was accidentally etr&wne'd through the upsetting of a boat in' Dunedin Harbour, no blame being attachable to anyone.