THE FOXTON TRAGEDY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 59, 24 October 1911, Page 5

THE FOXTON TRAGEDY.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. (Per Press Association.) Palmerston North, Octohor 23. An inquest on the live bodies recovered after the Foxton tragedy on Sunday was held at Foxton beach yesterday before .'Ur. Fraser, Coroner, Sub-Inspector Norwood representing the police. Formal evidence was given as to the identification of the bodies. Evidence was given by George Langley, boardinglumsc-kocper. Ho saw Percy Robert and Eugene Grove with A!rs. Grove and two children, .Mrs. Robert and two sons, .Miss Arnold and Miss O’Sullivan set out in an eighteen-foot flat-bottomed boat to go to the launch, which was at anchor about a hundred yards off, two youths, Crispanus Robert and Campbell Turner, being on board, the launch waiting, for the rest of the party. The oars were small find the rowlocks too large. There was only a few inches of freeboard, and it was blowing freshly and with a fresh running in the river. Robert was rowing. The oars slipped from the rowlocks, Grove recovering them. They missed the launch, and were carried towards the heads. Cn? of the Ladies Excited.

Ono of the ladies became excited at the situation. Grove took Robert’s place at the oars and water began to corns orer tlic side, wlion the ladies leant to the other side. Robert stood up, waved his hands for assistance, at the same time crying to the launch for help, and Mrs. Robert also crying for help. A boat then went over. , . To the Rescue Captain Mouusoy, "W. Kirk, and others ashore, saw their peril and ran to launch a boat. W. Young and Langloy,i reaching it first, put off before the boat capsized, Mouusoy and Kirk procuring another boat and breaking into a shed for oars, with which they also went out. Whilo v Langley’s boat was rowing out Robert’s Goat Went Dnvn= They found Robert insensible on the bottom of the boa.t, and, being unable to get a heavy man into theii frail craft, pulled him over to the other shore, and with difficulty, restored him to consciousness. As tho boat went over. Grove seized Miss Arnold, but was separated from her in tho rough water, and swam to tho launch, being pulled on board, and assisting tho boys to go to tho rescue, Cris Robert sprang overboard to help bis mother, and reached her, 'but not being strong, was able to hold her up, and was with difficulty got back to tho launch, which recovered Miss Arnold’s body. •' Recovery cf tho Bodies. Captain Mouugey and Kirk meanjirno recovered Mrs. Robert, Mrs. Grove, and one Grove boy, all floating face down in tho water. As Grove was helping to lift the bodies on board the launch from Captain Mounsey’s boat, he suddenly recognised that the body ho was handling was that of his wife, and cried: “Oh, God! Oh, God! My wife!” and became insensible. He is now completely broken down, and Ids evidence .was taken in bed, as was that of Cris Robert. Robert, senior, was too ill for. his evidence to be taken, and is in a serious condition. After he was brought to subsequent to his rescue, the rescuers wore compelled to tell him his wife and children were safe, to pacify him. The vsrcliot. Tho Coroner found the verdict “That the deceased came to their death by drowning in the Manawatu River on October 22, 1911, accidentally, and by misadventure.” The Coroner added a rider that he was of opinion that more care should be exorcised in regulating the number of passengers to bo carried in rowing boats. The five bodies were brought up from Foxton to-night hy road, coffins having been scut down during tho day. The funerals of four will be bold here on Wednesday. The body of Miss Arnold goes to Nelson to-morrow. The bodies of Miss Grace O’Sullivan, of Wellington, Leslie Robert, aged 10, and Douglas Robert, aged 8, have not been recovered. Search is being continued, but they may las swept out to sea. 1