ALARMING EXPERIENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 3 May 1926, Page 5

ALARMING EXPERIENCE.

CONTACT WITH UYK WIRE. LAUNCH BURN El). AND TOWN IN GLOOM. By Teleffraph—J*ri!ss Association TAURANCiA, May 1.. The temporary ini.ure el me eiectric lijrht iasr mt.'i'i, ..liom.lv fieioi", 1 <i o’clock, caused householders' some inconvenience, but those patiently waiting lor the light to reappear little, dreamt of the desperate plight of three men in a, motor launch in a howling westerly gale, jammed on a lee shore in tile harbour against a live electric wire. A ;it>i L mullet fiuaL, coining up the harbour, was making ,>•! town, when it, was found that no headway could be made against the heavy westerly gale then raging, and the occupants, Afeesrs L. Jurv and R. Hayes, the' owners, and T.'Black, found the boat being gradually blown on to the shore, ill the vicinity of Whareora. Two an T.oiw were dropped, and the engine was kept going, hut without avail, and finally the launch went aground cm the eastern .shore icar whareora. Tlie'i came disaster, disaster swift and alarming. The mast struck the electric wires, carrying the current along the beach to Mount Muunganui. -Immediately' the vessel was a- mass of .sparks, and appeared afire iroin stem to stern. Jury, who was forward at the time, wa.s stunned and knocked overboard. Black, who was astern, was stunned and thrown across the iron fittings of the launch. Tie was burned through ]iis clothing, arid the current come into contact with Ins body. Hayes, who was in Die cockpit, was also rendered unconscious. Tile, launch then sheered off temporarily from the wires, and Black manured sufficiently to re'over and scramble into a flat'bottomed dinghy. He dragged Haves Irom the bunion, and tlierr picked up Jury, who was still in the water. All three were still in a dazed condition. a nil were blown on to the beach in the boat,. Uereral Maoris were on the boat'll •■vilimr h:'”'inu noticed iho ''ommotem when I lie launch touched the wires, and helped the men ashore. The men were provided with dry Nothing, and fame to town this inovn- ' The launch (in'dlv got Hear of the wires, and drifted down the hunionr, aid luu nt until about VI .30. She was pracf Ksi lly gut ted, the owners estimating their loss at. abom. LotIU.