FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6309, 6 August 1888, Page 3

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.

Two Men Drowned. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 6. The Under-Secretary for Native Affairs has received a telegram from Mr Bishop, Resident Magistrate at Mongonui, to say that George Wyatt, storekeeper' at Kawarua, went out; fishing on Saturday morning with threa Natives, when the boat capsized and Wyatt was drowned. The three Natives were stated to be clinging to the boat at sea. The weather was so rough and the sea so high that no communication could be held with them from shore. The steam launch at Hokianga could not get out across the bar, and all boats were powerless. The only hope of saving the men would be by a steamer from Manukau or Kaipara. Mr Lewis at once wired to . Auckland to get a steamer sent to the rescue of the men, and at half-past three yesterday morning the steamer Bowena left Onehunga for the scene of the disaster. Later Mr Lewis received another telegram from Mr Bishop to the effect that Wyatt and a Native named Te Moreuka were drowned. Twopersons were saved, Bingi Bawinanui, a Native andTai Raiuohai, ahalf -caste. These two were in the water for many hours, and were considerably knocked about. Wyatt clung to the boat for half an hour, and was then washed off ; he could not Bwiin. The people on shore were powerless. It is not stated how the two men saved, but it is presumed that they clung to the boat, which must have been gradually washed ashore. A later telegram from Pawinanui says that two men were drowned and two saved. The boat drifted over a mile to the North, and then drifted inshore with the flood tide. One man stuck to the boat till it was smashed up on the rocks.