ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5462, 14 January 1896, Page 1

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

THE KAIPAEA BOAT ACCIDENT. [Pee Pbess Association.! AUCKLAND, Jan. 13. : It has transpired with regard to the boating fatality at Kaipara that Edwards took the party out fishing on Saturday in Kaipara harbour. The boat capsized when returning near the entrance of the Hoteo Eiver. Two bodies have been recovered, those of Minnie Palmer and Nellie Perkins. Thomas Edwards, a young man, is the only survivor. He is a good swimmer, and he made a noble effort to save his companions. He actually succeeded in putting nine out of the ten persons drowned on the bottom of the boat, but the swell washed them off.. Edwards .again placed them on -.the" boat/ j but they were washed off a second time. Edwards then placed Edgar Armstrong, seven years old, on his back, swimming two miles, when the boy was washed off. Edwards lay -exhausted on the beach, but he afterwards swam a river half a mile wide and reached a settlement. Several of the drowned persons t had many friends and relations in Auckland. Mrs Perkins, wife of Euler Perkins, was forty-five years of age. Perkins was for many years accountant for the firm of Copeland and Co., provision and corn merchants, Queen and Customs Streets, but on the dissolution of the firm two or three years ago he took up land at Glorit, where he has since resided. Mrs Perkins and four of her cfiildren were drowned. There are five of the family left besides Mr Perkins, four sons and! one daugjher. Miss Josephine Macdermott (nineteen) whose . father, Mr W. J. Macdermott, is employed in the Her kid Office, only, went up to Glorit on Friday last with Miss Jessie Perkins, for a holiday. Armstrong, who with his young son was drowned, was a delicate man, who formerly was a grocer or draper in Manchester. He came from Wellington some time back, and got employment on farms in the district. He leaves a widow, who is without friends in the colony. ,He was about thirty. Beswarick was a resident of Oamaru. He came up here recently to seek em-, ployment. It is believed. that he. leaves a widow and eight or nine children in Oamaru. He was only a visitor to the Kaipara district. Miss Minnie Palmer was only twelve years of age, and was the daughter "of 1 Mr Palmer, of Glorit, settler. An .especially sad feature in connection vith the drowning '. of Miss Jessie Perkins, eldest girl, is that she %as to .have been married shortly to a young Yariner at P^eroa. was.:' just over twerity-rtwo,, arid was in the service of Mrs Alfred Nathanp Princes Streets :'. l^en. she took her hoHdays' last week she i took Miss M'Dermott with her for a visit to G-Jorit. All the drowned people belonged to the Church of Christ religious sect. Last evening, at the close pf the usual service in the Christians' meeting-house, Cook Street, a . special prayer meeting was held on behalf of the relations of the deceased. ■ Latest. Owing to rough weather, the police at,. Kaipara are unable, to search for the Lljoffiefc^j.;,.. --;•.'. (:,F^;p .;■:-.. ..-. . ;■. ; ;