STATEMENT BY THE SURVIVOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5502, 29 February 1896, Page 5

STATEMENT BY THE SURVIVOR.

Mr H. Hawker was interviewed by a representative of this journal at New Brighton this morning. He made the following statement :—" Mr J. Murray, licensee of the New Brighton Hotel, Mr F. H. Stewart, formerly in the employ of the New Brighton Tramway Company, and myself, left New Brighton by the nine o'clocktramon Friday night for the purpose of going down to Sumner to bring up the yacht Waitangi to compete in the New Brighton Sailing CluVa race, to-day. Wa met Mr W. F. Warner, commodore of our Sailing Club, upon arriving iri Chrißtchurch, and he was anxious to go down for the boat, though, earlier in the evening we thought it better to leave it there on account of the wind. We all left Christ- • church by the 10,10 p.m. tram for Sumner, and got out at Monck's, where the yacht was anchored. She was 18ft in length, with a 6ft beam, and was half-decked. As the wind was too strong when we arrived we waited in the shed there till about 12.30 a.m. Mr Warner was then satisfied tbat the wind was safe enough tp venture out, as it was what is called a working breeze. We were close-reefed, with a reefed ,jib when ,we started, and we carried a fair breeze up to the : fishermen's huts, when we met a strong puff. We let go the peak, and topped up the boom lift, and of course that eased the boat. We got through the puff all right, but about a mile farther on a stronger puff of wind, apparently from the south, struck the boat broadside on and turned her over. I think the reason she capsized was because the end of the boom was too low and struck the water. The lift of the boom having previously been let go, it probably liad not been fully tightened up again. She refused to answer her helm, and was water-logged at once. She went down very easily, and rested apparently on hard sand. I climbed on to the mast, but let go, and the mast straightened up. The others stood on the yacht. . We had a talk together as to what we should do, and I decided to. swim ashore and go for assistance. The shore or ground fit to. land upon appeared to be about twenty -five yards away. I went rdund the yacht and. got the main sheet out of the block. I gave one end to Mr Warner, and with the other end in my teeth I tried to swim ashore. The tide which was flowing, was too strong, however, and having to drag the long rope, I had some difficulty in swimming across. The rope was not long enough and I had to let go. % thought that the others would be able to remain on. the yacht till I got assisttance, or that they would follow me ashore. I- started across the mud flatfor MrNanker viUe's but do not know how far I had to go, probably a mile. The mud was so soft that I could not walk through it, and I had to crawl and roll till I reached hard ground. I arrived at Mr Nankerville's about 2 a.m., and rousing him np we got his punt and started for the spot where the yacht was capsized. We could not find any trace of her or any sign ef my comrades. After searching for a considerable time we returned to New Brighton, arriving there at 5 a.m. As the tide was flowing when the accident happened, the yacht must afterwards have floated off the sand on which she first lodged. When Mr Nankerville and I could not find the others we concluded that they had managed to get ashore and got home. Mr Hawker was very much exhausted when he reached New Brighton at 5 a.m. Pilot Day returned to Sumner from the scene of the accident at 1.30 p.m. He reports that the boat is lying in eight feet of water about a mile above the tripod. Four boats from New Brighton -are now on the spot, waiting for a more favourable state of the tide before commencing dragging for the bodies. There is no longer any hope of the occupants of the ill-fated boat being found alive. About ten o'clock this morning one of the search party from New Brighton, found a bank-book belonging to young Stewart. Search parties have been out all the morning, but just before one o'clock no tidings had been heard of the missing men. The yacht was found some distance from the sp*}>t whero she capsized.