BOAT CAPSIZED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5733, 28 November 1896, Page 5

BOAT CAPSIZED.

NA-EEpOW escape. Considerable excitement was experienced afc Lyttelton last evening by a report tliat a boat with tliree liids had beon capsized close to the reef. It seems that during the afternoon three lads, named Edwin Williams and John and Frank Caffey went in an open boat to Shag Beef for the purpose of obtaining mutton fish shells. Just as darkness came on they prepared to leave the reef, and their boat was at this time seen to capsize by a number of the members of the Lyttelton Band, which had gone for a march on tho Governor's Bay Eoad. Some of tho party at once proceeded to the Harbour Board sheds, whero a boat was procured. A careful search was made of the reef, but nothing could bo seen of the boys. The search party then returned to Lyttelton and reported the matter to Captain Clark through Mr Milne, engineer in charge of the electric light. Captain Clark immediately sent the tag to the reef. " She steamed close in to the rocks, and a boat was lowered, but, like tho first, search, this also proved fruitless. The tug returned to Lyttelton and by this time a number of people who had hoard of the supposed accident had turned out. The police hadcommunicated with Caffey, the father of the two boys supposed to have been lost, and .he turned up just as the tug reached the wharf with the welcome news that his two boys were safely at home, as was also the lad Williams. It seems that Caffey, who had himself seen the boat capsize, obtained a dingey and rowed to the reef, where he found the three lads on the rocks. He got them off, and rowed them back to Lyttelton, and was in blissful ignorance of the excitement caused as to their safety. The boat, which was ballasted, sank, ancl tho lads lost nearly all their clothes.