Boating Disasters

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XIV, Issue 65, 25 October 1911, Page 4

Boating Disasters

A PICNIC PARTY DROWNED. A terribla accident occurred af Te Whnrangi, a Eeaside resoit at Foxton Heads on Sunday morning. A party of ladies and children were going out to Mr Roberts's motor launch on the river. There was a sharp breeze and jobble, and the'dinghy was very overladen, and capsized and Bank be-* fore any boats could "be launched from the shore. All the party were drowned. They were- Mrs Percy Roberta, of Palmerston North, and her two sons; Mrd Groves, wife of Mr Groves, motor expert at Paltierston North, and one child; Miss Fanny O'Sullivan, daughter of Captain O'Sullivan, of the Defence Department, Wellington; Miss Arnold, of Ne!son. While the launch was held off shore in the tide-way with two young men aboard, Mr Roberts and Mr Grove 3 proceeded to bring the women and children on board in a square, flatbottomed dingy. The rowers had three chains to cover to the launch, but did not allow sufficiently for the rush of the tide in consequence of the fresh in the river sweeping towards the heads. Consequently they missed the launch, and were-swept down with the tide and out into the rougher water. Not many persons witnessed the accident, but Messrs Young and Langley, who saw the heavily-laden boat go out, apprehensive of tha danger, launcfce.l another boat and, while pulling out, saw the tragedy occur. They only succeeded in saving Roberts senior. Meanwhile two others went out in another boat, and the result was the rescue of Groves. Both were exhausted, bos recovered. On the same day four lives were lost by a boat accident near Cape Turnagain on the East Coast. The steamer Fanny was hading wcol from the beach for Wingaetu Station by means of a tender. While making the trip with sixteen bales the tender's engine stopped, and the craft turned broadside to the waves and waß upset; all four of the men on board were drownec 1 . Two clung to a bale of wool for seme time till it became saturated ar.d sark. The other two clung to the beat, but were washed off. The Fanny's lifeboat was lowered, but could rot reach the men in time. After cruising about without result Eha came on to Napier.