DROWNING FATALITY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9064, 27 April 1937, Page 3

DROWNING FATALITY

TRAGIC END OF COCKLE GATHERER MAN FROM TAURANGA LOST IN BOWENTOWN ESTUARY The loss of life by drowning, in I the Bowentown harbour, of Mr WilI liam Abner Shires, about 50 years (of age, was reported by Constable J O'Neill, of Katikati, late last night. A launch was observed at anchor in the main channel opposite Tanner's Point during last week-end, and about a mile from the shore of Matakana Island, where there are extensive cockle beds. On Sunday Messrs J. and E. Browne, of Athenree, went out in their launch to investigate. There was no sign of life on board and no j dinghy was in sight. There was i about three feet of water in the launch and clothing and - other articles were awash. There were also "nine full sugarbags of cockles. The launch was anchored about 40 yards away from the edge of the cockle bank. Later Messrs Browne brothers reported the matter to Constable O'Neill, officer in charge of the Katikati police station. Early yesterday morning the constable joined Messrs Browne brothers at the Bowentown crossing, and with three others, Messrs Cleaver, H. Harley and W. Leith, set out in Browne's launch to make further investigation. Meanwhile the police ascertained that the dinghy had been picked up off Kauri Point, three miles away from the anchored launch, late on Thursday afternoon with the oars and rollicks intact, and a new rope but no anchor attached. A pair of thigh waders tied to the prongs of a fork imbedded j in the sand of the cockle bed were also discovered.

The police state that Shires had been engaged in gathering cockles for the past,week or two and taking them to Tauranga, where he found a market for them. The weather has been stormy during the whole of the past week, and the discovery of the waders fastened to the fork, the finding of the dinghy without an anchor, and four full bags of cockles on the sand, indicate that the incoming tide carried the dinghy off while Shires was busy gathering the shellfish. It is anticipated that, discovering the loss of the dinghy, the unfortunate man discarded his waders and attempted to reach either the launch or the dinghy and was drowned in doing so. Constable O'Neill an« party, who yesterday searched the ocean beach in the vicinity of Bowentown Heads and the inland shores of the harbour without result, resumed their search at an early hour this morning.