SAD BOATING FATALITY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2262, 24 October 1889, Page 2

SAD BOATING FATALITY.

a (psu PRRsa ABHOUIATION. ) Wktwnqton, Ocober 23 In theoours. of nn Interview this morn iug Miss Sarah Spaakman («ged nineteen) tho only survivor of last night's bor.' aootdent, states that they left Petone before Beveu o'olock, and about 7.40 cap-k'-bq'J, owing, she believes, to tbe boat jibbing In a squall. All three oaoupantr got s -.fely on th j boat, she helping 8 tew or , who was a ra her delloate man, They cried lastly for help, bat, saw none of the boats sent out to rescue them. After half ho hour Stewart's strength gave out, and he fell lut> the water, nnd was never seen a^ain. Gum, who was a strong, \ powerful young m»n, (hawed signs of exhan tlon after being an hour oo tbe 1 boat, and fell across tbe bottom with his > head almost touoblng the water. Mls_ I Spaakman pulled him up aud raid, 'Ba a > man, hang on like m-." He, however, was too far gone, and a f aw minutes later ell off, and Miss Spfcokimn saw. b ! m : i )»ting atongalde the overturned ora'f *■ for r some time, but oould do nothing to help ) him For three honrs after this Miss , Spaokman, who was straddled aoross the > boat, was by herself, and apparently with 3 little hope of being saved, ad was fast , drifting towards the Heads. Ai last the Petone Naval oatter oame new, and- she 9 oalled, " Shall I throw yoa ths painter ? " 1 The men oalled to her to cling to the bo it, j aud th.>y won'd oome alongside, which r they did and took her ashore. Mies 1 Spaokman feels very little effect fr-m the j exposure, but her left arm and right leg . were a little bruised. John Gum was a, i tingle msa, about twenty-four years of 1 age. James Btewart was a widower with , three children, and has friends at Cambridge. _____________________ I