TWO BOYS DROWNED AT POVERTY BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1696, 26 July 1875, Page 2

TWO BOYS DROWNED AT POVERTY BAY.

By the steamer Pretty Jane we have particulars of the melancholy drowning of two boys, named Joseph Seatle and William Murphy. The circumstances of the accident were thus detailed by Kenneth Nasmyth at the inquest held on the body of the lad Seatle : "On Sunday last, the 27th June, a party of four, consisting of the deceased, Archy Munn, William Murphy, and myself crossed the ferry and returned to the beach about half-past three. We entered a canoe with a native lad for the purpose of returning to town. I was in the bow, and when in midstream I heard Murphy exclaim, '" Oh !" , I looked round and found the canoe filling with water. She sank immediately and we were all precipitated into the river. I swam for the shore. I saw the deceased splashing about in the water. I felt him catch hold of me. I was about ten yards from the shore. I do not think he could swim. He pulled me under the water, I disengaged myself from his grasp and I saw nothing more of him. I recognised the body as that of deceased. I consider the cause of the accident arose from the canoe being over loaded, the canoe was a very small one."