YACHTSMAN DROWNED AT ST. HELIER'S.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 263, 10 November 1906, Page 5

YACHTSMAN DROWNED AT ST. HELIER'S.

LIFE BUOrS ON PLEASURE BQAT& THJB TORY'S RECOMMZSBATIO& The holiday yesterday was marred by a sad drowning fatality, which occurred off St. Helier's Bay, Arnold Frederick Adeane, a youth oi eighteen, falling off the yacht Rawhiti, and being drowned in the eight of his friends on board the j yacht, who handicapped by a broken til- [ ler, vainly endeavoured to reach him. One of the crew, Everard Brady, made I a gallant attempt at rescuing the drowning yachtsman, and the launch Ruru, also came to render assistance, but grounded on a reef before Adeane could be reached. This morning:, the city coroner (Mr T. Gresham") held an inquest touching the death of young Adeane, at his residence in Eccles'-aven ue. Sergeant Hendry represented the polirc. The first witnes-y Frank Justin Adeane, a brother of the deceased, said that they left Hobson street vliarf about 10.30 a.m. in the Kawhiti. There were nine on board, five men and lour ladies. The Rawhiti was a new boat, and was in first-class order. St. Helier's was reached safely, and as they passed the Bay the wind freshened suddenly. The boat was sailing fast with the breeze on her starboard quarter. The deceased was steering, and was bearing hard on the tiller, with his feet braced against the combings. He was fitting right up to windward, and leaning out to keep the strain on the tiller when it snnpped, and he was thrown into the water. The tiller was a new one. sawn the previous day from a piece of blue gum specially procured for the purpose. The yacht cariTed on for about thirty yards, and then ran up into the wind. The deceased was a splendid swimmer. Witness managed to improvise a tiller, but it was too short to do much more than prevent file boat go ing on to the rocks. As soon as the Rawhiti was put about a line was thrown, but it was too short, and Everard Brady, one of the crew, bravely jumped overboard to his rescue. The launch Ruru bore down on the drowning man, whom the captain had seen in the water, but she struck the reef, and had to be backed off. Witness thought that when his brother saw the launch stop and go astern, he lost heart, and sank in about ten feet of water. His body was recovered about two minutes afterwards, and Brady was also picked up. Efforts to revive (he unfortun ate youth were continued without effect for about three hours. In answer to a juryman witness said that they had a single reef in, and carried no life buoys, though he thought it would be a very sensible course for all yachts to carry one or more buoys. Dr. C. G. Watson, who happened to be in the vicinity, was called to the case about one o'clock. Adeane was dead, and, in witness' opinion, has been dead for over an hour. He was satisfied that every possible effort had been made to

revive the deceased. The captain of the Rum expressed the opinion that the whole occurrence was purely accidental, and there was no evidence of carelessness. Witness saw the man in the water, and bore down to his assistance, but, being over-anxious, the Ruru touched the reef, and witness ordered the boat out. A heavy squal] caused the trouble. Without retiring, the jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning, also expressing the opinion that no yachts should be allowed to go away without carrying life buoys. Favourable mention was also made of the conduct of young Brady, who had so gallantly gone to the rescue of his drowning friend. FATHER AND DAUGHTER IN DANGER. In our first edition yesterday we re ported a boat accident at Shelly Beach, in which it was stated that the gentleman of the party was thought to be missing. Luckily this was not the case. The full particulars of the acci dent, which appeared in a second edition of this paper, showed that Mr James Robson, of Seymour-street, Ponsonby, with his two daughters, were sailing in a boat, off Shelly beach. Near the Ponsonby Reef a squall upset the boat, which sank, about i foot, of the mast only being leit above water. Mr Robson clung to thp. mast, but the young ladies were carried away on the tide. Neither of the latter could swim, and their position was exceedingly critical, a-s Mr Robson could not go to their assistance. Their clothing kept them afloat for some time, but it was apparent to onlookers on die beach that they were in grave danger. Several yachtsmen noticed the accident, and immediately set out to render assistance. Mr Arthur Bullen and the Messrs Rews (2) succeeded in rescuing the girls, and then the father, who refused to be taken from his perilous position until his daughters had been saved. The party was conveyed ashore and taken to a neighbouring house, where they were attended to by Dr. Bedford. One of the young ladies was very much exhausted, and it was some time before she recovered.