THREE DROWNED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 576, 3 August 1909, Page 5

THREE DROWNED.

\ ' : —•——— . ,-. . •'!" ,' ACCIDENT -IN. AUCKLAND : HARBOUR. STRUCK BY A SQUALL. A MISSION CTBAJIER'S BOAT CAPSIZES. ,|. (By Tcloßraph-Prenß Association.) ■•••'■■■"■ :>.-i■'■'.;■' Auckland,; August 2. A shocking drowning accident occurred, in ■ the harbour to-night, when three men from 1 the mission,steamer Southern, Cross .'lost . their Uvea, namely— The Chief Steward (T. Mealand). ' , i ' The Chief Engineer (R. Rao).. I A native boy named Jim. . • ' ; ~. . As : is the Custom', a boat left the; Sonthern -'.-'■ [ Cross for tho shore this evening, containing [ : the chief , officer ;(Mi\ R,; Houchenj, the chief eriginoor' (Mr. Rae), tie chief Steward (Mr, ■; Mealand)', and,four nativo' boys. .All the officers in the boat had their , homes in Auckland, and, after had been I put ashore, the Molancsian boys wore to I i have,taken the'boat back to: the Southern 1 CrOsS.- .■■";.''''. '.. ■,i 'J, '.;'''-' .'■.,-'-.; I The weather was unsettled, and a strong squally south-soiith-west gale was blowing. .:, | .Captain Sinker, of the Southern Cross, .'. . stated to a "Herald" rcpresentativo' that the , boat .had gone; only, a' very; short f'distance' '■» • from the Southern Cross, and was crossing ' ; from; tho leeward. to. the: windward: side/' '; \ when a sudden squall struck her/, and she ' , overturned,' and aU, the of th'o ■ "'""•,.' | boat-were;'.thrown into the water, where : i ; they..struggled for some time, three 1 of'the > -. native boys.and;tho chief officer'.oventaally - .managing;^,-tako,;hold of tho : overturned '" ■• b0at..'..\,.-;. ■.■;••'■.■'';,-.:'.'■' i- ■.',:■■■'■■■■ '.' • ■ ;. " '■ ,;;tho' -engineer'-twotner •' ' : '""■' L .ina.onG.oftlio nativo boys; 'howevoiTraiied ' . to ; reach the boat; and as nothing has been ' : since soen.of, thorn thero seems to' be very' - : ;. ktUo,doubt that they havo.been drowS -' ':■ u ??... 0 }; ? le natives, howovor,' managed to - smm .hack .to .the Southern. a i: \ vory unpleasant experience, and' was subsoquontly brought over to the-Sailors' Home.,' : The.uptttnied boat,,with tho chief'officer, : and the,throe to it! waa ' ' blown fioinc distance up,tho harbour, where. - " after.drutins about for 'half an hour or so /'■■' ;it was seen by. the. master- of the ■■ forry boat/ ■' ■' ■ Albatross, and- tho mate'.' and tho nativo '-. boys were rescued., They were taken to the " . bailors Home and attended:to,";■■'"" The chief officer was v found to be in a very i weak stato, and was .attended to by Dr. ■;■''■•' - Mprray.- His unpleasant experience had told : . upon-him severely,• though it is'riot thought -': that-his. condition is at all serious. .■■?'■• ..'■■'•' A'few minutes' .conversation ■■■ with' the ' : , rescued sailor? did not throw much more • i I 1 glt J .? n '•■ t J M> occurrence.;, One of them"said i- . that.thcy had just started from the Southorn ■"•■ '"• '> 1 Cross, and lwd'just hoisted tho' sail when v " • .the squall,struck them. '■ ■:■•'.'•': : '.' ■'•■.: : "Blow! My, it did blow," ho said, as if '- , Unable to describe the force of the wind. .Tho \ ■ boat turned over and they managed to cling ' - lii' l ' b. u tia.,wavo came along. : :!.,■;•':, ■ Tlio chief engineer Rao) was a rei eontly-married man, whoso bom© waa at Pon-.' spnby. Ho has been on board tho Southern . - ! Cross for about a year. ■ > , - : " ! \ T. Mealand. tho steward, was also mari. nod.-. His.wife.'lives at Onehunga., ' .