FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT IN THE INNER HARBOR.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3827, 22 October 1883, Page 2

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT IN THE INNER HARBOR.

A profound fooling of gloom spread throughout the town yesterday forenoon on its becoming known that on the previous x evening a sad boating casualty had taken place by which three promising young men lost their lives. Some particulars of the melancholy occurrence were known to a few in town late on Saturday night, but tho worst was not learnt until an early 4 hour on Sunday morning. The exact condition of things was then verified by the survivors of the accident, and tho particulars, so far as wo have been enabled to gather them, are as follows: —On Saturday afternoon a party of six young men started from the Spit for a sail to Poraito in Mr J. Holt's yacht Resolute. The names of tho crow were James and Alexander Stewart (brothers), carpenters ; Arthur Dixon, cabinet maker ; AY. L. Meek, upholsterer; AY. De la Haye, coach trimmer; and George Rearden, architect's pupil. Tho party reached Poraito in safety, where- thoy landed and kindled a firo, and were heading back for homo, when at 4.30 o'clock, and whito about live hundred yards from tho shore, tho craft was caught by a sudden gust of wind which caused her to heol over and dive beneath tho waves bows first, precipitating the whole of tho crow into tho water. At first no groat danger was apprehended, although tho soa was choppy, and somo of tho party clung to tho upturned yacht, whilst tho others busied themselves cutting away tho hamper with tho object of. making a raft. Their efforts proving futile, J. Stewart and Arthur Dixon, both of them good swimmers, observing that tho boat was drifting out, determined to swim ashore (at this time about half -a-mile distant), in order to procure assistance for their four companions. Dixon, the best swimmer, swam without assistance, leaving to J. Stewart the jib-boom to help him to land. Tho two men, tired out with their previous

cxortions to right the boat, and having all their clothes on, including somowhat heavy boots, had great difficulty in reaching the shore. They state that they were battling in tho water for over an hour, arriving at this conclusion in the following manner. The boat capsized at 25 minutes past! ; for half-an-hour efforts were made both to right tho boat and to form a raft, whioh would bring the timo to o o'clock when ' the two men started to swim ashore, and it was G o'clock, or a little past, when they succeeded in crawling out upon the beach. They were then so oxhaustcd that neither could walk for a long timo, and they rested upon the beach. AVhen their strength was recovered a littlo they started for Taradale, their weakness and tho rough nature of the • road travelled preventing them reaching the latter placo before half-past 8 in the evening. The police were then communicated with, and on hearing their tale Constable Villcrs immediately mounted a horso and rode rapidly to the Spit, where ho gave information of the accident to Constable Harvey and some fishermen, and then rodo into town to communicate with Major Scully. The Major immediately proceeded to the Spit, but before ho reached there Pilot Kraeft had despatched one boat, tho fishermen had manned three others, and a fifth was being scut off by Mr Kraeft. Stewart and Dixon had reached town in a buggy, and thoy joined in the search, going to point out tho scene of tho accident. For several hours the boats cruised about for the yacht had been carried by wind and current from tho placo where it capsized. The first pilot boat at last returned to the AVestcrn Spit, after hard pulling for four hours. One of the crow (a volunteer) was qnito exhausted, and his placo was taken by Constable Siddles, of Porangahau. The boat then put off again, and about 1.30 o'clock fell in with tho yacht, right side up, but full of water, a considerable distance from the scene of the accident. The boat had three occupants. Two—AVilliam Meek andAVilliam Do la Haye— were dead from exhaustion and exposure; the third, Alexander Stewart, was insensible; and George Reardcn was not there. Alexander Stewart was brought to tho Spit, where every attention was paid to him at tho Crown Hotel, and after a timo he recovered consciousness, and was able to givo an account of the occurrence after his brother and Dixon swam on shore. Tho four men clung to the side of the boat. When it began to get dark Meek, who was a. strong- swimmer, offered to assist Eetvrdon ashore, aud tho latter stripped for a start, but his heart failed him. Just then a heavy sea struck the boat, washing all the men off, and turning the craft keel uppermost. Only three succeeded in reaching tho boat again ; Rearden was never seen after ho was washed off. After sitting on the kcol some time, Meek dived and released tho ballast in tho boat, and cut the remaining rigging, so that they were able to right her. For two or throo hours they sat thus, tho boat's gunwale level with the water. Soon after midnight, as near as tho survivor, A. Stewart, could reckon, De la Hayo fell out of the boat. Ho was pulled in and held upright by his companions, but shortly afterwards ho fell off the seat, and never again manifested signs of life. Stewart is of opinion that Do la Haye must havo been dead when ho first fell. About an hour after this, and about half-an-hour before the rescuing boat arrived, Meek, reputed a good sailor, and lato a member of the Wellington Naval Brigade, became delirious. Stowart mado him as comfortable as he could by supporting his head upon his (Stewart's) knee, and Meek seemed to sleep. It was his last sleep, for, in tho words of Stowart, " Meek shortly afterwards opened his eyes, gave a littlo sigh, and died." Stowart now began to get so drowsy that tho effort to keep awake was painful, and ho had nearly lost consciousness when he became dimly aware of somcono shouting. This came from tho seekers iv the pilotboat, who had been shouting to attract the attention of those who might bo left alive, ever since they received notice of tho disaster. Stewart, almost more dead than alive, and the bodies of De la Hayo aud Meek were taken into tho pilot-boat and conveyed to shore. Restoratives were administered in the boat to Stewart, and efforts were made to resuscitate the lifeless forms of his two unfortunate companions, but in tho latter had arrived too late. Tlie bodies of Do la Haye and Meek wcro taken to the Crown Hotel, Spit, where an inquest was to have been held at 2 o'clock this afternoon. All efforts to recover the body of Rearden, who is tho-only surviving child of Mr J. A. Rearden, of tho Napier Commercial Academy, have so far proved fruitless. One of the search parties yesterday pickod up two caps, one of them bearing tho brand of the Wellington Naval Brigade. This would be Meek's cap, as he was a member of that corps when in Wellington. Young Reardon's untimely death has created a feeling of universal regret in town. Ho was a lad of great promiso, and it may truly be said of him that ho was without a vice. The greatest sympathy is felt with his bereaved and sorrowing parents, who iv this awful and sudden inannor have been deprived of their greatest earthly hope. Meek and De la Hayo aro AVcllington men, but have lived for somo timo in Napier, and were much respected by all who knew them. Their relatives havo been informed by wire of the sad occurrence, and this inoring a telegram was received from Mock's father asking that a coffin might be prepared aud his late son's remains forwarded to AVcllington. It is probable that tho body will bo forwarded in accordance with this request. In connection with the roscuo of Stewart, and tho rocovcry of the bodies of Ids companions who wore left in tho boat with him, an accident occurred by which ouo of the men named Knowles, received a nasty cut on the head. It was very dark when the boat was returning, and in passing under tho bridge f?ho crew misjudged the distanco of tho boat from the buttress. The oar Kuowlcs was pulling consequently struck against a pile, and tho way on tho boat caused the inner end of the oar to striko him severely, iuilioting an ugly cut just over ono of his oyes. Tho injured man was taken immediately to Dr. Caro, who stitched up his wound.