BOATING DISASTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1927, 8 November 1906, Page 4

BOATING DISASTER.

THREE LIVES LOST,

PRESS ASSOCIATION

Invercargill, Tuesday,

I* ia reported that a boating accident, involvirg tho losb of three lives, cconrrod down tt'O estuary about midnight, A party, consisting r.f Wen. Ball, aged 30, ivfo;s Hsz’emoro, 33. Wiiiiatn Patton, 40, Claude Dsvey, David Hiimiltoo, and Ernest Gilchrist lef; Invoroaigill in an oil launch, with a dingy in tow, for Sandy Point on a fishing cxped:t ! on. They anchored tho lauoch off the shore and landed in the diDgy. While four of tho party wore returning Iho dingy swamped, and nothing h’s ainor been soon of Ball, Hazlemora and Patton. The two latter were married, and leave families of throe and four children respectively. Later details show that a party of six tradesmen set out in an oil launoh for the evening, floundering. They anohored inside Sbo Heads, some 200 yards from Sandy Beach, and wont nshoro in a flatty. A sudden change if woathor occurred. Ojo cf ihe fiercest shifty gales of the season came on, and they decided to return to tho launch and await tho rising of tho moon to tun back to town. Claude Divey and David Hamilton, owners of tbo launch, woro takon off by Wm. Ball and E. Gilchrist to attend to the engine, the latter two roturning for Wm. Patton, Moss, and Hoz’emoro, tbo net, and fish. Tho wind scorns to have freshened and blown on shore, for when the flatty got near the launoh it was found she was making leeway and in danger of swamping. Those on the launoh woro bailed and asked to veer away so that the oraft would come down on the flatty, but the wind was so fieroo that tho request oould Dot be made out. Those in tho boat decided to return to shore, and in tho confu9od sea runniug tho craft was swept from undor them. Gilohrist maoßged (o reach tho beach, and saw tho other three swimming behind him, but a black squall came up and he saw no moro of them. All wero hamperod by gum bools. Tho beat onmo ashore soon aftor with tho not and fish still in it, and Gilohrist’s opinion is that had the others stayed by it it would have supported them. Tho body cf Hazlemoro was recovered. Ho was a nativo of lovoroargill, oged 36, mariied, with threa children. Potion was a carpenter, Bged 40, also married, with four of a family. Ho was Davoy’a brother in Jaw. 801 l was a son of iho Town Clork cf South loyercargill. Ho I and Haz3lmoro woro employed at Broad, Small and Co.’s.