PORT OF GREY.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 762, 6 December 1870, Page 2

PORT OF GREY.

HTGIt WATKR Tuesday, Dec. 6-8. 86 a.m. ; 8.55 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7—9. 14 a .in:;, $. 33 p^m . arrived; .;>'■" r ;.-; ' Nil. ' " i: SAILED. Nil. . '.': OUTWARDS. December 3— Three Friends, schooner, 13 vtons; Riley, for Brighton. Glenn Bros., agents. : EXrKCTKT> ARRIVALS. i , .. Waterman, from Melbourne. Kate Oonley, from Melbourne. ; Omeo, from Melbourne. Gothenburg, from Melbourne. : T»rarua, from Melbourne. EXPORTS. Per Three Friends, for Brighton— Full cargo of stores, Glenn Bros ; 8 pkgs drapery, Mauson, i The 8.8. Tararua, Hagley, commander, arrived at the Bluff at eleven o'clocki on Sunday, after a passage of four days sixteen hours. She left Sandridge at 8 p.m. on the 29th, and brings 21 chief cabin passengers, 325 tons cargo, and 42 horses, for all ports. The Tarama brings the Southland portion of the English maile, having left Melbourne, a week later the Rangitdto. The passengers are Messrs Olapperton, Muir, Pittnian, Louisson, Ecroyd, Templar, Peake, Loughman, Wood, Garwood, Strachnn, Gidey, Mra, Miss and Master. White, Mrs Kiugswell, Mr and M» Greig, Mra Edmund Smith, Mrs Paterson ; 39 steerage. There have been neither arrivals nor departures at this port during the last three days, owing to the heavy westerly weather ■which has prevailed on the coast. The s.s Gothenburg was expected to leave Nelson yesterday afternoon for this port. She may, therefore, be positively expebted to show up in the roadstead this evening, •when she will be despatched with passengers for Melbourne direct. The announcement that the steamer Tairoa had been subsidised to convey passengers to Martin's Bay. excited some surprise in Dunedin among those who recollected "that 'at the time when that settlement : was attracting more attention than it is now, the Otago Provincial Government obstinately refused to subsidise a steamer for the purpose. The matter is explained by the fact that the subsidy— which amounts to Ll5O, we believe— is paid by the General Government as an equivalent for the services of the Lnna, promised some time ago. The Provincial Government pays nothing. The snbgidy is paid on condition that the Tairoa sails on Thursday next, taking such passengers as may offer at rates not exceeding the following :— Cabin passage, L 6 ; steerage, L3los. The following are the details of the melancholy boat accident, at Napier, by which five lives were lost, as recently reported by telegraph :— A feeling ol deep gloom has been cast over this community by a melancholy accident which occurred last evening (November 20) by which, out of a pleasure • party of six who left the town in a boat in the morning, only one survivor is left to tell the tale. The. few particulars we give below were mostly furnished to us by Mr Henry Hollaway, who owes his life, under Providence, to the fact of his bein<? a powerful swimmer, and to his having retained his presence of mind to the last. The party left Napier in a small boat about ten a. in. yesi day, with jbhc intention. of enjoying a picnic on the Western side of the harbor. Besides .himself, there were Mr Martin McNalty, publican, aiul John McNalty, hiß son, Mr ; Robert Brenton, architect, and. his son Alfred ; and" Mr Henry L. Yates, printer. The party reached their destination without accident, and, after staying some time on shore) prepared to return to town. On the way back much delay was caused by the boat getting repeatedly aground on the mud •flats, so that- it was evening before they caii-e abreast of Mr Beukers's Ferry Hotel. Here. a squall suddenly blew off the cap of 'one of the little Loys, and Mr Brenton, who ■was rowing, lifted his oar f rcm its place, ana stretched out to reach it. In doing so he knocked out the rowlock, which fell into the water and was lost. At this moment the boat was drifting into the current, which setting strongly out to sea, and great -confusion ensued amongst the party, all of, >%&om, excepting, Mr Holloway, were quite unacquainted with the management of a !^}oat. There was no surf to speak of, but a slight swell was breaking on the bar. As ithetf swept past Mr Beukers's house they called loudly to him for assistance. The current carried them almost under the new wharf, and, seeing one or two persons about, they called again, stating that they were disabled, and were drifting to sea. Strange to say, little notice was taken of them, except by Mr Beukers, who at once put off in his boat to their assistance. Very few people- at that time were on the beach or near the harbour ; the pilot and a great number of the spit residents being then present at the evening service -which was being held in the Port Church by the Eev. G. Morice. Mr Benkers's boat reached the party as they ncared the bar, and he called to them, •Get in, all of you ; one at a time,' This , ; was done, they scrambled in as best they could, but as they did so the boat reached the bar, and became half full of water. Mr ' Holloway and Mr Yates baled, but without avail, for the boat rapidly filled, and then capsized. Mr Holloway jumped free of the "boat as it turned over, and swam around it to see if any one was clinging to it. It righted again, and one after another got hold of it In swimming around he found a boy in the water— he does not know which boy it ■was— and drew him to the boat by the hair. The other one must have had sunk, for he was seen no more. The next thing that attracted his attention was the position of Mr Brenton, who was lying across the boat, his head in the water. Swimming to him, he found he was quite dead. He now told those who remained to cling quietly to the boat, as it was their only chance. Mr McNalty and Mr Yates, however, With the instinct of drowning men, were constantly trying to get in, and as often losing their hold altogether. For aboxt an hour Mr Holloway was thus employed— holding to the boat till one of the party or another loosed their hold, when he would swim to them and bring . them back. Mr Beukers all this time was holcliug to the boat, bat found it as much as he could do to retain his grasr. At length the boy's hold gave way, and he was carried some distance from the boat. Mr Holloway swam to him, but, finding himself nnable to support him in the water any longer was forced to let him go. He returned with great difficulty to tic boat, andshortly afterwards, a wave striking it and turning it half round, both Mr McNalty and Mr Yates sank to rise no more. Mr Holloway then called to Mr Beukers, ' How long do you think you can hold on?' 'About five minutes,' was the reply. Mr Holloway answered, ' I think I am good for a quarter of an hour yet ; let us try to paddle for the Challenger,'— which vessel was then not many hundred yards ahead. It was now dark, but they heard the sound of an approaching boat, and, crying, out once more, were soon lifted from their perilous position by the captain and some of the crew of the Challenger. Five minutes afterwards: the pilot-boat arrived at the spot, and they were taken on board and brought to lan& "—ltawkes Bay Hirald.