BOAT ACCIDENT AT TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 137, 28 August 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

BOAT ACCIDENT AT TARANAKI.

This week has been fuller in incident than the last. On Sunday a fatal accident occured resulting in the death of Mr. Alex. King, an old settler. The first boat from the Lady Bird, with the passengers and mails, was upset in the surf, which however though nasty, was not very high at the time. Pronij.t assistance was rendered from shore—another boat was run out and several good swimmers among the settlers, who were on the beach, gave invaluable help, saving many lives. Among them may be named Edward Marshall, W. Brooking, C. Kingcombe, J. Harvey, W. Johnson, and James Bayley. We were glad to see our contemporary’s suggestion that some tangible mark of the public approbation should be given to those who risk their lives to save others. Bravery in battle is not the only kind that deserves a public recognition. Colonel Sillery, Capt. Gresson, Messrs. Webster, J. Kelly, Houdin, Mitchell, Dr. Spence and Fox (a boatman), and some others, had narrow escapes ; but all were saved with the exception of Mr. A. King, whose body was recovered within a few minutes after the accident, but life was extinct. The following was the evidence of the coxswain of the boat before the Coroner’s jury, and gives the best account of the accident:—

Duncan Cameron deposed ; I was in the boat on Sunday, the 9th, employed bringing passengers from the Lady Bird steamboat to the shore, It was about 11 a.m. It was the first boat from the steamer. The deceased A. King, was one of the passengers. I was coxswain of the boat. There is an outhaul bouy to which a small warp is affixed. When we arrived at the buoy we took hold of the rope for the purpose of hauling the boat ashore. I then trimmed the boat by placing the passengers so that the boat should be upright, the crew hauled away towards the shore. When we got half-way into the shore I gave orders to stop the boat, as I saw two large seas coming. When they went past the men continued hauling again, got a little way more in shore, when a third sea came and struck the boat in the bow, but she shipped no water. The sea got about midships of the boat, and the boat commenced to run. I told the crew to hold her, to stop her way, but they could not; the boat then broached to port and heeled over on the starboard side. By heeling over it threw' the passengers to leeward from port to starboard, and the boat took in a body of water Another bit of sea came whilst we were lying over in that state aud struck her on the broadside that turned the boat bottom up. I found myself in the water close to the boat’s stern. I dimed to the top of the boat. Newbegiu also got on the boat with me. The passengers and crew that we saw close to the boat were hauled upon the boat’s bottom ; there was one oar washed out from under the boat which we got hold of. We hauled one or two of the passengers on to the boat with that. Mr. King was washed close to the boat during that time calling for help. We gave him the end of the oar in his hand but through weakness, or the drawback, or both together, he was unable to hold on. When he let go the drawback took him out to the break of the surf; it broke over his head, at the same time washing him in shore, He kept floating about in shore for a little bit out of the reach of us until E. Marshall got him in his arras, and held him until the other boat came from the shore and took him, with Marshall, in and brought him on shore. There was a nasty sea on during yesterday ; it rose after we went out. We have frequently been out in much rougher weather. The outhaul rope was in its usual stale. It was as tight as it could be drawn owing to the rocks and current it is impossible to make it quite taut. The boat was an excellent sea boat. Had there been a small handy life boat at hand, I think Mr. King’s life might have been saved. When I was out of the boat, I found I I could just touch the bottom; the drawback was so strong that a person could not keep his feet to walk on shore. I don’t think Mr. King could swim. The boat went over very gradually ; the oars falling might have struck him. J as, Barrett and John Kelly, the former one of the crew and the latter a passenger, corroborated the above evidence, the former thinking that had life buoys been in the boat they would have been of the greatest service. The Jury express their opinion that Life Buoys to be placed in the cargo boats, and a life-boat should be provided for the services of New Plymouth with the least possible delay. —Taranaki Herald, August 15.