A LAUNCH WRECKED.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1924, Page 2

A LAUNCH WRECKED.

.MAORI’S TRYING ORDEAL. lIV TIXKCKAI’II —I’IIKSS ASSN., COrYItiCKT. CiIUISTCmT.ITI, May 20 In a fierce northerly gale iaging along the coast to-day, the well-known launch “Toi Joi" was swamped off' Ad-icrlcy Head, and a passenger, Clarence Filwaid Barber, aged 15, re siding with bis parents at, Martins Itfjad. Opawa, was drowned, while two Maoris landed through the surf on to a roil:, narrowly escaping being dashed to pioios. The Toi Toi was owned and skippered by Harry Gennoil, a Maori, of l’ort Levy, and tail a regular servite between I’oit Levy and Lyttelton. This morning, as usual the skipper being accompanied by his brother Dick Gcnnell, and the boy, Barter, who bad been baching at l’ort Levy with a relative, and was returning home to recommence school. From the account given subsequently liv the hi ii in h-uwucr, it appears a terrible sea was encountered off the beads. When ju-t in the act of turning. a heavy sea washed the for'ard batch cover off', and then disaster followed swiftly. Wave after wave poured down the open hatchway. The engine stopped, and the little vessel began to sink by tile bead. Realising the extremity of their peril, the two Maoris decided to attempt to Miim ashore. First they lashed a lifebuoy amuml Baiter, and then all took to the* sea. For some time, the two Gonnoll* tried to tow the boy in. |>ut they found, instead, that all were being carried out. The struggle in the breaking seas soon exliausted them, and then the boy was "ashed away.

After a terrible battle in the surf, the Maoris were thrown on a rocky beach at the foot of the cliff. Then hv a toitmoo- process, they climbed the rocks, anil edged along sheep tracks on the cliff. They finally made their way to the signal station, the climb occupying two hours. There there reported the disaster, anil received attention and warm clothes.