THE BOATING DISASTER AT SUMNER.

Kumara Times, Issue 3133, 18 November 1886, Page 2

THE BOATING DISASTER AT SUMNER.

FOUR GIRLS DROWNED.

[Christchurch Press, November 10.]

It is our painful duty to record a melancholy accident, resulting in the loss of four lives, which occurred to a pleasure party of six on the Estuary, near Sumner, yesterday afternoon. The facts we have ascertained are as follow : The party consisted of Charles Cotton, aged seventeen, a clerk in the Mutual Life Association Office; Kate Cotton, twenty ; and Edith Cotton, five and a half, all children of Mr Samuel Cotton, stonemason, Richmond ; WiMiam Stewart, twenty-four; and Emma Stewart, nineteen, son and daughter of Mr John Stewart, Richmond ; and Louisa Bouudy, daughter of Mr Jas. Boundy, also of Richmond. They 'eft in the morning in one of Mr Rees’ boats for Sumner, rowing down the River Avon, After spending an hour or two on the beach near Sumner, they starred (or borne on the flood tide, about an hour or so before bigb water*

The incoming tide meeting the nor’•west gale raised a nasty jobhle on the Estuary, but the young men did not deem it unsafe. On reaching the point where the channels of the rivers Avon and Heathcote meet, the boat began to ship the waves, causing the girls to become frightened. Their brothers tried to reassure them, but did not succeed, and in their terror the girls Stood up. The boat almost immediately capsized, throwing all the occupants into the water, Forlunately the accident was seen by some boys in the fishermen’s village, opposite which, at a distance of about three-quarters of a mile, the boat capsized. Two of the fishermen, whose names are E. Williams ami Alex. Lendrose, at once launched their boat and pulled with all speed to tha spot. When within fifty yards of the upturned boat they came across Stewart, who had been swimming, but was almost exhausted when reached. The fishermen with difficulty, owing to the wind, got him into their boat, and he subsequently revived. They then pulled for the boat, on which they found young Cotton clinging, with his little sister Edith clasped to his breast. He told his rescuers she was alive, but unfortunately it proved that his praiseworthy exertions to save her life had been unavailing. She was apparently quite dead when the fishermen lifted her into their boat. Nothing could be seen of the bodies of Miss Cotton, Miss Stewart, and Miss Bouncly, and so the fishermen pulled back to the village. One of the cottages was placed at the disposal of the two young men. Everything possible was done for them by the kind fisherfolk, and under the treatment they received they quickly iccovered. Meanwhile Lendrose went to Woolston with the news, and a telephone message was sent by Mr Hopkins to the police in Christchurch. Sergeant Wilson sent down Sergeant Hallet and Constable Roster, himself following with Dr. Bakewell some time afterwards, as he had some difficulty in finding a doctor. Williams, accompanied by Townsend, went out again with his boat to search for the other bodies, several other boats joining in the search. When the tide had gone out he found the boat which had drifted a quarter of a mile, on the mud fint, and he also recovered a lady’s waterproof, a hamper, and the boat cushions. On the flat also W. Bines and his brother found a body, which which was subsequently identified as that, of Miss Cotton, and brought it ashore in their boat. A crew of young men, members of the Canterbury Bowing Club, returning from Sumner, discovered another body lying on the mud flat, some distance from the channel. They beckoned to Williams and Townsend, and with their assistance the body was brought with considerable difficulty over the mud to the latters' boat. The mnd was above the knees, and it took half an hour to accomplish the task. This was the last body recovered, and it proved to be that of Mias Boundy, All the bodies had drifted with tire tide. The body of Miss S f ewnrt had not been r ecover ed up to a late hour lest night. It is believed to have been seen, but in a place Inaccessible owing to the mud and a creek intervening. Dr. Bakewell arrived as Miss Boundy’s body was brought to land, hut could be of no service.

The survivors, after stating what we have given up to the time the boat capsized, said that they all managed to get on to the bottom after it first went over, t at owing to the roughness of the water the boat again turned. They tried all they could to save their sisters, but the boat turned, as far 'as they could remember, about three times. Stewart says that when he found his sister was gone he left the boat, and was picked up as we have stated. The bodies were brought into town by the police, and the Coroner, Mr R. Beetham, allowed them to be taken to their homes. Before closing onr report we must not omit to give, a word of praise to Messrs Williams and Lendrose for the promptness with which they set to work to render assistance, and it is due to th«i> exertions that the lives of Stewart and Cotton were saved. The others who assisted in the search for the bodies deserve credit also, for theirs was a dangerous and difficult task, and took several hours in the performance.