DROWNING FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 825, 12 April 1910, Page 3

DROWNING FATALITY.

EIGHT FIVES FOST

Wanganui, April 10

A distressing drowning accident occurred at Castlecliff about .noon to-day, whereby eight lives weie lost, the drowned being members of two families —Fudlam and Anderson.

A number of residents had arranged a picnic on the South Spit, and a flat-bottomed boat was used to ferry picnicers across. The first trip was safely accomplished, and the boat left again with ten occupants. All went well until the middle of the river was reached, when a strong tide and swell from the sea made a nasty “jobble.” An attempt was made to turn back, but when the boat was broadside on it capsized, all the occupants being precipitated into the water. A fisherman on the South Spit noticed the catastrophe, aud put off to the rescue. Pie managed to save two boys, and then saw the body of a woman floating. This proved to be Mrs Fudlam, tightly clasping one of her little children. Both were dead.

The alarm was then given, but owing to the rough state of the river dragging could not be carried out. It is expected that the bodies will be taken out to sea and washed ashore along the beach. A large party of police and residents are searching.

One body has been recovered

Those drowned were ; —Mrs Fudlam, aged 49 ; Waller Fudlam, aged 20 ; James Fudlam, aged 18 ; Claude Fudlam, aged 10 ; Gladys Fudlam, aged 5 ; Mrs Anderson, aged 48 ; Maud Alexander, aged 18 ; Ernest Alexander, aged 3. The body recovered was that ot Walter Fudlam. Mrs Fudlam was clasping Ernest Andersou to her breast when their bodies were found.

Wanganui, April 11

The police and parties have been engaged since daylight dragging the river for the bodies, but so far none have been recovered, and it is thought that most, if not all, have been washed out to sea. There was an exceptionally strong outgoing current at the time of the accident, and a strong wind blowing. The river was choppy and rough, rendering a passage across anything but a light task for the better class of craft, much less for a sixteen-foot flat-bot-tomed boat filled with people. The fact that the river was rough accounts for the absence of other boats which on fine days dot its expanse on Sundays between town and the heads. The accident occurred about raid-day. Between the town and the entrance is always looked upon as a difficult place to negotiate for small boats when the wind is blowing, as wind and current generally cause a jobble.

There are no houses on eit her side of the river, and the accident was only Seeu by one or two, iucluding Andersuu, who bad previously crossed the river, and was standing on a sandhill watching the boating party. He saw the boat upset and his wife and family drowning, but was powerless to render assistance. Most of the launches were engaged up the river, and could not be obtained till late in the evening. Consequently there were the fishermen to render assistance.