SAD DROWNING FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2652, 30 October 1923, Page 3

SAD DROWNING FATALITY.

FOUR MEMBERS OF FAMILY LOST. ’ DINGHY OVERTURNS IN CHOPPY SEA. Tauranga, Sunday. The worst tragedy recorded of Tauranga Harbour occurred on Saturday afternoon at about six o’clock, in the vicinity of Mount Maungahui, just inside the harbour entrance, and about three miles from the town of Tauranga, resulting in the loss of the lives of four children of one family. Early in the afternoon, the seven children of Mr John Miller, a local plumber, rowed down the harbour to Mount Maunganui in a 12 foot dinghy. There names were: Fred, aged 24 years; Pimella, 20; Bruce, 17; Arnold, 12; Linen 11; Hubert, 8; and Melvin, 6. The afternoon was spent on the beach, and a start was made for home just after 5.30 p.m. A fresh westerly breeze was blowing with a choppy sea. When about 500 yards from the shore the boat rolled and shipped a sea, half filling the boat. She immediately The' children all grasped the boat, but, unfortunately, all were on one., side and the boat rolled over. This was repeated several times until only Fred was left clinging to the boat. None of them could swim to speak of, except Bruce who was a good swimmer, but he was the only one with' boots on; and he helped his two small brothers back to the boat several limes. It seems that after losing hold of the boat, all drifted apart. Fred, still, clinging to, the boat, saw his little sister Linea trying to swim, and called to her and Arnold to float. Both with wonder--fill presence of mind turned on their hacks and floated. They were then about a chain apart, hut drifted together, and interlocking one another’s arms, continued to float, Both were wearing oilskin coats, which, apparently saved their lives, Linea says .she saw her eldest sistei’, Pimella, who was unable to swim, holding up flic youngest of the two hoys. Bruce, who was a strong swimmer, and has a medal for swimming from Auckland to Northcote when'about 12 years of age, was not seen again. No one witnessed the accident, hut Fred attracted the attention of Mr Jeffares, the railway stationmaster in charge, who rushed to the beach and‘saw Fred near the shore on the keel of the upturned boat. With Mr Lindell, the Public Works shops foreman, he waded out and assisted him ashore, well spent, after'about half-an-honr in the water, drifting half a •-mile. p • In tin* meantime Messrs Isherwood ami Nathan pushed a boat off the beach and endeavoured, without, oars, to reach Linea and Arnold, whom*they saw floating together about two chains off the beach. Fortunately they picked up the floa ting oars from the upturned boat and lesehed the two children who, although then conscious, remembered nothing further till a couple of hours later. Mr Lindell and others in the meantime righted the Millers’ boat and went In search of the others. A few chains from the shore, they saw another body, which proved to he that of.the youngest boy, Melvin, floating face down. Immediately he was got ashore and respiration tried unavailingly for two hours. Constables Skinner and Clifford, with Dr. Cattell, proceeded from here to Maunganui, as soon as they were advised of the accident, and brought the body to town. The beaeli was patrolled all night, and dragging was commenced to-day, hut the bodies of Pimella, Brace and Hubert have not yet been recovered.