CALAMITOUS AND FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 740, 18 May 1853, Page 3

CALAMITOUS AND FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.

It is our painful duly to record one of the rn st distressing accidents that have occurred in this district, hy which one valuable life is known to have been lost, and four others, —though I lie fact has not been ascertained by the same painfully certain evidence— can scarcely by any stretch of the most sanguine hope he supposed to have escaped. The melancholy circumstances may he very briefly related. On Friday last a party consisting of Lieutenant Charles Thomas Hutchinson, ICE.. Staff Assistant Surgeon .Matthews, Air. G. B. W. Jackson, and two Sappers and | Miners (Corporal Hawkins, and Private Parsons,) went out on a pleasure excursion in the direclion of the North Shore. Their boat was of Hie peculiar construction known as u a twin boat,” consisting in fact of two bottoms united by one deck. They were expected to icturn on | Saturday, hut did not arrive. On that day, Mr. j Carrulh, ofthe North Shore, saw through a spy 1 glass an object which he supposed to he a boat j capsized, although lie could not he quite sure dial it was nut a log. In consequence of Ids statement, a native woman named Anna, with her husband ; and two other natives, went on Sunday morning i along (he beach on the East side of the North 1 Shore, in going round Stocky Point, about { seven miles Bound the North Head, they found a body (afterwards identified as that of Lieutenant Hutchinson), ly inir dead on the rocks; the | body which was totally naked, lay upon the belly, with (he head turned towards the sea, i and the face bruised. They also found at dif- I fcrenl adjacent places, a small boat or punt, two ; oars, a basket, candle, a cap, a waistcoat, a portrait of a female, and a pair of trow sens in (he j pocket of which was a purse containing JBs. Gd. | The natives immediately went back and in- j formed Messrs. Poynlon, Stewart, McCoy, and Powell, who, with another native, came to the spot, and caused the body to be removed by four Natives to the Roman Catholic College. ‘ On Monday the body was brought by the Police * to Auckland, and an inquest was held at the ! Caledonian Hold, before Dr. Davies, Coroner, at which the circumstances connected with the find- : ing of (he body c., were clearly detailed by the native woman Anna, (a very intelligent witness,) | and others. Dr. Thompson of the i>Blh regi- i menl, liad made a post mortem examination, j and was satisfied that the immediate cause of; death was drowning. The verdict ofthe Jury accordingly was “ Found Drowned.” In Ihc course of Mr. Poynlon’s evidence he stated that on Sunday, about 2 o’clock, lie saw a capsized boat out at sea about half a mile, which he supposed was kept stationary by (he mast. On Monday about one o’clock the boat was driven on shore, the mast having broken, He bad discovered nothing however that would throw any additional light on the catastrophe. Yesterday a boat with a party of the Sappers and Miners went out to make search for any information that could be obtained respecting it, but we have not yet learned whether their efforts have been of any avail. The following “ Brigade Order” has been issued with reference to the melancholy death of Lieutenant Hutchinson. it will be seen that his Funeral is to lake place this day at j past one o’clock : Extract from Brigade Order. i7th May, 1855. It is with deep regret the Lieutenant-Colonel has to announce (he melancholy and uulimely death of Lieut Hutchinson, Royal Engineers, who who in the course of Sunday last, found drowned on the North Shore, whither ho had proceeded hut I he Friday previous in ins Yacht. The

death ot ( i ! i s promising young officer must he keenly leil by all.who served with him, oi had the pleasure olbis ai:^u;finlance. r,,e funeral of the late Lieutenant Butch inson will lake place to morrow (Wednesday) at 1 past one o'clock.