FATAL ACCIDENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 6, 28 April 1876, Page 3

FATAL ACCIDENT.

An accident attended with loss of life occnrrcd at Port Molyneux on Sunday morning last. It appears that Mr. John Haetly Jenkinson's son, of Hurt Mulynettx, had obtainwl permission to sliuot ♦ltieb". n[K>n the mill dam helorisjing to Mr. linyh, who is a neighbour of Air. Jenkinson. The boys consequently visited the dam, and were unlucky, but having heard that the break of day was an opportune time to secure some birds, they laid a plan tltat they should arise early on Sunday morning and make their way to the dam unknown to their father, which they did. Shortly after their arrival they shot a duck, bnt it was* beyond their reach from the shore. There being an empty case close by, 'he eldest of the boys (there were two of them, aged respectively thirteen and ten years) got into it and obtained the duck, returning to shore all right. The}" ultimately sht.t another bird, when the old case was again brought into requisition, and hotEi boys got into it t«» siecure their bird. After they "had proceed d a considerable distance from the bank the frail h;trSc fottlcd against some scrub, when the youngest lad stood up to try rend clear it, but in so doing he fell overl>oard. His brother, in trying to resell"* him, also went overboard, bnt ho managed to get hold of the case, and ultimately to rescue his yu,inger brother, and get him into the box. They then made for the shore, but a similar accident occurred, the elder lad rescuing his brother a second time. The yotinker one commenced to show syi»|>toms of mental weakness, and by some means he capsized the box a third time. Tine oldest boy at this stage cooeyed, and was heard by a near neighbour, Mrs. Shields, who at once ran with bare feet to the scene, and threw a flax line to liim, and this got him ashore, bnt without the case. Mrs. Shields' son also came to the rescue, and olaserving the youngest lad rise to the surface, plnnged in and brought liim ashore, but nearly at the cost of his own life, as he got his legs entangled with those of the drowned boy, and it was with great difficulty that he cleared himself. Tlve body was subjected to all kinds of restoratives by the neighbours who rallied round him, and everything that cotild be suggested was tried. The father rubbed the body for four hours incessantly, but life was extinct. An inquest was held upon the remains, before Dr. J. G. Smith, at Balclntha, on Tuesday, when a verdict of "Accidentally Drowned" was returned.