FATALITY AT MAORI KAIK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 38

FATALITY AT MAORI KAIK.

JOHN TAIAROA DROWNED. - The New Year was ushered in at the :Maori - Kaik amidst the- - gloom of deep Borrow, in consequence of the death by drowning of -Mr John Taiaroa. 'In company with some friends, Jack - Taiaroa, as .he,* was more widely and familiarly- known,, iwentr down' the harbour irom Dunedin oa -JNew^ Year's Eve in. a motor launch, accompanied by Messrs H. Maddigan, W. Kehiiedy, and G. Cox, and the party called' at -Portobello and Port Chalmers- on. the way "down, arriving at .'the Kaik at 11 p.m: " The- landing-place for boatß is a small stage --it the side of the quarry jetty nearest the Heads, and -a plank forms a gangway by which people landing- on the stag* reach the embankment. It is rather difficult to 'affect a landing when the tide is coming- in, for the water rushes between the piles of --the Wharf with a epead of seven or eight mites an hour at times. Cox was the first to get out of the boat on to" the wharf, and t»as holding the boat by the tow-line. Kennedy then got put and reached back to "assist Taiaroa, but the latter by some means tripped on the tow-line and fell mto the water between the boat and the wharf, > and was. carried out ty the current.. --When "he was last seen he was about 20 yards away from the wharf, when he. called .outr "All right; lam coming in I" A moment later he disappeared in the gloom. Thinking he was swimming way from the shore : by mistake, the others kept calling out, but *he was_"not 6een or heard afterwards. „--The -cries brought deceased's brother, Mr - George Taiaroa* who lived Ta.""few hundred yards away; down to the wharf, and also a number of men who were" at dance in Jrthe Kaik Hall. • A watch was kept at .the 'jetty during the night, and "at t daylight ' fragging- operations with nets and hooks were commenced. The police having been communicated with, Constable Edwards was sent from' Port Chalmers at 7 .d' clock on New Year's- morning, and, tak- - ing -. grappling-irons with him, the whole 'vicinity of the" jetty was dragged throughout the .day. - * Jatjk Taiaroa in his day was one-- of the " beet-known footballers in New. Zealand. . He .represented Otago in 'the half back - line .in 1881 and 1882, and was a member sf Uie first New Zealand team to visit Australia. That was in 188*, and the , records show that he played in every '" Ofctrih. The team's record was: — Matches .ilajred, 8 ; won, 8 ; points for, , 167 ; igairist, 17. He was the eldest son of the ;.I*te Hoa. H. K. Taiaroa. A pathetio - feature " is the fact that it wae on the eve * hi« little daughter's birthday, and de- ~ -.«sed was taking home a lot of presents , ,» commemorate the event.