BOAT ACCIDENT AT WAITARA.— FOUR LIVES LOST.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 476, 15 November 1879, Page 2

BOAT ACCIDENT AT WAITARA. — FOUR LIVES LOST.

(From the Taranaki Herald.) has reached town of the capsizing of a boat on the Waitara bar, and the loss of four lives. From later information received we learn that a boat named the Long Annie left Waitara early this morning (7th) for Mokan, with a party of 7 men, with supplies, gear, &c., for the purpose of assisting in launching the steamer Hannah Mokan, now aground on the north spit of the Mokau. When the boat reached the Waitara bar, there was a

sea rolling in. The boat had reached the bur, and .was about making the attempt to take the breakers, when a heavy sea struck her, heeling her over, and she immediately filled and went down, leaving 1 the men in the midst of the breakers a distance of over 200 yards from tiie shore. Three of the men—Charles Sommorvillo, Austin Dngdale, and William Sarten —aft.sr desperate struggling against the heavy sea on the bar, succeeded in reaching the shore in a.i exhausted condition. The other lour —B-nj.imm Gollop, Harry Tate, E. W. Archer, and George Turrell —were drowned. The two last named were lately seamen on board the schooner Nelson, and had been engaged by Messrs Holmes to proceed to the .Mokau. One of tiie men was seen swimming and supporting himself by an oar for a considerable time, but eventually disappeared in the breakers. Those who were saved had a dreadful struggle against the ebbing tide and the heavy sea, and had the distance from the. shore been greater, must also have inevitably succumbed. Fortunately Messrs Holmes and Son did not go in the boat, but rode overland to the Mokau yesterday, otherwise the accident might have been even more disastrous. Immediately on the news reaching town. Inspector Bullen, with praiseworthy promptitude, despatched a constable on horseback to render assistance‘•fceid make full enquiries as to the canac*of the accident. The boat it is stated has been unused for some time, and whether tins fact has anything to do with the cause of the accident, we are unable the say, but it is certain she did not rise to the waves in a buoyant manner, but sank very low and the waves broke ever her.

An inquest was'held on Saturday last on the bodies of George Turrell, E. \V. Archer, and Benjamin Gollop, whoso bodies bad been recovered. After evidence was taken, the jury returned a verdict that the men had been accidentally drowned by the swamping of the boat known as the Long Annie, on the Waitara bar, adding a rider that it was the opinion of the jury that the boat was not in a lit condition to proceed to Mokau.

The body of Harry Tate has not yet been recovered.