A TAURANGA DISASTER.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 465, 23 April 1890, Page 4

A TAURANGA DISASTER.

FATAL WRECK OF THE CUTTER 01. It is our sad duty (says the Bay of Plenty “Times”) to chronicle the death, by drowning, of Messrs W. Turner and W. Harrison, or Cinnamon, both of this town. They were on the r way from Makebu in the cutter Oi, having left there last Tuesday. A gale had sprung up the night before, which has lasted all week. The cutter was seen by some people at the Mount at about midday on Tuesday, just outside Rabbit Island. She was then heading for the entrance to this harbour. Fears were entertained for her safety, in consequence of her non-arrival here, and the rough weather. On Saturday we published a paragraph to the above effect in our Extra, and on ibs being circulated a search party, consisting of Messrs Moss, C. Faulkner, C. Spencer, Allely, Maxwell, and Cotter, was organised, which proceeded to the Mount, where they 'were told by the crew of a cutter which had come in for shelter, that they had seen wreckage on the Panipani beach. The party at once went thither, and there, above high water mark, found the Oi a complete wreck. The mast was broken off to a stump, the bowsprit was completely wrenched out, and the timbers bad all parted at tbe stern, leaving a great gap. Her hatches were off, and the hold was swept of everything. Her rudder was found broken in two places, and her sails were found on the beach double reefed. No trace of the crew was discovered, and there is little doubt that these unfortunate young men have found a watery grave. It is difficult to say what caused the catastrophe. Quite a gloom was cast over the town as the news became generally known, and much sympathy was felt and expressed for the bereaved relatives. Mr W. Turner was 23 years of age, unmarried, and son of Mr J. Turner, of Katikati, who is a wellknown and much-re3pected settler. Mr W. Cinnamon was 21 years of age, and son of Captain Cinnamon, who is well known in this town. He had accompanied Mr Turner on a pleasure trip to Makebu. On Sunday morning the same party went off for another search along the beach, half way to Katikati Heads, where they found broken oars, part of a hat belonging to Cinnamon, and parts of an accordion. There were some footmarks on the beach, which gave hope of their having landed ; but, if so, it would have been known before now. The cutter Eleanor, and several other boats, went to search, bub nothing new has been found. The police searched the Mount, bub were unsuccessful.