The Foxton Disaster

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 105, 24 October 1911, Page 5

The Foxton Disaster

HOW IT HAPPENED. EICUIT LIVES LOST. By Telegraph—Prom Aswin.tion. Palmerston X., Monday. Further 'particulars of the boating catastrophe at Foxton Heads show that the following were drowned:— Agnes Isabella Grove, wife of Mr. Eugene Grove, motor expert at Dunk and Pringle's, aged 34. Eex Eugene Grove, aged 0. John Hardy Grove, aged 3. Fanny Robert, wife of Percy Robert, uniform and regalia manufacturer. Leslie Robert, aged 10. : Douglas Robert, aged 8. Florence Arnold, aged 24, late of Eltfcam. Grace O'Sullivan, aged 22, daughter of Major J. O'Sullivan, director of equipment stores, Defence Department, Wellington. The party had arranged for a motor launch picnic. The. morning broke windy, and there was a fresh in the river, against which the wind raised a considerable sea. It was. derided it wa» too rough for the ladies and children, but the men went for a cruise, and at about 11 o'clock came back. It was then decided to take the rest on board, while the launch was held off shore in the tideway with Chris Robert, eldest son of Percy Robert, and Cam Turner aboard. Mr. Robert and Mr. Grove proceeded to bring the women and children on board in a small fiat-bottomed dinghy. The rowers had three chains to cover to the launch, but did not allow sufficiently for the rush of the tide, consequent on the fresh in the river, sweeping towards the heads. Consequently they missed the launch and were swept out into rougher water. In the effort to recover, the boat was swamped, and all the occupants thrown into the water.

_ Not many persons witnessed the accident, but Messrs. Young and Langley, who saw the heavily laden boat go! out, apprehensive of danger, launched another boat, and while pulling out saw the tragedy occur. They only succeeded in saving Robert senior. Meanwhile Messrs. Mounsey and Torstonson went out in another boat, and the result was the rescue of Grove. Five bodies, those of Mrs. Grove, Mrs. Robert, Miss Arnold, and the two children Grove, were recovered, but restorative measures proved futile. Grove and Robert were both exhausted when recovered. Nelson, Monday. Miss Arnold was the second daughterof Mr. W. Arnold, of Springrove. She had been spending a holiday with friends at Palmerston North, ' A TERRIBLE STORY. AT THE MERCY OF THE WAVES. VALIANT ATTEMPTS AT RUSCUB. TRAGIC INCIDENTS. NARROW ESCAPE OF OTHERS. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. Palmerston N., Last Night. An inquest on the five bodies recovered after the Foxton tragedy on Sunday was held at Foxton beach yesterday before Mr. Fraser, Coroner, Sub-Inspector Norwood representing the police. Formal evidence was given as to the identification of the bodies. Evidence was given by George Langley, boardinghouse keeper. He saw Percy Robert and Eugene Grove with Mrs. Grove and two children, Mrs. Robert and two sons, Miss Arnold and Miss O'Sullivan set out in an eighteen-foot flat-bottomed boat to go to the launch, which was at anchor about a hundred yards off, two youths, Crispanus Robert and Campbell Turner, being on board, the launch waiting for the rest of the party. The oars "were fmall and the rowlocks too large. There was only a few inches of freeboard, and it was blowing freshly and with a fresh running in the river. Robert was rowing. The oars slipped from the rowlocks, Grove recovering them. They missed the launch, and were carried towards the heads.

ONE OF THE LADIES EXCITED. One of the ladies became excited at the situation. Grove took Robert's place at the oars and wfiter begfc|n 'to come over the side, when thfc 3a!die;3 leant to the 'other side. Robert stood up. waved his hands for assistance, at the same time crying to the launch for help, and Mrs. Robert also crying for help. A boat then went over. TO THE RESCUE. Captain Mounsey, W. Kirk and others ashore saw their peril and ran to launch a boat. W. Young and Langlcy. reaching it first, put off before the boat capsized, Mounsey and Kirk procuring another boat and breaking into a shed for oars, with which they also went out. While Langley's boat was rowing out ROBERT'S BOAT WENT DOWN. They found Robert insensible on the bottom of the boat, and, being unable to get a heavy man into their frail craft, pulled him over to the other shore, and, with difficulty, restored him to consciousness. As the boat went 'over, Grove seized Miss Arnold, but was separated from her in the rough water, and swam to the launch, being pulled on board, and assisting the boys to go to the rescue. Oris Robert sprang ovWlioard to help his mother and reached her. but not being strong was una'ble to hold her up and was with difficulty got back to the launch, which recovered Miss Arnold's body. RECOVERY OF THE BODIES. Captain Mounsey and Kirk- meantime recovered Mrs. Robert, Mrs. Grove and one Grove boy, all floating face down in the water. As Grove was helping to lift the bodies on board the launch from Captain Momisey's boat, he suddenly recognised that the body he was handling vas (but of his wife, and cried: "Oh, God! Oil. Cod! my wife!" and became insensible.

lie is now completely broken down, and bis evidence was taken in bed. as was (liiit ol* CvU Robert. Robert, senior, was too ill for hi- evidence to be taken, and is in a. serious condition. After he was brought to subsequent to bis rescue, the rescuers were compelled to tell him his wife anil children were safe to pacify him. Till' VERDICT. The Coroner found the verdict "that the deceased came to their death by drowning in the Mannwatu river on October 22, ]f)ll, accidentally and by misadventure." The Coroner added a rider that he was of opinion that more care should be exercised in regulating the number of passengers to lie carried in rowing boats. The .five bodies were brought up from Foxton to-,nigbt by road, coll'ins having been sent down during the day. The funerals of four will be held here on Wednesday. The body of Miss Arnold goes to Nelson to-morrow. The bodies of Miss Grace O'Sullivau. of Wellington, Leslie Robert, aged 10, and Douglas Robert, aged eight, have not been recovered. Search is being continued, but they may be swept out to sea.