Bank Clerk Missing.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1929, 10 March 1875, Page 2

Bank Clerk Missing.

I There is great apprehension, and only too well founded, that a young fellow named Porter, junior clerk in the Bank of Australasia has met with death by drowning in the Hauraki Gulf between last evening and to-day. The circumstances of the case will be very sad should he not make his appearance alive again. From enquiry we learn that Porter, who j. was given to boating, yesterday evening set out from the Gratiamstown Wharf in a small Rob Roy canoe, measuring about 12 feet in length, being propelled by the ! use of a single-bladed paddle. Yesterday the weather was very squally, and increased in strength towards evening, so that it was eminently hazardous to venture out in so frail a boat, especially as the canoe was known to admit the water through the canvass covering, which was torn or worn away in one or two places. Porter was accompanied to the wharf by a messenger of the Bank, who, when the canoe put off from the wharf, seeing that the wind was carrying it away, made the fact known to »some persons engaged in j fishing on the wharf, and asked them to put off and. render the young fellow some assistance. A boat attached j to the wharf was put'•■■■off \>J Messrs Moyes and Andrews, and ah attempt made to catch the canoe, but it was lost sight of in the dimness of the night, and the boat returned. Mr May, waterman, and others then proceeded in search of the canoe, but met with* no better success; and the search for a time was given up as hopeless. Subsequently at midnight another boat was manned by Mr F. 0. fWilliams and others, who returned at 5 a.m. to-day without having found any trace of the missing canoe, Messrs Carpenter and Carnell, who arrived from Tapu Creek late last night, stated that they had experienced severe squalls within the gull. .Nothing has yet been seen to-day (at two o'clock), and so we .have nothing for our readers but conjecture. This morning a number of those connected with the several banks—Messrs Carrick, Bell, Lodge, Robertshawj Dunovan and others volunteered to form a party to go in search of the missing youth. It appears that the boatmen in Bhortland thought the elements too boisterous to -venture in open boats thi3 morning; this may have been so, but it does, seem strange that, supposing the wind to have been unfavorable, there could not have been some effort made to take a yacht out. We t understand that Mr Grant, of the Union Bank, offered to be responsible for all expenses if volunteers would take out a steam launch. It is understood that boats will go out to explore the gulf on the next tide. As to the probabilities ofj?orter's _survival, jt has occl^elTformany fiiaT there may T>e a chance of his having reached the Miranda in safety if he kept the boat before the wind with the aid. of his paddle. The chance, it is to Be feared, is very remote, though hope will not be abandoned while there is uncertainty.