THE FOXTON DISASTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10458, 24 October 1911, Page 5

THE FOXTON DISASTER

EIGHT PERSONS DROWNED

A TRAGIC AFFAIR

The Manawatu Standard gives the following details of the tragedy at (Foxton Heads on Sunday :

HOW IT HAPPENED.

The deceased were members of a party that had gone down to the beach for the week-end. Mr and Mrs Robert and their children motored to Foxton on Saturday, and with Mr and Mrs E. R. Hoiben and Mill Holben, of Palmerston, intended spending Sun■day at the sea-side. A launch picnic was arranged for, and on Sunday morning Mr and Mrs Grove and their ■two children motored out to join them. Tho river was high, as the result of recent rains, and the wind "brought a fairly strong sea against the flood current, with the result that the water was considered to be too rough for the outing. At 11 o'clock, however, matters wore -considered to be more satisfactory, and it was decided to proceed with the picnic. Mr and Mrs Bolben, who were to have participit"ed, decided that the weather was too (rough, and remained at their cottage. Those who entered the boat were Mr and Mrs Robert and their two sons, Mr and Mrs Groves and two Miss Arnold and Miss •O'Sullivan.

ACCOUNTS OF EYE-WITNESSES

'HVfr E.'R. B. Holben, of'Palmerston North, who was present at the time, and vena one of those who, attended to Mr Robert after he had been brought ito the shore, gave some further particulars to a representative of this journal. It was originally intended, he *aid, that his party and Mr Robert's should go up the river for an outing in the morning. The morning, however, turned out rather rough, and Mrs Holben went to Mrs Robert and cancelled the engagement, it being mutually agree'! that it was too rough to take oiit the women and children, and to leave the matter over until the afternoon ~-«when they expected that the wind ' would abate in its violence. Mrs Holden •went away with the intention of doing something in the house, and to get ready for the afternoon's outing. It had been the intention of Mr Grove to come down and effect some repairs. He did hot arrive, however, till about 10 o'clock on Sunday morning, accompanied by his wife and two children and Miss Arnold, the party coming down in a motor car. They went to Mr Robert's place about a quarter of an hour after it had been decided that it was too rough to go out. As Mr Grove had to go back in the afternoon, he wished to go out right away if possible, as otherwise his party would miss tihe outing.. It was eventually decided to make the trip that ended so fatally. The launch was at its moorings in the stream, and Messrs C. E. Turner and Chris. Robert had gone on board ahead of the party to get it ready.

MR ROBERT'S ACCOUNT. Mr Holben stated that Mr Robert, who naturally was in a terrible state of mind over the occurrence, in discussing the matter afterwards, ' stated that he was in charge of the party in the flat-bottomed boat. He did hot take his own boat, but used a .smaller one, as the distance to travel was only about -three boat4engths. ' •■■■ THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. What really caused the disaster, said Mr Robert, was the fact that the ,tow lockswere much too.largeand the Oars; were continually '-slipping outk The result was that they., had, only got a liibtle way" out into the stream when, the boat got broadside on, and the ladies became alarmed. Mr Robert suggested that they turn hack, but Mr Grove thought it would be easier and safer to get to the launch, as they had only a few yards to go. They found, however,y that they could not keep the oars in the rowlocks, and,v Mie tide being against them, they were carried towards the heads, and missed the launch. When the ladies saw this they hecame frightened, andi he (Mr .Robert) stood up in the boat, and waved his hands for help from the shore, as he considered that was the only thing that he could do. The ladies became more alarmed, and the water commenced to trickle in oh one side of the boat. They hurriedly shifted to the opposite side with the result that the boat was immediately swamped, and all the party were scattered in the'water. v TO THE RESCUE. .

.: Continuing,Mr.Holben'seated that] Messrs Kirk, and Mounsey had just ar- ] rived on theibea<Jh ixi a motor-car, and saw that the boat was in difficulties. They immediately got a, boat out, while Messrs Langley and Young, who arrived at the same time;, got out another boat and hurriedly made for t)he place where the people were struggling in the water. Afte/ considerable trouble Messrs Langley and Young managed to get hold of Mr Robert, but found that he was too 'heavy to be dragged into their boat. Consequently, they look the up-turned boat, to which (he was clinging in tow, and landed him on the far side of the river. In the meantime, Mr Grove swam towards the launch, evidently with the intention of getting assistance from there, and succeeded in getting on board. A PLUCKY ACTION.

Chris. Robert, 'who. was on the launch,, immediately jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue his mother, whom he saw struggling some distance away. Owing to the fact that "he is practically an invalid, however, he wag not able to achieve his object, and he was taken with a seizure of the heart, and only pulled back on board again after some difficulty. Meantime Mr Grove and Mr C. E. Turner got the launch in hand, and moved to the scene'of the accident, but were too late to be of any assistance. The tide was running out strongly, and the bodies were carried down the river.

Messrs Mounsey and Kirk picked up three bodies, which were placed on the launch. Strange to say, though none of the bodies sank, it was found impossible to resuscitate them. The last body picked up was that of Miss Arnold, 'which was also floating 1 three-