Anglican Division D, Row 1, Plot 79
DROWNING FATALITY
CAPSIZE Or A DINGY
TWO PERSONS DROWNED
A boating fatality occurred in the harbour last night through the capsize of a dingy, a man and a woman being drowned, while two others had a very narrow escape.
The statement of a survivor, William Reed, shows that he and James Pert, who form the crew of the fishing boat Swift, were proceeding out to their craft in company with May Mills and Mary Campbell at the time of the fatality. They had been drinking about the town during the evening, having their last drink at the Britomart Hotel while on the way to the boat. They borrowed a dingy from the scow Moehau, which was lying at the Breastwork, to the eastward of the No. 4 Quay-street Jetty, and left that vessel at about ten minutes past eleven. Though they had been drinking Reed states that none ot the party were really drunk, though all had had a little too much. However, they well knew what they were doing.
The Swift was anchored about 200 yard's out from the end of the No. 4 jetty and about 70 or 80 yards from the Railway Wharf. Pert, who was sitting in the stern of the boat was sculling, Mary Campbell being alongside him, on the weather side, while Reed and May Mills were in the bow. Pert sculled alongside the Breastwork, in order to keep out of the rough water, as the dingy was loaded nearly down to the gunwale, and the strong wind was causing, a sea in the harbour. All went well until they reached the head of the Railway Wharf, when a large wave came through, causing the dingy to roll. This threw Mary Campbell on top of Pert, and the dingy then capsized, all being thrown into the water. Reed was a good swimmer and May Mills could also swim well, but the others were unable to do so.
When the dingy capsized Mills grabbed Reed round the neck, while Campbell seized her, and Pert took hold of Campbell. All four sank together, but Reed managed to loosen the hold of the girl, and they then rose to the surface. He then struck out for the dingy, but it had sunk when all were holding on to it. Pert again seized it when it came up, causing it to sink once more. Pert and the woman were then crying out for help, but, seeing that it was of no use waiting for assistance, Reed swam towards the scow Flora to try and get a dingy in which to rescue the others. He told Mills to swim for the shore, but being hampered by her clothing she was unable to do this. Reed safely reached the scow, but found that there was no dingy. He then lapsed into insensibility and knew nothing more until this morning.
The rescue of Reed and Mary Campbell was effected by a couple of fishermen, who were, however, unable to find the other pair. Joe Winters, in charge of the fishing boat Rosina, heard cries for help coming from the water about 20 yards from his boat. He called out in reply that he had no dingy, but would try to pull the Rosina near enough to pull them out. With the assistance of his mate he pulled the Rosina up, but found that he could get no closer than six yards to the struggling party. The dingy was then about ten yards from them, and he managed to hook this in with an oar. As soon as he had righted the dingy, he jumped into it and sculled over to the spot, but could then find no sign of any of the number. He sculled round and saw a hat floating in the water, and on endeavouring to lift this into the boat found that it was attached to something below. He accordingly reached down, and touched a woman's hair. By this he lifted her up, and then pulled her into the boat, finding out that it was Mary Campbell. She was quite unconscious, and Winter thought that she was dead, but worked her arms in order to get the water out of her lungs, and in a few minutes heard her groan. He then sculled towards the wharf, on which were a number of people, and the woman was hauled up on a line, being placed on a mattress in the Northern Company's shed. Here she was attended to by Dr. King, who had been sent for, and was subsequently removed to the hospital by the doctor and Constable McDonnell.
In the meantime Jenu Petone, of the Kaparere, who had also heard the cries, pulled out in a dingy, accompanied by another of the crew. Winters told them that he had secured one and just then Maud Hartnell, who was in the Rosina, called out that she could see someone in the water astern of the scow Flora. Petone then pulled out and got Reed, who had quite lost consciousness, just as he was sinking. He was lifted into the boat and was taken aboard the Rosina, where first aid was rendered and everything possible was done. Through the night Reed was raving in delirium, but after awaking from a sleep he was in his right senses. To-day he suffered from severe pains in the chest, caused by the water which had filled his lungs.
Constable McDonnell, on wharf duty, heard the cries of the party, and was quickly on the scene, as was Detective Maddern, who was also in the vicinity. With the assistance of three of the crew of the ketch Lizette Constable McDonnell pulled over the scene of the fatality, but was unable to find any trace of Pert or May Mills. Constables Montgomery and Pinkerton also came on the scene, being on the Quay-street jetty.
At the hospital to-day Campbell was doing as well as could be expected. She was suffering from severe shock to the system, and was in a low condition. At low water to-day Constables Cahill and Murphy were engaged in dragging round the scene of the accident for the bodies of James Pert and May Mills, but their operations were not successful. They were a good deal inconvenienced by the number of boats anchored round about. The operations will be resumed this afternoon. Reed states that there was no quarrelling on the boat, all members of the party being on good terms.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19010314.2.5
The dragging operations by the police and other parties for the bodies of the man Pert and the woman May Mills, the victims of the recent boating fatality, have so far been unsuccessful. The police will now wait for a few days to see if the bodies float. Mr. O. Andersen, of the Flora, writes to say that Maud Hartnell was not on the Flora on the night of the fatality.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19010316.2.18
THE BOATING FATALITY.
An inquest touching: the death of James Pert, who was drowned through the capsize of a dingy on Wednesday night last was held yesterday afternoon, before Mr T. Gresham. coroner, at the Criterion Hotel, Sergeant Forbes representing the police. Mary Campbell, a married woman living apart from her husband, and residing with her mother in Grey-street, gave evidence as to identity, stating that Pert was about 28 years of age, and was employed on the fishing boat Swift. She stated that deceased, May Mills, Wm. Reed, and herself met at the Britomart Hotel at about 10 o'clock on Wednesday night last, but did not have a drink at that hotel. The men were sober, and the four went to the breastwork near the No. 4 Quay-st. jetty. Pert got a dingy from the cutter Stag, and they all got aboard and put out towards the Swift, which was about 200 yards from the wharf. Deceased sculled with a short oar, there being no rowlocks in the boat. Mills and Reed sat forward, while witness sat with Pert. There was no quarrelling in the boat, but she suddenly capsized through a wave striking her. They all clung to the dingy when they came to the surface, but it sank beneath their weight, and witness then became unconscious. All but witness could swim. She considered the affair purely accidental. William Reed gave similar evidence, and also deposed to finding Pert's body about 20 yards from where the dingy capsized. A verdict of "Accidental Drowning" was returned.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19010319.2.11
The body of May Mills, one of the two victims of the recent boating fatality in the harbour, was picked up at seven o'clock this morning, by a man named Walter Eggerton. The body was floating between the Railway and Queen-street wharves, near where the body of Pert was recovered. An inquest was proceeding at tba Criterion Hotel this afternoon.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19010319.2.40
An inquest was held yesterday aftemoon before Mr. T. Gresham (coroner), at the Criterion Hotel, Albert-street, into the circumstances touching the death of May Mills, one of the victims of the boating fatality, which occurred in the Auckland Harbour on Wednesday night last. Sergeant Forbes, represented the police. William Reed, fisherman, residing in Nelson-street, and one of the occupants of the boat at the time identified the body lying in the morgue as that of May Mills, 24 years of age. Witness gave a corroboration of the evidence published in yesterday's issue, and adduced at the inquest on James Pert, who was also a victim of the accident. Witness further stated that when the dingey capsized the woman Campbell caught hold of deceased, but she freed herself. When it was found that the dingey would not support the four persons in the water, witness told deceased to swim ashore, but she refused to leave the others. Witness swam to a cutter close by, to obtain a dingey, but not being able to find one, became exhausted, and lost consciousness. Witness said that the cause of the accident was a heavy sea striking the boat and Campbell stumbling forward, thus knocking the scull out of Pert's hands, and the boat then capsized. Mary Campbell gave similar evidence. Walter Eggenton deposed to finding the body of deceased at seven o'clock yesterday morning at high-water, almost on the spot where the dingey capsized. A verdict of "Accidental drowning" was returned.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19010320.2.23
Plot 79: May Helen Mills (25) 13/3/1901 – Accidentally drowned
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