The Drowning Accident Near Napier.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 247, 15 January 1889, Page 4

The Drowning Accident Near Napier.

Mr Robert Kennedy, father of one of the victims of the Pourerere drowning accident, has made the following statement:—

On Wednesday evening, as he passed the smithy, he saw his son bunging up a nail can, which he said, was to make a buoy, and that Mr Ernest Dixon, Charles Tylee, Wm. Humphreys, and himself (James Kennedy) were going out to set a net for fishing. Bobert Kennedy, the father, then went in to his tea. This was about 6 p.m. On coming out and looking seaward saw the boat six or seven chain distant, the surf between being as calm as a mill pond, and the men all had their oars out of the water, waiting for Dixon to give the order to go on. Looking beyond them, he saw a big swell coming, which caught the boat, and it instantly capsized. He says it was heading towards the land at the time, but others appear to say it got broadside on. The next thing he noticed was his son on the keel of the boat. He then watched the four men right the boat, but being full of water, it again capsized. Then Kennedy jumped off, and made for the shore being an excellent swimmer, but presently his trousers fell down about his legs, “ making him, as it were, webfooted ” and causing his head to hang in the water instead of above it, and thus impeding his progress. At about a chain from the side in not more than six feet of water he suddenly threw up his arms and disappeared. Meantime Dixon, Tylee, and Humphreys, stuck to the boat for a time, and then took to the oars and tried to get ashore, Humphreys being unable to swim ; but, instead, they were carried more in the direction of Mangakuri. Then Tylee left loose of the oar, and divesting himself of his trousers, struck out for the shore, and got so close that, with the assistance of a rope thrown to him by the station hands, he was drawn out quite exhausted. During this time Dixon and Humphreys were contending with the waves at sea, retaining hold of the two oars, and were several times dashed against the rocks. Dixon several times made for the shore, but at the request of Humphreys, who was unable to swim, turned back to help him. Having heavy clothes on, he soon got quite exhausted, and ultimately succumbed to the waves. Just before he sank he called out to Humphreys to kiss his wife for him, to give his love to all the Nairne, and his respects to all the men. “ Tell my wife,” he said, “ that all I have belongs to her,” and then he lost the hold of the oars and disappeared from view. Soon after this, Humphreys, who had managed to retain hold of the oars, drifted quickly in shore between two large rocks, when Fred Ponton swam out and got him ashore. A search has continued ever since for the remains of the men, but so far without result. On Friday the carpenter waded out to where Kennedy was drowned, but found nothing. Mr Bamsdem swam out, and tied a rope to the buoy, and brought out the net, hoping to find the bodies entangled in it, but instead found fifteen sharks, one of which was about four feet long, and contained four small ones. The remainder were all much less. Mr Tylee is of opinion that Dixon was drowned while trying to take off his trousers, and his belt was found on the beach. Mr Dixon was the manager of the station, and was greatly liked by both his employer •nd all the hands, and, in fact, by all that knew him.