BROWNING OF MR JOHN BOURKE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 589, 2 April 1891, Page 3

BROWNING OF MR JOHN BOURKE.

BELIEVED TO HAVE DIVED FROM THE BREAKWATER. BODY NOT RECOVERED. A gbkat Fenpation was caused in town yesterday morning on rumors getting abroad that Mr John Bourke, the Town Clerk, bad been drowned. Many thought the report to be tn insane April first joke, but unfortunately the foundation of the report was on too reliable grounds to be thus dismissed, and the truthful color in the sad news soon began to assert itself, Mr Bourke had so long been resident in the district, and was so popular, that the information as to his probable death was a great blow to the com munity. The surroundings of the affair are strange indeed. On Tuesday afternoon Mr Bourke was strolling down the breakwater pier along with Mr W. E. Kenny, discussing various topic*. In the course of the converse’ion Mr Bourke remarked that the end of the pier would be a splendid place for a •• header,’* and expressed his wish to try it. Mr Kenny thought little further of the matter, and Mr Bourke attended the Borough Council meeting in the evening as usual. He was then in good spirits, and in his usual pleasant and chatty disposition. In the afternoon he had expressed to Mr Robinson, the junior clerk, his intention of going for a bathe that evening, but had not done so. During tbe Council meeting he had snatches of couver cation with our reporter, on a variety of subjects both municipal and otherwise, and after the meeting he went home in good time Yesterday morning Mr Bouike got up, and informed Mrs Bourke that be intended going for a swim. He rode off on his horse, and was seen in town by several people before seven o’clock. He was seen tying tbe horse up near the viaduct, and would have gone down the pier alone. He would then have undressed and taken a header off the pier. The tide iron Id be a couple of hours from being full in. Anything further can only be conjecture. Tbe c.Othes were found there, and identified as those of Mr Bourke; the horse was subsequently found gr. zing about. having evidently got free from where it had been tied. The clothes were found by Mr Langford, a fisherman, about eight o cluck. He went down to the end of the pier to take in the green lights exhibited there, and then discovered the clothes a couple of yards from tbe end of the pier, near a mooring pile. The Snark was just goinu out on work connected with the survey of the bay. and Mr Langford bailed those on board A search was at once made wit bin the vicinity, but no further trace was found of the missing man, and on Mr Kenny landing on tbe pier be was soon convinced that the clothes were those of Mr Bourke. With tbe clothes were a towel which Mr Bourke had carried on bis shoulder on riding down. Tbe Snark returned to the wharf, and information was Boon given to the police, Constable Breaking taking charge of the clothes. Sergeant Cariyon at once took the matter in hand, the c othes were soon identified, and a search instituted along the beach. Mr Bourke was a fair swimmer, but had no prcficiet cy that would justify the adventure which there appears to be no doubt he made, and it seems to be hard to believe ihat a man of his sensible disposition should have gone in alone from the pier. He may have got the cramp, or have been carried out by the Strong current and been unable to regain tbe pier or shore. The only hope that was left open to the searchers was that the bather might have been washed in by the tide, and be left lying io an exhausted state somewhere among tbe rocks along the beach. A diligent ! search was being made during the day, but without success.

The launch Snark was taken out and cruised round the bay in the hope that some trace might be found of the body, and a small boat was also out, but all without success; nor could those on horseback and with field glasses find any further trace of the missing man. Several boats were engaged in the work during the afternoon and grappling was proceeded with until a late hour, but with no success. A feature which makes the supposed jumping from the pier to be the more remarkable is that a person could not getup the B’one Work again without swimming a distance of about 500 feet along the side Tbe concrete work at tbe and in quite s imy and could not be held on to, betides which no person would be able to reach nearly high enonuh up to get bapk to the end of the pier from the water. Mr Bourke had been suffering from a liver affection, and indulged a good deal in sea bathing on account of the complaint, but be was in capital spirits when he left home, and cheerfully made the morning greeting to the few people he met. The sea was beautiful in the morning, and (he tempts'ion might have proved a great one to Mr Bourke, who often bathed on the Haiti beach. The present time of the year is a bad one for sharks, wfcich are frequently seen from the end of 'he pier. Mr Bourke must have known this, but probably bad no timi licy on that account, though he was often known to warn youthfal avajnat th- strong and dangerous Currants at the end of the pier. Mr T. Moodie, who lives on the Waikanae, informs ns that when down on the beach in tbe morning be noticed what appeared to be a mao swimming off to the black buoy, He has no clock, but as near as he could guess the time was half past six. He thought this a foolish venture, and got up the ladder near his house to try and make oqt the object. But after that be did not watch Siow, and it disappeared, and he thought he must have been mistaken. But directly h< heard tbe clothes had b**en found the thing again forcibly struck his imagination, and be remembered that he could see a sort of while erut about the black object, which looked hke a speck in the water. He says he did not think of giving information, as he fought at the time that be must have been mistaken.

Mr Fred Attwood states that when on tbe Waikanae beach in tbe morning he heard tome 000-ees, but could not tell where they Came from, and he thought it was only somedW PlejiPit •«> April first joke. Many mouths ago Mr J. Weston jumped CD tbe breakwater pier when ail tbe workmen were there, as someone said there was no one I game to do it. He, however, had great diffieuky in battling against the current, .nd Mr Boqrke, who »u present, remarked that it a very foolish thing 10, Mr Weston to •Ab may well be supposed the shock to Mrs Bourke and the other relations was a very severe one. Mrs Bourke eame down town in tbe morning, and naturally her dictrees was extreme on learning the sad truth. Any ray of hope was eagerly availed of, but soon all hnpe vanished, and there ssemed nothing for it but to he resigned to the belief that tbe misqing tuan b-d been drowned, and all that further search might possibly succeed in was in discovering the lifeless body. Great sympathy is felt for Mr. Bourke pud the children in their di.tress. No matt could be more esteemed than Mr Bourke was, and the affair has caused a great shook to the community. The Borough Council and Harbor Board hays were found in Mr Bourke 1 s clothes, and the Mayor being out of town, the keys were handed over to Councillor Harding. Mr Robinson, tbe assistant clerk, carries on tbe duties temporarily, and as the Mayor returned last night the Council will probably make arrangements for the carrying out of the official dptiej.

THE MISSING MAN. Mr John Bourke had for many years been Town Clerk of the Borough of Gisborne, and also Secretary to the Harbor Board. He was married to a lister of Sir C. W. Buller, and there are also three children to lament the ices of their laiher. John ie a brother of Mr Pe'er H. Bourke: lira Dualop and Mrs Pollen ate ileiore. and hi« respeoled mother lives In

! Giahorne. Ah a youth Mr John B.wrke entered ihe service of the Union Byik, and continued m lhe service for many years, prior to bi-» being appointed to the Town Cierkebip of Gisborne. He was a m*4n who was respeCted and popular in ail circles. As a public cfficer he was skilful, very attemive to his duties, and always obliging. He was an unpretentious man whose help could be relied on in any movement for a good object, and anyone in distress could always depend on a kind word and substantial help from Mr Bourke. Many a young man owes much of his success in life to the kindly encouragement given by Mr Bourke, and the writer of this sketch is only one of a large number who can never recall Mr Bourke’s name to their mind wi .hout a deep i-ense of gratitude for sympathy and encouragement at a time when the mind was depressed and perseverance was lacking. It is impossible to give an idea of the good work done by a man like Mr Bourke in little ways hardly noticeable Ait the time, but of incalculable magnitude when considered on the whole. Mr B »urke took a keen interest in all public affairs, whether of national, colonial, or local importance, and though he was never of a forward disposition in such matters, he was a most interesting conversationalist, who always kept himself weil informed on current events. He was a man of strong religious con vic'ions, but was catholic in his views, and had no sympathy with the numerous sectional differences that exist. Though his politic®.! views were of a Conserva’ive nature he had a great faith in the future, believing 'hat ail things would eventually work out for the best.