TAURANGA HARBOUR TRAGEDY, TAURANGA, BAY OF PLENTY
SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER 1923

On Saturday, the 27 October 1923, four members of one family were drowned when returning from a picnic trip to Mount Maunganui.

The following is from the Te Puke Times 30 Oct 1923 page 3. There are other versions in other newspapers of the time. Thanks to Papers Past.

TRAGEDY AT TAURANGA
BOAT CAPSIZES NEAR THE MOUNT
GIRL AND THREE BROTHERS DROWNED
Tauranga, Oct. 29.
The worst tragedy that has ever been recorded in connection with Tauranga Harbour happened at about 6 o'clock on Saturday evening, when a 12ft rowing boat capsized, and one daughter and three sons of Mr John Miller, plumber, Tauranga, were drowned. There were seven in the boat, the other three being saved.

The three rescued were Frederick Miller, aged 24; Arnold Miller, aged 12 and Linea Miller aged 11.
Fred Miller, who lives in Auckland, where he works, was on a holiday, and on Saturday he got the boat, a 12ft dinghy, to take the rest of the family for a picnic down to the Mount, at the entrance to the Tauranga Harbour. They had lunch at Sulphur Point, and then went on to the Mount, landing near the Railway wharf and picnicked.
At about half-past five they set out for home. The tide, which runs very strong at this part, was coming in, and a south-westerly breeze that had sprang up during the afternoon made the sea choppy. When the boat was about 600 yards from the shore it was struck by a sea, and she immediately filled and capsized.
The children all grasped the boat, but unfortunately they were all on the one side, and the boat rolled over with the weight. Only the eldest of the family was left clinging to the boat.
None of them could swim to speak of except Bruce, who was a good swimmer, but unfortunately he had boots on. However, he helped his two small brothers back to the boat several times. It seems that after losing hold of the boat they all drifted apart Fred, still clinging to the boat, saw his little sister Linea trying to swim. He called to her to and gave the same instructions to Arnold. The children, with wonderful presence of mind, turned on their backs and floated. They were then about a chain apart, but they drifted together, and interlocking one another's arms continued floating. Both were wearing oilskins, which apparently saved their lives.
Linea says she saw her eldest sister, Pimella, who was unable to swim, holding up the two youngest boys.
Bruce was not seen again. No one witnessed the accident, but Fred attracted the attention of Mr Jeffares, who rushed to the beach and saw Fred near the shore on the keel of the upturned boat. With Mr Lindell he went out and assisted him ashore well spent after about half an hour in the water.
In the meantime Messrs Isberwood and Nathan pushed a boat off the beach, and rescued Linea and Arnold, who were floating together about two chains away. children, although conscious, remembered nothing further till a couple of hours later.

The following is from the Irish Weekly and Ulster Examiner of Saturday 19 January 1924.

SWAMPED BOAT.
Four Children of Ulster Family Drowned In New Zealand.
Particulars of a distressing boating fatality are reported, involving the death of four children of Mr and Mrs. J. Miller, Tauranga, New Zealand. Three other children of Mr. and Mrs. Miller were also in the accident, and were rescued in an exhausted condition. Mr. Miller is a son of Mr. Wm. Miller, The Gasworks, Ballyshapnon, and a well-known photographer. Mrs. Miller was formerly Miss Whittea, of the adjoining district of Kinlough. It appears the seven young people went for a picnic by sea in a 12-foot dinghy. All went until the return journey. when a sea was encountered, and baling became necessary. Another sea came in and swamped the boat. All floated away from it, except the eldest, Fred, aged 24, who, with Arnold, aged 12, and Linea, aged 11, were eventually saved. Those lost were: - Pimella (aged 21), Bruce (17), Hubert (8), and Melvin (6 ). Volunteers were quickly on the scene after the accident, and the two young children who were saved, were found mile away from where the boat swamped, floating on their backs. There survival was an extraordinary fortune of the sad occurrence.

Return To HOME