NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES
THE SINKING OF THE YACHT NGAHUIA
MATAKANA ISLAND, TAURANGA
SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 1940
On Friday 12 January 1940 the 38ft B Class keel yacht Ngahuia left Tauranga for a pleasure cruise to White Island. They reached the island on Saturday morning but the weather proving too rough to enable a landing, a decision was made to return to port.
Around mid-day the wind which had been blowing from the north changed to NNE and increased. A heavy sea was running and visibility decreased.
Early on the Sunday morning the yacht was hit by a particularly heavy sea. Those on board abandoned the yacht. Wreckage was found the next morning on Matakana Island, about four miles from the entrance to the Tauranga Harbour.
The owner of the yacht, Mr Frank Gordon GRESHAM managed to struggle ashore and went for help. He was 37 and married with two children.
A search was made for any possible survivors along the beaches and sand hills without result.
Those who died were: -
| MELLARS | Leslie Mafeking | 38 | Married with no children, residing in Mission Street, Tauranga |
| NEILSON | Phillip Herbert | 33 | Married with one child, residing in Eleventh Avenue, Tauranga |
| TONKIN | Roy Elrick | 22 | Single. Second son of Mr and Mrs C Tonkin, Elizabeth Street, Tauranga. |
| WILLCOCK | John Herbert | 19 | Single. Only son of Mr and Mrs S G Willcock, Arundel Street, Tauranga. |
The Bay of Plenty Times of the 13 December 2011 pA6 carried an article on the Ngahuia.
FAMILIES I AM RESEARCHING | MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL STUFF | NEW ZEALAND — ON LINE GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY RESOURCES | NEW ZEALAND — YOUNG BOY IMMIGRANT SCHEME 1911 — 1914 | NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES | NEW ZEALAND MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL INDEXES | NEW ZEALAND LAND WARS — MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGICAL INDEXES | NEW ZEALAND AND WORLD WAR ONE | NEW ZEALAND AND WORLD WAR TWO | NEW ZEALAND ROLLS OF HONOUR AND WAR MEMORIALS — BY LOCATION | NEW ZEALAND ROLLS OF HONOUR AND WAR MEMORIALS — BY CONFLICT | NEW ZEALAND ROLLS OF HONOUR — MILITARY NURSES | PAKEHA/MAORI TRANSLITERATIONS | PASSENGER LISTS TO NEW ZEALAND | SHAND — FAMILY HISTORY | SOUTH TARANAKI, NEW ZEALAND — GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES | SPONDON, DERBYSHIRE, ENGLAND — GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES | WANGANUI COLLEGIATE SCHOOL 1865 — 1947 | WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY, NEW ZEALAND — GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES