NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES
TAIRUA BOATING DISASTER
FRIDAY 31 MARCH 1923
From the Te Puke Times 3 April 1923.
A Boating Disaster - Five Lives Lost - Launch Capsizes.
Saturday 31 March 1923
The loss of five lives was involved in a distressing fatality which ioccured on the Tairua Bar, some twenty miles from Mercury Bay, about nine o’clock. A resident of Tairua fell overboard for the launch Elida while crossing the bar, and in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the unfortunate man, the Auckland-owned launch Lorraine capsized and four of its occupants also drowned.
The names of the victims are;
| Mr W S SOUTHERNWOOD | of Newton Road, Auckland. Owner of the Lorraine |
| Mr H CHAPPELL | of Valley Road, Mt Eden |
| Mr T CULHANE | of Hopetoun Street, Auckland |
| Mr N ROBSON | of Arthur Street, Ponsonby, Auckland |
| Mr Axel RONALDSON | of Tairua who was lost overboard from the launch Elida |
The other occupants from the launch Lorraine who were saved were;
| Mr W WALSH | of John Street, Ponsonby |
| Mr T JENKINS | of Auckland |
| Mr Tilston CORY-WRIGHT | of Tairua |
The occupants of the launch Elida besides the deceased RONALDSON were Messrs Harold and Cyril CORY-WRIGHT and VIERA all of Tairua.
| CHAPPELL | Harold (Snowy) |
| CULHANE | Thomas James (Tom) |
| ROBSON | Norman Ellison |
| ROLANDSON | Axel |
| SOUTHERNWOOD | William Findlay (Will) |