Maurice William Ottway Burke was born about 1815.
1 He died on 10 July 1844, at age ~29, in Wairoa River, Nelson, NZ, drowned crossing river THERESA.
2,3,4 You can read the full report on Papers Past THERESA
PPA Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 123, 13 July 1844, Page 75
A melancholy accident occurred at the Waimea, on Sunday last. Mr. M. W. O'Burke, a gentleman who recently arrived in the Teresa, had just erected a house on his section, in Waimea East. On Sunday afternoon he set out in company with three men, who were staying with him, to go to the village, on the opposite side of the rivers Wairoa andWaiiti. On reaching the banks- of the Wairoa, they found it much swollen from the great quantity of rain which had fallen on the two preceding days. After two ineffectual attempts to cross, the party sat down for about half-an-hour, when Mr. O'Burke, and a sailor named Jasper, made a third attempt. On reaching the middle of the river, Jasper solicited Mr. O'Burke to return, which the unfortunate gentleman said he was unable to do, and immediately afterwards both lost their footing, and were swept off the ford into deep water. Jasper, with great difficulty, reached the opposite side, when he was drawn out by a man named Eves ; but Mr. O'Burke was carried down the river, and, after a short struggle, disappeared. A search was immediately made for the body, which was not found until the following morning, about eleven o'clock, when it was discovered on a dry shingle bed, where it had been left by the receding waters, about half a mile from the spot where the accident happened. A coroner's inquest sat on the body the next day, when a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned. Maurice William Ottway Burke had person sources.
5 He immigrated to ENG to NZ on the Theresa arriving NZ 3/4/1844 on 20 November 1843.
1 He was a gentleman in 1844.
2,3