BELIEVED DROWNED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 124, 2 July 1941, Page 5

BELIEVED DROWNED

WELL-KNOWN FARMER'S FATE MR F. J. REYNOLDS MISSING ACCIDENT WHILE CLEARING PUMP INTAKE An accident which cast a shadow over the whole of the Whakatane district occurred last Monday morning, when Mr F. J. Reynolds, the widely known ■ and popular dairy farmer of Thornton, apparently lost his life by slipping accidentally into the Rangitaiki River, whilst endeavouring to clear away ai blockage to £* pump intake which was fed from the river. The river has been extensively searched since he was reported missing, over a hundred neighbours and, .friend's assisting, but up to of going to press there hasMiee'n nothing further to report. Mr Reynolds who was known for lirs efficiency in farm management, left about 8.30 a.m. with the neces- • sary equipment to make a thorough examination of the pump mechanism and to clear the weeds from the intake itself. It was not until two hours later that his sharemilker, Mr A. Ruegg, approached the pumphouse in order to give him a message and discovered he was missing. An immediate search was instigated but without result, and was continued unremittingly throughout the whole of yesterday. Undergrowth Hacked Away. The cause of the accidont can be noted from the bank immediately above Hie pipe line to the river, and from the slight excavations made and the bushes which had bean cut back to allow for belter access to the river, it is obvious that jVlr Reynolds was endeavouring to make h clearance before actually removing the wiJhnv-weed. The overhanging branches of a large bush had been cut through, and in their midst the spades was discovered resting, as though he had used the blade of the instrument in hacking through th<; foliage. It is surmised that while in the process of this clearing Mr Reynolds' "who was wearing gum boots and ■heavy clothing, lost his balance and was precipitated into the,stream. The shock of the cold w T ater coupled wit/i the impeding effects of the -clothes he waa wearing probably contributed to his inability to reaili -and hold the reeds on the overhanging bank. * Mr Reynolds was latterly also suffering from occasional bouts of dizziness, though even had one of these effected him at the time th.3 slippery nature of the bank and the treacherous overhang, would have Toeen sufficient to have caused the accident, which unfortunately appears to have been all too apparent. Rally by Neighbours. In answer to enquiries, when the -news first became known, an emergency committee quickly undertook the supervision of a thorough search .-and combing of the riverside, from the point of the accident to the sea •Complete organisation was achietved by mid-day, and in co-operation •with the Whakatane police coverage was effected over the whole stretch .of river. From the town a large number ot businessmen also came to lend their assistance, many of them undertaking patrol work far into the night The work is still proceeding.