DROWNING FATALITY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 41, 19 January 1945, Page 5

DROWNING FATALITY

MAORI BOY LOSES LIFE

AT HUKUWAI BEACH

A drawning fatality occurred at the Hu'kuwai Beach, Opotiki, on Saturday afternoon, the victim being David Tawhara, agejl 16, son of Mr and Mrs Rau Tawliara j Waioeka Pa Opotiki. Deceased, who was employed at the Opotiki Factory pig farm,, went with a party to the beach. Accompanied by Mr N. Martin, manager of the pig farm, and Rpss Martin, aged 14, brother of Mr N. Martin, David tawhara went for a swim. Mr N. Martin left the water after o time and went, up the beach to where his wife and children 'were. There was a heavy sea breaking at the time and Ross Martin swam out beyond the breakers, the deceased swimming closer in to the shore. When Ross "Martin was about. 20 partis away from deceased he heard j him call out for help. Martin thought that-deceased could touch the bottom from where he had first called. Tawhara was waving his arms about but his. head was above the water. Martin swam towards deceased but did not see him asi he swam towards the spot where he had last, called out. Martin took some time to reach the. spot and when he reached Tawhara deceased still had his head above the water but was not making any attempt to swim. Martin told Tawhara to* swim but deceased said "I can't." Martin then took hold of Tawhara and endeavoured to take him ashore but they appeared to be carried further out to sea. Martin swam until he was nearly exhausted but deceased had made no attempt to swim and Martin thought he appeared to be dead. A big wave separated the two boys but Martin managed to catch hold of Tawhara by the hair and again tried to drag him ashore but another wave once again separated them. Although Martin made a search he was not aide to find Tawhara. Martin was out in deep water and then started to struggle back to the shore in a very exhausted condition. He ran along the beach to a party of young people and told them his mate was. drowned. He was unable, to indicate just where Tawhara was last seen and a search by the others failwed to locate any sign of the 1 body. The police were informed and an unsuccessful search made for the body. The body of * deceased was found on the Hu'kuwai Beach last Tuesday about a mile from the spot where tiie fatality occurred..