DROWNED IN THE SURF.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14885, 27 January 1914, Page 7

DROWNED IN THE SURF.

« BATHING FATALITY AT NEW BRIGHTON. TRAGIC TERMINATION OF A HOLIDAY. Yesterday afternoon, when Now Brighton was crowded with bathers, a fatality occurred within the special area enclosed for the protection of swimmers. Wiiliani Goorgo Moiris, a resident of ishukosnearo road, Greymouth, aged twenty-four years, got out of his depth, and being a poor swimmer, was soon in serious difficulties, and nnaiiy lost his lire, though not before strenuous efforts had been made to effec; a rescue. RESCIERS BAFFLED. Morris, with two companions, John Sentiman and Robert Rogers, ah young men, had spent three weeks in viewing the Auckland Exhibition, and was cuding his holiday in Christchurch, preparatory to returning to Grey mouth. At raid-day, the party visited New Brighton. Sentiman and Morris went in swimming, but Rogers remained on the bench, and took charge of the bathers' belongings, including somo £30 odd, the property of Morris. The tide needed but three-parts' of an hour to be full flood and the sea was choppy. There were many bathers about, but few wero in swimming at the time. Shortly after entering the water, Morris was seen about twenty yards off tho ropo in the safety bathing area, and apparent ly in difficulties. A man named Herbert Fox went to his assistance, and held tho drowning man for somo little timo, but owing to tho struggling of Morris, Fox, for his own safety, had to release him. A young member of tho Surf Club, Petor Grant, wont out with tho life-line, but could not by this timo discover Morris, and had reluctantly to return to shore. Meanwhile, it is stated, Sentiman was also in difficulties, but other swimmers brought him ashore. • * A RESCUER'S STORY. The man who did as much as anybody to assist in the re-cue of Sentiman, and who also did his utmost afterwards to find tho man still missing, was Mr F. R. Cotton, a commercial traveller, whose headquarters are at Christchurch. Mr Cottou was surfing near the pier, when he heard the outcry that two men wero iv difficulties somo little distance to the northward. "I raced along the beach," he said, when describing tho affair to a "Press ,, reporter last night, "and met a number of men coming in from tho surf. They had been doinr; what they could to oilect a rescue, and were coming back for further assistance. I saw a considerable distanco off ono man supporting another in tho water. They were not near tho ropes and appeared to be pretty well done up. I swam out to their assistance, and while on my way I saw another man lying just j under the northwardmost rope, face downwards, with his hands out. Ho j was some way out, and appeared in- j capable of movement. The rope rested upon tho small of his back; ho did not havo hold of it. I continued to ewim out to the man who was being held up, for I could see that tho two there wanted urgent assistance. I got up to them, and brought them back to shallow water. I then went back for the man who was under the rope, but could see no sijjn of him. If the surf reel had been on the beach, I would have got some of the other men to use it to go to the help of tho two men in th« water, while I went after the man under the rope. 1 could have rtachod him in time, I firmly believe, if I could have gone right away, but I went to the help of the others first, for there were two of them and they were exhausted. Had I got out to the other man, I would have brought him back along the rope or would have waited for the surf line. When the two men were brought into shallow water, the reel was brought out, and I, with others, went to the end of the uuoys, but could find no sign of tho missing man. Wβ went out again to a considerable distance, but wo could find no trace of him. The man who wont to tho rescue of the one who was brought ashoro, and who kept him up till I reached him, is deserving of every credit. The man he was holding up could not swim, yet ho stuck to him splendidly until he was practically exhausted himself." Speaking relative to the cause of the accident, Mr Cotton 6 aid that some distance out there was a big wash-out in tne teach, and running parallel with the beach for about fifty yards. It was also of fair width, and was two to threo feet deeper than the ordinary slope of tho teach. The men who could not swim must have been walking out into the surf when they suddenly stepped into this wash-out. This would take them right out of their depth in nn instant, and they would then" bo in difficulties. Even at low tide there is a considerable depth of water where the wash-out is. but it shnllows up again when one gets beyond it. WHERE WAS THE LIFE-REEL? The question, that naturally arises is, "Where was the life-reel?" Mr Cotton is emphatic on the point that the lifesaving reel should be stationed on tho beach on tho hard sand, where it could bo brought into use at a, moment's i notice. "If we'd have had it this afternoon," ho said "we could have got both these men ashore. As it was, tbo reel was in the shod ; tho shed was dosed up, and I am informed it had to bo broken open to enable the reel to be got out. This is certainly not right. Tho reel should be available for use by anybody when there is rescue work to bo done." In justice to the Surf Club it should bo mentioned that its members are a ! purely voluntary body, and, of course I are engaged in their various occupations in the city during the day, with the exception of Sundays and holidays. Had tho accident occurred during any of these times, the fatality would not havo happened. Tho Club has made many "saves," and never yet has the subject lost his life. It is owing to the continued interference and disarrangement of the life reels, they state, that the Club does not keen them on the | beach dnrinc; the absence of its members. The key of the club-houso can, however, alwnys be obtained in cases of emergency from the proprietor of the Kin Ora tea rooms. At a late hour last mcht Constable j Rowe reported that the body had not been found. The constable stated that in his opinion -everything that couM bo done, both during the accident and aftnr. was done. Experienced swimmers -ivbo -wore bathincr at New Brighton vestarday state that tho under-tow and current ■wero both particularly strong diirinrr tho afternoon, and one man r*"nnrkf»d to a companion rhort/y before the accident happened, that it was the safest plan for even a fairly strong swimmer I to keep -well within his depth.