THE SUMNER BATHING FATALITY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16721, 2 January 1920, Page 2

THE SUMNER BATHING FATALITY.

♦ INQUEST ON SIGNALLER HAWKINS. Yesterday morning, tho father of the lato George Shepherd Hawkins, the returned soldier who was drowned at Sumner on Monday, discovered his son's body lying on tho beach near the rocks at the Sumnor tearooms. An inquest was held by Mr V. G. Day, District Coroner, at the Hospital yesterday, when evidence was given by the widow of tho deceased, and by his father. Jvy May Hawkins said that, her late husband was a returned soldier, who had not yet received his discharge. On Monday, witness and her husband were at Sumner together; ho was not in good health, having been undergoing treatment at tho Military Consumption Hospital, but he was in good spirits, and not dopressed. Her husband went in for a bathe about 3 p.m., and came out u little while after, going in again after a short spell on the beach. "Witness did not see him again, and after waiting about three-quarters of an hour she became alarmed, and made enquiries from bathers, but could get no information. A searcE was made, but it was fruitless. John Hawkins said liis son was 2D years of age, and a clerk by profession. Witness found tho body under the cliffs near the old bathing sheds. Ho pulled it out of tho water, and informed the police. His son was not subject to fits, but suffered from shortness of breath on account of having been gassed. A verdict that deceased had been accidentally drowned was returned. Signaller George Hawkins, who was 29 years of age. left .Now Zealand in 1917, as a signaller in tho Specialists Company of the 29th Reinforcements. On arrival in England ho had the option of taking up tho position of signalling instructor to the reinforcements in camp, but he preferred to go to Franco, Ho was wounded in the leg, and also badly gassed at Passchendaele, and on his return to New Zealand about seven months ago ho was sent to the Cashmere Hills Military Sanatorium, where he was making a somewhat slow recovery from the after-effects of gas. Signaller Hawkins was a son of Air John Hawkins, '21 Percival street, Bcckenham, and "before ho enlisted ho was on tho clerical staff of the New Zealand Railways Department. He had for years 'made a hobby of signalling and wireless telegraphy. Ho leaves a widow and a son six years of age. The funeral, which takes place to-day, will bo n military one, leaving the Hospital at 11 a.m.