HEATHCOTE RIVER TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19137, 21 October 1927, Page 13

HEATHCOTE RIVER TRAGEDY.

SEARCH MAY BE | ABANDONED. ] FUNERAL OF VICTIMS TO-DAY. j Early yesterday morning dragging operations were resumed, when the police made further efforts to recover the body of Alex. Edens, one of the three boys who lost their lives in the Heathcote river on Monday -afternoon. From five until ten a,m. Constable E. T. Bosworth (Woolston), assisted by City Council employees, continued the search, but were unsuccessful The depth of water prohibited further search, and the effort was abandoned. "We have combed the river fromthe point where the boat was pushed into the. water to where the bodies of the two other boys were recovered, a distance of over ' three hundred yards," said Constable Bosworth to'* a reporter from Thb Piti&s last night. He added that it was improbable that the search .would be. continued. ; -• Pupils at the Woolston School, which Jack Downing and George Edens attended, made wreaths yesterday for the funerals to-day of the two victims, whose bodies were recovered. '. ■ . ' Children from the schools will not attend the funerals, as both boys belonged to the- infant department, and the authorities think the pupils of this section too young to attend.

AN APPEAL. to. thb zditob or thb fuss. . Sir,—May I, through your columns, make an appeal on behalf of # the Edens family, who were so tragically bereaved by the drowning accident on Mondlay? , . ' , ■ '■ There are, Sir, six. children left, the eldest a girl of .11 and five-boys aged from 10 to two—such happy children too. The father is an industrious man, but lias only had intermittent work during the winter and at present has no permanent job. The members- of St. John's Church are organising a canvass of the district, with a small committee ■ m charge. But we feeKthe circumstances of the case would commend • themselves to• the generosity 'of a wider circl© Parcels of clothing-may be sent to the Vicarage. Woolston, or the, Police Station; Woolston, or mav be left with the verger of the Cathedral addressed to me. Cash should be given only to persons holding an authorised subscription list signed by me.—Yours, etc., A. H/McC. ACHESON. The Vicarage, Woolston, October 20th, 1927.