CORONER POINTS TO DANGER

Chronicle (Levin), 21 November 1946, Page 8

CORONER POINTS TO DANGER

r— — - - • t INQUEST ON VICT1MS 0F TRIPLE DROWNING AT „ SHANNON Lagoons had to be considered as a trap to the unwary, said the district coroner, Mr. J. S. Moir, J;P., atthe conclusion of an inquest"in Shannon yesterday into the deaths of Rex George Hart, 22, Russell Ivan Birss, 19, and Joy Annie Sunnex, 12, all of Shannon, who lost their . lives in a drowning accident on Jennings' Lagoon- on . November 3. Mr. Moir called attention to the danger in boating or swimming on £uch lagoons as the one on which the tragedy occurred, and said he thought it desirable . that warning noti'ces should be erected. He stressed the importance of all young^people being taught to swim well.

Evidence was given by Walter James Jennings, farmer, of Foxton Road, Shannon, that'at about 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, November 3, he was going over to his cow shed, which was situated about a quarter of a mile from his residence and alongside the lagoon. As he approached he noticed Betty Sunnex standing near the shed crying. Jennings asked her what was the matter and she replied that she and three others had been out on the lagoon in a boat, which sank, and the other three had been drowned. Witness stated that he could see a boat floating upsidedown about the centre of the lagoon, but could not see any person in the water. He then took the girl to her home and informed Constable Watson of the accident. Continuing, witness . said the lagoon covered an area of 12 acres and was 20 feet deep in places. He did not encourage persons to go on the lagoon and considered it dangerous to swim in owing to snags. He had noticed the boat which was involved in the accident on the lagobn*' about two weeks prior to che tragedy, and two men were in it. He had intended asking them if they had received permission to take a boat on the lagoon, but as the men were down at the nortllern end, and did not come up as far as the shed, he did not have the opportunity of speaking to them or of inspecting the boat. If he had seen the boat he would not have given permission to use it on the lagoon owing to it having been so badly built. He had since advertised that any person found fishing, swimming or boating on the lagoon would be prosecuted. In reply to a question by the coroner, Jennings stated that there were no trespass or danger notices erected. The next witness called was Betty Sunnex, aged 14 years, sister of the decqased girl. She stated that about a month ago Russell Birss and Rex Hart started to build a boat alongside the Mangaore Stream, near the Shannon -Foxton Road. About three weeks ago Birss and Hart took the boat to the lagoon on Mr. Jennings' property. At about 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 3, she went down to the lagoon, along with her sister, Joy, Russell Birss and Rex Hart. The two young men got into the boat and paddled down the lagoon, while she and her sister remained on the bank. After about five or six minutes, Birss and Hart came back to the bank and asked them to get into the boat. "Birss and Hart took a paddle each," continued the witness. "There were four seats in the boat and each of us were sitting on a seat. The boys paddled down the lagoon and when we were about half-way down, and about opposite Mr. Jennings' cow shed, the boys decided to turn around and come back. Water was coming into the boat slowly from the sides. My sister and I were bailing the water out with tins. Hart started to move about and Birss told him to sit still. Hart was sitting but leaning to one side, and the water started to pour into the boat, and it sank. When in the water Birss took hold of my sister and myself, and started to swim towards the east bank. He let us go after we had swam a few yards, and he sank and did not come to the surface again. I swam on towards the bank. Just before I reached the bank I looked around and saw my sister swimming towards the west bank. When I

reached the bank I again looked, ' but could not see my sister. When the boat sank it would have been a few yards nearer the west bank, but as there are willows on that bank I made for the eastern side of the lagoon, although it wouid have been a few further yards to swim. My sister was a better swimmer than I, and the boy Birss was the best swimmer. I do not know if the boy Hart could swim or not. I did not see him after the boat sank. At the time of the accident the lagoon was cairn and a slight breeze was blowing. In his evidence, Constable Watson, who is stationed at Shannon, said that at 2.45 p.m. on Sunday, November 3, Mr. Jennings called at the police station and informed him that there had been an accident upon the lagoon situated ■ on his property, and it was feared that three persons had been drowned. "In company with Jennings, I proceeded to the lagbon, taking drag irons and rope with me. When we arrived a fiat bottom boat was floating upside down, about one "chain out from the east bank. There were no signs of any persons in the water. I obtained the loan of a boat from Maoris who live on the Foxton side of the Manawatu River, and with their assistance and that of other local men the boat was taken overland fco Ithe lagoon and dragging operations started. Dragging was continued until dark, but none of the bodies were recovered. Dragging operations continued on the Monday and late in the afternoon two other boats arrived from Foxton to assist in the operations until 7 p.m., but without result. Dragging was continued again on the Tuesday, and at about 10 a.m. the body of Rex Hart was recovered in the vicinity of where the boat sank. At about II a.m. the body of Russell Birss was recovered about 15 yards north from where the boat went down, and at 2.30 p.m. the body of the girl was recovered about 20 yards from the body of Birss was recovered, but slightly towards the north bank." Constable Watson went' ori to state that the boat was built of second-hand timber, and . was poorly constructed. As far as he knew none of the deceased had any iexperience with boats. There were ino suspicious circumstances in connection with the deaths. Constable ! Watson said that he had since dearned that Hart was unable to swim, and he pointed out that from his experience he could say that lagoons were dangerous places, either to boat 011 or swim in. After making the comments given above, the coroner returned ;a verdict that the three young 'people met their deaths as a resuit iof accidental drowning, due to the jboat in which they were paddling filling with water through the J sides, causing it to sink. ; Mr. Moir expressed his symjpathy to the families of the vic|tims, especially the parents. "Their j deaths is also a loss to the whole [district," he said. "No district can jafford to lose promising young lives in tragedies such as these." ! Mr. Moir mentioned the valiant jeffort made by Russell Birss in an i attempt to save the lif e of Joy SunJnex, and in which he had lost his ;own life. On behalf of the comjmunity, he thanked Constable Watjson and those men who had assist,ed him for their prompt and efficient work in connection with the Iflnding of the bodies.