UNABLE TO SWIM BUT KEPT HER MEAD

Chronicle (Levin), 22 February 1947, Page 5

UNABLE TO SWIM BUT KEPT HER MEAD

-Press Association

Bv Telegravh-

DUNEDIX, Feb. 20. An eight-year-old girl had a remarkable escape from drovvning in the Molyneux River at Ooal . Creek tliis ev-ening vvhen she was carried for two miles down the swift-flovving river. She was rescued from almost certai.i death by the plueky action of a Puolic Works Department employee. The child, a daughter of MrP aii 1 Mrs. G. Cleghorn, Coal Creek, was playing in a boat used by Ihe men in the Pulilic Works cam'p at Coal Creek vvhen she fell into the river and was iniinediate.ly swirled into niidstrea ii aiul carried along nt a rapid rate. 'Hor plight was seen by several Public Works men in the vicinity and thi y raced along tlie bank. It was seen that the girl could n it swim but, vvitli great presence of mimi, she was able to lceep floating by fol Lovving the instructions of lier wouidbe rescuers, vvlio told her to tread water and to keep her liead up as far as possible. For two miles tliis grim raee between life and death continued until W. Blyth wfts able to get ahead of her. He tlived into Ihe river and when hc reached her botli were on the point of exliaustion. Ano.ther Public Works nian, W. Kerr, went to their assistance and they reached the bank. Tlie girl made a quick recovery and was able to express her gratitude to those who had saved her .life. "8he explained that thougii 'she had no knowledge of swimming, she was able to t'Qllow the instructiQns given her and she had never lost lippe that she would be rescued sooner or later.