DISTRESSING EVENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 931, 26 September 1910, Page 8

DISTRESSING EVENT.

: 4- __ YOUTH LOSES HIS LIFE. ■ RESUSCITATED ONLY TO DIE. i ; Ono of those distressing accidents which appear to bo almost inseparable from sea-bathing in the open occurred ; at Karaka Bay before the eyes of sev•e.ral spectators at about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The victim was Mr. 'Albert -Williams, tho,.son. of Mr. W. J. Williams, of Karaka Bay, the ex-cham-pion rifle shot of New. Zealand, and an ox-member of the . Wellington .. ffavals, and/who at one-time . was 'licensee ■ of. a 'Peton© Hotel. : . It appears that the young. man-, m company with two 'of his. 'Messrs. • Charles. H.. Duck and-. Norman ' Stevens—was taking. advantage of the, •warm, sunshiny afternoon to have a swim, and, to get the advantage of 'deep -water, they' obtained ..a.!dinghy,;and anohored about twenty ,yards from ' the ■ shore, in some twelve feet of w^ter..„;,They. had'.'-been :. diving.. :a.nd 'swimming round the boat ; for 'somelittlo time when young Williams, in enr ;'deavouring to clamber' back into - the 'dinghy, upset it. Although only' a short distance from the shore, and quite ;ablo to .-swim' the .distance,' he was either struck, by the . boat, or some other, contretemps happened. ;He was seen to strike out for the shore at:once, but .had not .proceeded more -than a 'few yards when 'he sank, and 'Stevens, , nothing that ; his friend was iii trouble, idived and ."brought him up,-and- was. idoing'. his ' best'" to', struggle' 'shoreward when; his. strength gave .out, -and. it was all; that he could do to , reach • solid-ground-by himself. '' . At. this turn of events some .youths ■who had been; watching .events 'from the boach rushed ■,into the: water with 'their; clothes on, .secured.Williams, and■ brought , : him. ashore in ..an unconscious Estate. .'i y;■ Artificial restoration, was at once com-' .nionoed, and, as its effect became felt, !the Ifid .slowly came ..to. ' He was. con-. ;.veyed :to his parents' 'home,. guite near, .and. there, under the -direction of; Dr. 'Bbwerbank,.:artificiar;..restoration .was resumedj with a view,'to perfecting-' the; good work done on tho beach.' For a tinie ' the. patient-lop.ked - like ' making; a complete recovery}-and tho load, :qf i anxiety on; all, concerned^'was being lightened ;by,-the'restoration,of breathing, when, about - an hour and, a, quarter!afteT'the;accident, action, ceased, and death ensued, iv' Naturally the-; sudden death,, coining,'closo' upon .what seemed like 'a rescue ■ ; from;' the : brink .'of it,'. fell heavily .on; the lad!s mother,. relations,. and friends, and cast a gloom oyer'. all /.the ' Bay, where; deceased is well known. . r A sad' circrimstenM was,the.'fact,that; ;Mrs.; Williams,, sitting on the, verandah.of 'her residence, saw„the whole of tho sad affair.-; ;Mr. vWiDkms is at present absent ;on a business '.visit-to Pioton.' ;,' . . Deceased .was'.;ah _ apprentice.: te'/the; :engineering' trade, in the '■' employ ■ of; ;-Me'ssrs. Hertzogg and Collins, of Her : libert;'Street. An. inquest will bo held to-day. " )