DROWNING FATALITY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1926, 8 December 1913, Page 7

DROWNING FATALITY.

TRAGIC END TO DAY'S OUTING. FUTILE EFFORT AT RESCUE. Three travellers, who walked out to Makara yesterday morning, 'had reached a point within a quarter of a milo of tho beach when thoy woro hailed by a bather at tho Makara stream, about a hundred yards off tho road. Hero was fho_ sceno of a tragody, and yet it was difficult to imagino that anything unusual had happened that day, so tranquil did tho waters then appear. But somo little timo previously tho bather's friend had been drowned and had gono down with help rigjit at hand if his cries or those of his companion, had been hoard. Tor not fifty yards away—and ,with only a liedgo of yellow lupins to hide tho bathers from view—threo active young men woro lying in front of their wharo, enjoying tlie sun. But by the timo they wero awaro that something was wrong it was much too lato for them to render assistauco.

' Particularly sad circumstances surTcund the occurrence. Early yesterday morning Herbert Roy Hunt, 16 years of ago, and John Tonks, 16 years of age, arranged to. cyclo , out together to Makara. Both lads havo been members of tho Technical School Cadets, and wero firm friends. Hunt resides with his parents' at Mortimer Terrace, off Epuni Street, and, as Tonks lived in Webb Street, ho met Hunt at Aro . Street, and they set off on their journey via tho Polhill Gully Road about ' 8.45 a.m. On the way a halt was made at Karori, where a party of Y.M.C.A. Cadets wore spending tho week-end, and then the cyclists proceeded on their way, arriving at tho spot whoro they intended to camp, at about 11.30, Neither cf the lads was a good swimmer, but neither imagined that thero wad any risk to bo run in tho Makara stream, and they decided to havo a bathe before boiling tho billy. Hunt says that for some timo both paddled about where the water was shallow, and then, as Tonks was anxious for a dive, Hunt "depthed" the water at a spot where it appeared to bo just up to his neck. Tho intention was that.Tonks should havo water deep enough to divo in and afterwards lis alio to find the bottom with his feet as he -was taller than Hunt. • With' matters so arranged, Hunt swam to the other side of the stream —not moro than ton _ yards awav —where threo boats wero tied np ■to the hank. Ho was just about to. rest on one of them when ho saw liis companion splashing tho water with his hands. For a second ho imagined that this was . play, but although Tonks never called out, it quickly p became apparent that lie was in difficulty. Hunt swam back to and to avoid his hands ho took hold of Tonks round tho waist, and endeavoured to strike out for tho bank. He was nnablo to achievo his objective, however, for Tonks caught him .round the nock, and it was nccessary then that Hunt should free himself and get ashore. Breathless with the struggle, and utterly unnerved at seeing his friend's plight, Hunt was unable to call out, but he again swam to tho other sido of the stream, and got hold, of ono of tho boats. With tho aid of this ho hoped to save his friend, but tho latter was then at tho bottom of tho stream, and as the water was quite muddy it was impossible to see where the unfortunate youth had gono down. As soon _as Hunt was able, ho assistance from the road, and almost immediately (about 12.15 p.m.) Messrs. England and Caldwell arrived. from,,their wharc near-by. They both dived into tho water, but were unable to see any sign of the missing batlior. Mr. P. England, ■ who was on his motor-cycle on tho road, hurried to the nearest" telephone to communicate with the' police, and in the meantimo dragging operations wero tried, but without success. Subsequently a came from tho beach, with a grappling-iron and a largo boat hook, and at 1.25 p.m. Mr. S. Bryant, of Ohariu, recovered the body. ; It was considered that artificial respiration was out of the question, anil so tho body was removed on a stretcher to Mr. Hawkins's homestead, not far away. An hour later Mounted Constable Pearson arrived from tho city to make-a report on the fatality, and a few minutes after Mr.' Enoch Tonks, father of the deceased, was there, and he had the body brought info the city, where an inquest will bo held —probably to-day. The deceased, who was in the employ of Mr. James Macintosh, was of splen-did-physique for his age, but had only learned to swim this season, and would ifot bo strong in tho water, more especially as he had gono in so soon after his fifteen-milo journey, which included two big hills. He was a promising youth, and well liked by those who knew hi;m. His companion yesterday was almost distracted at tho tragic Gliding to tho outing.

Unfortunately there wero no residents of Mnkara about to sec the young men go into tho water, or they might have been warned. Mr. Hawkins, by whose farm the fatality occurred, says that tho scene is about the one bad spot in the whole of tho stream. Almost anywhere else, the youths could have walked across.

Tho season of tho New Comic Opera Company at Melbourn'o Her Majesty's was brought to a close by tho first production in Melbourno of "Tho Balkan Princess,' tho music of which is by Paul Rubens, the composer of, "Miss Hook of Holland." Tiio cast included tho following:—Hilda Vining as Sofia, Dorothy Brnnton as Madga, Violet Ciollinson as Olga, Florence Young as Princess Stephanie, Frank Grceno as Duke Sergius, Reginald Roberts as Prince Boris, Phil Smith as Blabs, Edward Wynno as Count Boothy, Cecil Outtrim as Captain Radomir, Charles Albert as proprietor of tho Bohemian restaurant, Robert Wliytc, jun., as Henry, waiter at t'he restaurant. Horr Gustavo Slapoffski is musical director. Tho production included a frno Balarian Ballet, with Maggie Dickinson as solo danger. The Now Comics aro to commenco a tour of New Zealand at Auckland on December 22.