FATALITY IN HUTT RIVER

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 138, 7 March 1921, Page 4

FATALITY IN HUTT RIVER

LIFE OF WOULD-BE RESCUER LOST.

A distressing fatality occurred in the Hutt River, almost directly under the Main Bridge, on Saturday evening. It appears that three children were bathing in tho river at about 5.15 o’clock. One of them a little gill got into difficulties, and, attracted by the cries of a woman who had noticed the child’s plight, William Boyes, who was returning home with his two children from the -pictures, rushed to the spot and without removing his clothes dived in. Mr. Boyes failed to regain the surface, and was never seen alive again. A young man, Leslie Forsyth, who resides with his parents in Lower- Hutt, also dived in and went to the gill s assistance. Constable Frost, who had been summoned, swam across the river, and, taking the girl from Forsyth, who was almost exhausted, made his way back to tho bank. Both men were fully dressed. The child, who was in on unconscious condition, wae removed to the- constable’s residence, where medical assistance was obtained. The body of Mr. Boyes was later recovered and removed to the police station. The late Mr. Boyes was a married man with three children, and resided in Central Terrace. Alicetown. He wits secretary to the Wellington Woollen Mill Workers’ Union, the Wellington Electrical Workers’ Union, the Hutt branch of the Labour Party, and Hutt and Petone branch of the Labour Representation Committee. Reference to his death was made at last night’s Labour meeting in the Empress Theatre, and the audience stood as a mark of respect to his memory.