SAD CASE OF DROWNING AT WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3593, 17 January 1883, Page 3

SAD CASE OF DROWNING AT WAIROA.

PLUCKY ATTEMPT AT RESCUE BY A LITTLE GIRL. Wairoa, This day. A sad ease of drowning occurred at Lockwood's Point, near the township, about 5.30 p.m. yesterday. Minnie Thomas, a young girl about 15, a servant at Mrs Sargisson's Ladies' School, went in to bathe at this spot at low water, when she suddenly got out of her depth, and being unable to swim, was sinking when Edith Fraser, one of the pupils, a mere child, stripped off, and bravely jiunped in to rescue the girl. She succeeded in grasping her, but the drowning girl's hold relaxed, and she disappeared. Miss Fraser, in turn, was nearly drowned also, but was pulled out in an exhausted state by her little brother. There was no one else about at the time. The children gave an alarm and numbers of people were soon on the spot. Several stripped and tried to recover the body, and two boats and some canoes were also engaged dragging, without success. After half-an-hour's work Mr Sargisson offered a reward for the recovery of the body, and a number of Maori women accustomed to diving went in, and soon one of them recovered the body of the girl close to the shore, but in deep water. The remains were conveyed to Mr Sargisson's residence to await an inquest, which was held to-day, and a verdict of accidental death returned. —[Own correspondent.]