SAD DROWSING ACCIDENT.

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 January 1903, Page 3

SAD DROWSING ACCIDENT.

(West Co st Times)

A general feeling of consternation wa3 caused yesterday af:ernoon, when the sad news reached town that a drowning fatality had occurred at Lake Maninapua. Francis Eobeck the only"?son of Mr C. F. Eobeck our respected townsman having been drowned while bathing. It appears that a picnic party consisting of Mr and Mr 3 Eobeck, tbeirltwo daughters,

and son Francis, together with Mr and Mrs F. Schroder .their litt'e b.->y, and Miss Laing from Westport, were rowed up to the lake yesterday, by Mr J. O'Brieri the boatman. After lunch the party were exploring the bush, Mr Schroder ard his boy, Fraucis Eobeck and O'Brien remaining on the beach. Young Eobeck and the child Schroder went in for a' bathe, the little boy paddling on the edge of the lake while Eobeck went further out. O'Brien cautioned him not to go to the left and be did not do so, but wont straight ahead doubtless thinking it was still br allow water. He however, suddenly got" out of his depth meeting with a deep hole, Bud Mr Schroder seeing that be waa in diffic-aliiea rushed to help him. The litter found that he was up to his

neck, and had not a chance of reaching Eobeck, and he also got into trouble, the ground giving with him, in consequence of which O'Brien had to come to his at sistance. When O'Brien atd Schroder reached the shore they nt once took the boat to help Robeck, but he never came 4o the surface again, Neither Eobeck nor Schroder were swimmers, and the part of the lake tley were in is somewhat treacherous, iti* thought that the growth, of the weeds may hive entangled young Eobeck, and printed from rising to the surface when -£» -went down. Mr Mardon and a party were picnicing at the lake at the time and their assistance was called. -They immediately started to drag for *4»4dy;-a party of the Mabinapua tmmn Company's men also assisting. abcut3p.ro., end

dragging for the body Jwas continued till' 7 30. when it was recovered by Charles Koss, Albert Webb, and Stewart Ogilvie. It was at once conveyed to town by boat aud taken to Mr Eobeck's house. The deepest sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Eobeck and family in their sad bereavement.