DROWNED IN SURF

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20076, 24 October 1939, Page 14

DROWNED IN SURF

RESCUER’S SAD FATE TWO YOUTHS SAVED DEPLETION OF PATROLS MILITARY SERVICE (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. After rescuing two other young men who had got into difficulties, a bather at Kareknre disappeared in the heavy breakers this morning and was drowned.

Little could be done, to save him because the great majority ol members of the Karekare Surf Club have enlisted, and beach patrols have been seriously disorganised for want of members. The'victim was: —

James Sellar, aged 20. single, Ota huhu.

With other members of a party', who nad been staying at Karekare, Mr. Sellar went into the surf about 10 o’clock. Leslie Jolly, aged 17, and Albert Jolly, aged 26, Otahuhu, got into difficulties through the heavy ground swell that was running, and Mr. Sellar immediately went to their assistance. He brought Albert Jolly safely ashore, and had assisted Leslie Jolly to water about waist deep when he suddenly disappeared, it being thought that, he fell into one of the holes left after the recent heavy storm on the west coast. Surf Boat and Plane An urgent call for assistance was made to the Piha Surf Club, whose ranks have also been considerably depleted by enlistments. A patrol was immediately rushed over to Karekare by motor car, and the club’s surf boat was launched through the heavy surf. Although both the surf boat and the patrol made good time to Karekare. there was no sign of Mr. Sellar when they arrived.

An extensive search by the surf boat was fruitless and a watch from the Karekare Surf Club’s lower also failed to reveal him.

A call was also made to Constable Pollard at Henderson, and he carried out a long aerial survey of the coast in a machine piloted by Flying-Officer Firth. Visibility in the water was very poor, because the heavy surf hacl churned up the sand for about half a mile out to sea, and the body was not discovered.

Depleted Patrols

Later the Piha club was informed that Mr. Sellar’s body had been washed ashore at Mercer's Bay, just around the point from Karekare. A land patrol was dispatched with ropes and the surf boat again put out, but after both parties had made a minute search of the whole of the bay, efforts 16 find the body was abandoned until to-day.

It was emphasised by the surf club members that Mr. Sellar would in all probability have been saved if the patrol had been available, as fully half an hour elapsed before the Piha patrols could arrive at Karekare. It i was stated by officers of both clubs that summer patrols arc going to be very difficult to maintain because of the depletions through military enlistments, unless fresh members are obtained.