SURFING DANGERS.

Grey River Argus, 22 February 1927, Page 6

SURFING DANGERS.

TEN IN TROUBLE. NARROW ESCAPES. WHANGAREI, Feb. 21. A sensational surfing accident occurred at Ruakaka Beach on Saturday afternoon, six persons being in jeopardy for upwards of an hour, before all were finally brought ashore. Two girls, Winnie McMillan, 14, and Mamie Graham, 15, got into difficulties at an isolated spot. Four young men who attempted a rescue, were quickly in trouble. Another young man procured a rope and succeeded, after a plucky endeavour, in bringing McMillan, one of the men, to safety. A rowboat was eventually found a mile distant, manned by two men, who rescued the other four persons, the girl Graham being in a state of extreme exhaustion. The anxiety of the spectators was intensified by the knowledge that the locality is usually infested by sharks at this season of the year. GISBORNE, Feb. 21. Four bathers were imperilled yesterday by the undertow at Sponge Bay, a popular picnic resort, near Gisborne, and were saved by the coolness and heroism of a middle-aged man, N. Dingle, who with his two sons, went to the rescue of a man named Cookson, a victim of the undertow. All four were carried out a long way, Dingle assisting and encouraging Cook son, who was almost exhausted by his struggles, while the elder Dingle boy helped his brother, a novice swimmer. Eventually, after a long fight, all four reached the shore exhausted. Cookson and the younger Dingle collapsed on the beach. Cookson is a much bigger man than Dingle senior, whose resource averted a tragedy.