A CLOSE CALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1921, Page 1

A CLOSE CALL.

AND A PU'C'KY i'IK.SC ITKl T K RKTURXKf) SOIiTHKR’S (lit A VICRY. WEU.IXCTOX, Sov. 20 One of the most praiseworthy attempts at rcscuiup a man from the linrbtiur and then kuotessfully applyinp artificial respiration after tlie mail had practically beeit piven tip as di-ad. was performed near Kvans Hay early yesterday motninp, when it was found that a man had somehow not into the water about half a mile past the Tea Kiosk, at Oriental Hay. The penllemaii who performetl the remarkable rescue, and incidentally saved the man’s life, is .Mr I). Dennchy. a returned soldier, employed at the Oas Company; and, accordion to one informant, ‘The mail’s coolness and presence of mind in switiulii up out to the unfortunate mail and then sotlinp to «o|-k to rescue him, and actually succeediup in hrineinp him round, mould brine him undiu the notice ot ! Rii\ a I I! u n:a nc Societ y .

The man v. ho Was rescued is Robert Rankin, lid veal -of ape. and a lOsiiler.l . I I ij.il till | V street. Kelhlllll vil- ,, nsion. II ‘is mo', Ivinn at ihe hospital suitei ine mull shock, but olberwisc none llie Worse i'oi bis e\|a rienee. and probably tile niilv man in tin Dominion to po so far towards death and yet return.

At about S.-’d yesterday morninp, Deiuiehy. who wmks at the pasu k - near Kraus I!.;;,, was walking the ;oad. making in the direetion nt town, and when passing the hay noticed what he look to he a body floatinp face downwards about fitty vards from the shore, lie was unable to tell how loan the body had liecii tliere, hut just thoiiplit ho eaupld the faintest niuvemeiit of one of the man s anus ill the water. Denm'liy itnmediatelv plttnped into the water, and swam out to the man and tupped him to the shore. By this time two men v. ho were passtiip in a uiotoi ear had arrived, and assisted. Rankin was unconscious. and to all appearances dead, hut not to allow a possible chance t» escape. Deiuiehy pot to voik with artilc-ial i‘-spirit ion. of which hr is an expert. At the hist minute, when it was thnupht that Rankin had pone too lar to he possibly broiipht to life, it was noticed that just the faintest sipns of life "ere creepintt into the man. Dennehy kept on wot kill!', find at the end of half ah hour was rewarded by seeiiip the man move. Silently afterwards lie breathed almost normally, and when he had recovered sufficiently was conveyed to ibe hospital. The man iindoubedly owes his life to Mr Dennehy, who Ihmiiphout acted with enminemlnble promptitiide and perfect calmness. Usually in such cases people immeilia I civ not if v the police when a body is se(*n float inp in tic water, and by the time these olfieials arrive, there is only a mi ns<* to take aAvav. *

The two gentlemen in the cm went Ini the police at Taranaki street, and Sergeant Dvlc and l‘lniiielotlies-('un-stable Mealy were conveyed to the scene of the accident. As to how the man actually came to get into the water is still a mystery, lie was well diesseil. There is a pinnacle on one side of the little hay, and il was almost opposite to this where the man was first sighted.