A SHOCKING AFFAIR.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1922, Page 2

A SHOCKING AFFAIR.

TWO LADS DROWNED

GREYMOUTH, Oct. 23

A shocking drowning accident happened in the lagoon just behind the grandstand of the Greymouth Trotting Club’s course shortly after 11 o’clock. It appears that three lads were in a flat-bottomed boat going up the lagoon and when passing under Preston road bridge the boat struck a pier and enpsized. The current was rushing up stream at the rate of G to 7 knots and the boys were at once in grave difficulties. The eldest lad, named AVildermoth, of Reefton, caught hold of one lad named Beale and tried to get him to the shore. He was rapidly carried up stream for about LAO yards where the younger lad sank under the water and was not seen again. The second hid kept above water for a. few moments, being rapidly carried up the stream for another 100 yards when lie also sank and was drowned. The third lad Bad managed to gain the shore. There were a number of people on the Trotting grounds but before anything could he done after the alarm was given, the lads were swept away by the current, and in a moment or two had disappeared. There were search parties out at once searching for the bodies, but at nightfall they had not been recovered.

The two lads drowned were I/. Beale, aged 11 years, a son of Air Beale, the well-known fisherman and green groeer of Greymouth. and the other was named Norman Wilderinot-li, aged nearly 10 years, whose parents reside at Reefton.

The sad occurrence caused quite a gloom in the town, and especially at the trotting meeting, which commenced a few minutes after the sad fatality.